The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1880-11-21
AMATEURS.
How TO Encourage Them, and How
They Should Accept Criticism.


Everything that tends to afford in
telligent amusement and to elevate
should be cultivated. This applies al
much to individuals IS TO bodies, s!
much to classes as to the public, and
as much to public prints as to al
: others. Thus we should encourage
j dramatic, literary, art and musical
associations, and the ike. The ex-
tent to which such societies are en-
!. titled to encouragement is a subject on
which the matter Of tha pecunisry
? benefit to be derived by the associa-
. ton might justly be taken into con-
3 siderstion; bus for the present 1t is
0 well enough 10 suppose that the OBJ
3 lee. OF al such combinations ia for
mutual benefit, the pleasure OF the
ipublio, The Development OF talent
where It may be found, and the Civ
! ing Of an opportunity TO ell 70 prove
whether they have talent. Such So
Icieties are the Home Dramatic Club,
/ Zion's Musical Society and the Pail
harmonic, the last two mentioned
being of a lees pec1uisry character,
perhaps, than the hrst, The Philhar-
mOniC 10 he Oldest, and so far az eD
Icouragement Is concerned, has no
! reason 30 complain of the substantial
manner in which i,s Efforts have been
appreciated both By the press and the
> public. The same may be ssid re-
tgsrcing the Home Dramatic Club. of
a more recent birth, and perhaps Of
greater merit. Until the recent con
certs, Zjon's Musical S0cisty Bss not
as greatly encouraged as the Others
bad been, but at the concert given
about two weeks ago. the mem
bers of that society received con-
7incing proof that Salt Lake
hsd q public which vas willing 70 en-
courage where encouragement WAS
| clerited. lions Musical Society is
deserving Of appreciation; It's object
Is the most laudable- the cultivation
OF taste for the higher branches Of |
the divine art, the qualification OF the |
public and the bringing ont Of talent |
and power IN a musical direction |
when it Is discovered. Such funds as
may be raised are devoted to the pur-
chase Of books and instruments, and
nearly all who assist or take part With |
the society do so from pursly disin-
tersstsd motives, 60 far as pecuniary |
gain Is concerned. No society could |
be mO.e worthy in lite object, and |
none could be more deserving OF the |
patronage ard encouragement of a
public; ia view Of which facts none
should be more anxious to appear
before the public il true, and only
true light.
Perhaps it is q question 90 10 how
such . society should be encouraged.
ii We apply encouragement to a
child i means, not that the child |
should be praised for everything It
does, Eoc that thence should be ez
ercissd when good cannot be spoken,
6gt ,has lis faults should be pointed
out in Q kindly spirit. that /. should
he praised when Il does well, and that
such excellence as may be perceived
should bs coatrasted, for the benefit
q the child, With that which ig not
50 good, thatitmsy itself know where
In It eZcels. This applies az much to
societies IS to children, and SIS much
30 .Zion's Mus.cal Society as 10 aay
other.
The bulk Of tae members of all
societies which appear bsiore the
public are amateurs; II they were
not, they would soon cease to appear
as they do. They need lay no stress
OF the fact that .hey are amateurs, as
the pubic appreciate il; yet not in
one case 10 a hundred where they
give general public performances in
gae heart ct the ci.y. DO they adYsr-
uss themselves 20 sGch. They invite
yCu to an entertainment ~ which
you are assured goa viii hear the
best local artists" or the "best
local talent" In the several lines
which the several societies follow
Take the wording Of the advertise
meuts, and 20 earthly being who
ms language, could cor
strue them into meaning amateur
II in the word
!'aItist" there Is implied anything OF ,
the amateur, then a new dictionary !
should be compiled; and il anything ,
of the amateur must be inferred from
the language the ''best local talent" :
then people are terribly mistaken ss !
10 the meaning o! words. But these
advertisements are comprehended !
and people understand that they
mean an amateur performance,
and attend 1t as such; and these re-
ferenCes axe merely made to show
that, however much stress may be
laid or the amateur point by amateurs
after the entertainment, they are
among the last to call it up before the
entertainment.
1t is a generally conceded fact--it
may be very foolish concession
that those least willing to have their
defects pointed out, are the ones who
are taylhest from the spirit of i'm
L is also q conceded
iact-perhaps as silly as the other
that those who show Us our taults,
even though IN a bitter spirit. are
the ones who really do US the greatest
kindness. Now, it is simply childish
for peuO1a who appear in public to !
object 20 criticism because they are
as a rule, these very persons
who 60 much offset TO criticism Oh
.het ground, aye those who would be
tla first to resent the imputati0n tia.
they were nothing but amateurs. The
manly part is to invite criticism, en3
When It is given, even though severe,
even though unjust, 10 profit by i;
for Is matters not how totally nni,ted
the critic msy be, be would he a
marvel who did not give some hints
that are worthy OF careful conside-
ration. Il is, therefore, weak,
efaminate AID childish to resent
criticism, If q person wishes to in
prove; and If a person does not wish
10 improve, that person should at
once be forced cut Of a society, what
ever may be its character.
Public men and public measures
ere public property, and their
acts srs tho proper subjects
i0- public discussion, AS soon
rs a person takes part in an afsir
which is Of . pubic nature, just that
coon does a person become s. public
character. The public is invited to
attend an entertainment; why? that it
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