Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-05-22
ATHLETES On THE STAGE.
An Actor Talks About the Result of
she Over-physieal Training Of Actors.

The sudden death of the actor Hettinger at
Herzog's 1heater, in this city, few days ago,
suggested to an old actor who was talking To
STAR reporter some observations upon the
causes which led to that event. 81 told,
he said, ''that when the body of poor Hettinger
smbslmed, it was found that he had no
flesh, SO 10 speak, OF his body at ALL The bones
were covered with the muscles fully developed
and as hard and firm iron. From the stand
point OF physical high training he fully
developed, and ne had gotten rid OF all super
nuous 1esb. The network of muscles which
and showed the years OF training constantly
maintained which had been necessary
In order to preserve such physical
development Very few people have any idea
OF the amount of just such training that large
number Ul the actors have to undergo in order
10 1T themselves for their parts on the stage.
Take for instance that feature of minstrel
performance, which Is generally called
silence and fun The actor actors who
take that part have 10 be thoroughly trained
athletics and, as in the case OF Hettin-
ger, the training Is apt To be oyerdone. The
trouble is usually with the heart or the
bursting OF blood vessel, and in that way
the career of All athlete Is usually brought TO
an untimeIy close. You take ~ boating man,
and If his training is oyerdone, in a short
time he receives d warning perhaps in a slight
hemorrhase, which, If IL is dIsresarded, is sure
10 terminate fatally. y prize fighter, or in
rare case, and indeed only happens
when the man gradually stops training, and
IL.
high pressure Is kept up. a break Is sure to
come. But Was started in this line OF thought
ty the fact that the public generally but ii:tie
appreciate bow much is required in the way OF
PHYSICAL training from actor. There are
some parts III nearly every theatrical piece
that requires strength aud muscle aI.,.
when the actor leaves the stage he -
about played out The songand-dance men
are as a rule athletes and SO OF u great many
other parts. The evil lies in the OVERRIDING aud
the neglect of the precautions which might pre-
Vent AN undue str'iinlns OF the blood vessels
The Tenure of Office OF Teachers.
To the Editor of The EVENING STAR:
see by published report OF the proceedings
Of the school board that they contemplate re-
Sending the resolution introduced by me and
passed by the board making the tenure OF office
OF the employees in IA measure permanent The
presentation of this resolution strikes me as
rather strange proceeding. II tine. Commission
ers letter defining the duties OF the board
meant anything, IL meant that they were only
an advisory board, and that the power of APP
pointing the employees lodged in the hands OF
the Comm sslonsTs- Ii this he true how can
the board "a trustees fix the tenure of office OF
employees who are appointed by their superIors
Now 10 TIE merits OI this question. " hat good
reason has been advanced why the tenure of
office Of the employees OF public SCHOOLS unlike
that of any other branch or Department of the
District government should be of an uncertain
character, dependent, We might say. upon the
will OF single trustee. The old method was
extremely iaulty. We had our annual nomi-
nation of teachers. Each local committee made
up MS own list. ne nom mated or reuOulln:tyG
just whom NJ pleased, and dropped just whom
he pleased. No reason was ever assigned: in
fact, the board went 1t blind. Many "a good
teacher was urOpprd out OF sight, and not even
bubble marked the spot where she went
down. / cOncede that this resolution took a
vast deal %. power, influence and patronage
from each local trustee. but what the trustee
lost the public gained. 1t gave a sense OF secu-
rity To tue teacher. They ielt. and now feel
that their positions are dependent upon their
fitness, and therefore they nave dev voted their
time and EFFORT To discharge the duties of the
office. rather than 10 particularly please the
local committee. The object OF the resolution
cited was 10 give the teacher and the schools
the benefit OF the opinion of the entire board In
any change contemplated in reference 10 an
einploye. / Thought the united minds OF MANY
might be better than possibly the prejudiCed
mind OF one. / InOug ht also tuat about the fair
thing would be IoT u trustee 10 give the board a
reason when he wanted eInploye removed
j thOusht this method about tine manly way To
deal with such things. The argument advanced
that 1t won do To show cause. or assign reasons
would hurt the moral of the school il simply
an apology Tor COWardlce- / believe the perma-
nency OF tenure OF the teacher has been of vast
benenI 10 The public schools. | do not think d,
Canvass vi this subject would develop a de-
slre either On the part OF parent or teacher TO
Change this rule. There il no necessity for the.
Change hope therefore, Mr.. Editor, that YOU
viii give the strength oil your valuable journal
In opposition To the repeal of this rule, ~ you
oid n support VI It's passage. JAMES II. SMITH.