Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-08-13
The New dramatic College,, in Eng.
land.


At present great anxiety is prevailing
among the theatrical professors of Great
Britain i'll consequence of the gift of five
acres of very beautiful land, by gentleman
of the name of Henry DOdd, for the purpose
Of founding home for the helpless and needy
brothers and sisters of that denomination. A
public meeting was held at the Princess
Theatre on Wednesday, July 2lst. Mr.. Charles
Kean in the chair, which is represented by the
London Press to have been the greatest as
semblage of dr. matte, literary, and general
talept ever witnessed. In the course of the
speeches made and resolutions carried. it was
remarked that four of the dwellings would
be commenced at once. The Drury Lane and
COvent Garden funds each contributing one.
the general Theatrical fund another, and Mr..
Chas. kean announced himself responsible
for the fourth; while Mr.. benjamin Webster,
who owns large stone quarries in Wales, prof
fered rough stone for the facing of the College
and the erection of a school house for the
education of children of actors. The scheme
for the Dramatic College is substantially
this:
That the institution shall be known by the
style and title of the Dramatic College That
the executive body having the general con-
troll and management of the said college, con-
sst of patroness or patron, a president, four
vice presidents, four trustees, a council of
management, consisting of twenty persons
life governors and annual subscribers, IA trea-
surer or treasurers, auditors. and a secretary
or secretaries. That the president and vice
presidents be members of the council. ex-
othciO. That the right to make bye-laws for
the management OF the college shall vest in
the council: but that such bye laws shall have
no force or effect until approved of at a pub
lie meeting of the subscribers. That the
council shall determine upon the plan OF the
hall, and description of tenements.
THAT the number of pensioners for the
benefits OF the college shall not In the first
instance, exceed 20 persons, namely, 10 males
and 10 females. That it be qualification ia
all candidates for the benefits OF the college
that they shall have been on the stage for at
least 90 years, and that candidates, being
males, shall have attained the age of SIS years,
aud females so. excepting in extraordinary
eases where the candidates have sustained
some permanent bodily injury or iniirmity in
the exercise of their professions: such cases TO
Ice decided by the council. and to be eN-
ceptonal. That before any persons can be
admitted as candidates, TO be put IN noHllna-
ton for the benefits of the college, they must
receive certificate of qualification from the
council. That the right To elect shall be
vested In the subscribers, except that the
directors of COvent-gardcn, and Drury-lane
Theatrical Funds, and their Successors, shall
have the right in perpstu;ty of alternately
presenting one penslOner for the benefits Of
the college. That donation Of ten gum ,as
shall constitute life governor, who shall be-
entitled to one vote at each election. That
every annual subscriber OF gnin,a shall plsOa
be entitled To one vote. That.ultimately E25
per anuun. with fire aud light, be the allow
ance of the pensioners, payable monthly
That, ~ the funds incraSe. il shall be in the
discretion Of the council 10 increase the
pecuniary allowance of the pensioners. To add
20 the number of pensioners and tenements.
That, il at any time the funds are increased
beyond the amount required for the maiaten-
anec and support OF TIE college and pension
ers, Il shall be- lawful for the council to apply
such increase towards the maintenance aud
cducation Of children of actors; aud that IA
proportion Of the ground and premises apper-
laining to the college may be appropn-
ated for the purpose of erecting school
house"
Upwards Of 81 900 was subscribed by the
meeting, and the Secretary has since an
nounced through the morning papers that the
funds already received by donation amount
TO more than SIS, 600 The trustees Of the
College are Charles Kean, Esq, Benjamin
Webster, ED Charles Dickens, Esq, and
w. N. Thaokeray, Esq.