Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-11-04
Theater and school.

A~eNaNA oAN oCAVOAs
The Olympic Theatre, of St. Louis,
Mo-, owned and managed by Mr..
Charley, Spalding, a son Of Dir. G. r.
S%palding Of Saugerties, N. Y, was
the scene of an unusual gathering on
Wednesday evening of last week. 1t
was the occasion Of a benefit for the
Mary Institute of hat city and the
mingling of theater and school on the
mutual platform of education. The
following extract, giving full particu-
lars, We copy from the st. Louis Re-
publican:
The Wednesday matinee, however,
deserves special mention. Midweek
matinees are not the custom at the
Olympic, but the extra performance
OF last week attracted general atten-
ton and was a brilliant dramatic epi-
sode. The reading class OF the Mary
institute, the female branch of Wash
lngton university was making a study
OF Shakspeare's Julius Caesar. "
aud Mccullough was invited to
read the play before the class
at the institute. lie responded by
offering to play Julius Caesar" for a
special matinee performance for the
benefit OF the students and professors
Of the Mary institute. The PROPOSE
ton was accepted, and the dress-circle
OF the Olympic was set apart and re-
served for the exclusive use of the
school, free, the parquette and other
parts Of the house being open to the
general public. The school filed the
dress-circle, which bloomed-a bou-
quet of fresh, young beauty-with the
brightest tints Of spring time and the
natural red Of roses. 1t was glowing
with its own pure life and redolent Of
the perfume of innocence. 1t was a
spectacle of extraordinary interest to
the actors, who felt that they were
playing to many who had never been
inside of a theater before, and all did
their very best. No communication
was permitted between the other parts
OF the house and the dress-circle, and
the noyices at the play sat in
seclusion as securely as if they had
been in their school-rooms or their
homes. 1t was a performance of the
purest Of all plays for the entertain
ment and culture of a select circle,
compact of pure maidenhOod nre-
served in its own sweets. The plav
went splendidly, and the audience an.
plauded in the proper places, aud
made demonstrations of unmixed de-
light. There was a fine matinee
audience aside from the school. the
parquette and family circle being full
Of people attracted by the general in,
terest Of the occasion. Calls before
the curtain for Brutus, Cassius and
Mark Antony came after their several
great scenes, and never before did ae-
tors respond so willingly to the de
mands Of an audience. They came TO
receive the honors, and were crowned
with flowers by the fair hands of the
school girls. The floral tokens. COM
ing so fittingly from the hanls
and hearts that ave them
we're showered upon Mccullough
and his supports, and the flower.
GROWING was so beautiful and %inspir-
ing that Soholteu, the photographer.
thought It worthy of preserving in
durable form, and made a picture Of
Mccullough receiving the gifts of the
school girls. 1t will illustrate the
first meeting Of the thoater and tho
school on the mutual platform Of cd
qcatlQn that ever occurred in NJ.
Louis, or in this spirit in any other
city. The effect Of such a union of
efforts and interests cannot fail to
work advantage to the cause of uni
vcrsal culture. The Mary institute
was a most welcome guest of the
theater and Mccullough and the
other theater people were e~nthusias.
tlc over the general result. The nov
ell experiment made them wish that
they could do that sort Of thing every
week of their season,