New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-05-08
TEACHING DRAMATIC ART.
LETTER FROM MIR. BRONSON HOWARD.
THE NEED OF EDUCATING YOUNG MEN IN THE
PRINCIPLES OF DRAMATIC ART.
To the Edffor OF Thk TrihunA

THE NEED OF EDUCATING YOUNG MEN IN TIE
PRINCIPLES OF DRAMATIC ART.
TO the Editor OF Ths Tribune.
Sir: You referred in q leading editorial article on
wednesday last to the that OF dramatic writing
has been encouraged United States during the last
dfeen years under the Common Law BY what is almost
equivalents to International Copyright American dramatsts
are now as you say In position 10 command as full and
fair remuneration for their those OF Europe
Having reached this point is 1t not time To raise posi-
He, the artistic standard OF American dramatic work 20
plane worthy OF its practical SUGGEST do not refer
to anything that American dramsss do are doing
Our actual products show simply what has been done In
less than two decades beginning in utter hopeessness
and without the benefit Of tradition association But
other drsnasts are 10 follow and It seems quite I'M
necessary that they should through all tho ignorance
OF dramatic laws that blinded US when we first began
Why need they, like u.s. educate themselves In those
merely rudimentary prfncipes-the OF their profes
son-with which they ought to be familiar from the outseti
These rudmentary principles absorbed by drama
lists In Europe merely By with their seniors,
but that process is as yet impossible here.
The simplest laws of dramatic construction vague
unrcaes to Of the educated young in America
yet fourhfths OF these educated young will attempt
have already attempted to write plays while many Of
them become critics OF the drama. The students OF our
great universities drilled In rhetoric and prosody
they are lectured to the poetic beauties Of the Eliza
bethan dramatst But with exception. none Of our
universities attempt to teach the elements Of the drama
and without its aside from It's poetry,
dramatic literature exists. Every university
graduate has heard the word unities,'
but take one OF them TO the Aston Library;
open o volume Of old plays and him put his finger
on Unity" lie knows there must be one somewhere
In the library but not being mind reader like Mr.
Bishop he Is not likely to ind It. with his eyes OPEN
yet this young has half written play &C home or no
may be eager applicant for the OF dramatic critic
We were all In his position once and IT, drsmatists or
critics we have learned anything Of dramatic art # was
only by hard labor and BY experimental blunder after
liberal education was finished.
have referred to one exception" among the learned
institutions OF this country That exception is the Uni
vcrsty OF Michigan During merely personal visit to
Ann Arbor last winter, was astonshed to nnd among
the various courses OF lectures the principles OF
dramatic construction illustrated by the corneie,
on the classical SIDE and those OF Victor Hugo and living
French drsmatists, on the modern side. The lecturer
was Professor Alfred Hennequin member OF the faculty.
1 attended this course. About hundred students
were present and they enced the possible interest,"
taking notes and passing at the end regular examine
ton Though an optional course It recognized part
OF their collegiate training and held It's place.
other courses in their studies degree Professor
Hennequin does himself as have said to the
writers who have gone. but discusses the artistic pecu
artes beauties and defects OF the living French
OF the drama as their works appear from time time
Pars-Augier. Feuillet ssrdou, Dumas etc. 1 found
principles enuncated and illustrated by masters living and
dead which have forced themselves upon myself in the
course OF my own work. and which it would have been
infinitely valuable to to have known beforehand
these young students Of the Michigan University
also learned many things that would be service
hereafter
Now SIR recurring to what have said above inasmuch
as American dramatic literature established az last on
basis Of financial prosperity will it not be well II
institutions OF learning do what is in their power
raise &c to the artistic plane OF European dramatic era
turef Need Columbia, Yale, Harvard and Princeton
leave the University Of Michigan solitary and peculiar
as it now Is in this worki Learned professors
OF these Eastern institutions asked questions
about dramatic art which many young students In the
University Of Michigan could have answered well
II any young In the United States seeks liberal
education, desiring to become dramatic critic in Journal
Ism or dramatic author he has choice the present
moment but TO go to the University OF Michigan. II
tho question the desirsbuity Of dramatic ltera-
ture, Of dramatic criticism in this country
issue, there might be for argument the subject
But people do 60 In great numbers to see American
plays; thousands Of journalists discuss them billions
Of dollars invested in theatres The only question
at issue is whether the people shall American plays
and reaf American criticisms written by trained and
skllful men, and read merely the experimental
work which Ignorance occasionally enlightened by
genius. offer them Our Eastern universities may
well take suggestion from their Western sister.
remain respectfully yours, BRONSON HOWARD
New Rochelle. April 80, 1888.