The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-03-17
Woman's Club.


terpreted for him by gifted actors
those characters of which mere read
ing or study has given him no adequate
conception or appreciation.
Conceding, then, the Importance of
the drama, it will be interesting to
consider its history in America. After
William Hallam's failure in England,
he conceived the idea of sending a
company of players TO the colonies in
America. Lewis Hallam, his wife and
these players arrived in 1852, and
stock company was established in Will
liamsburg, Va. This town was chosen
because its people were known to be
rich and fond of pleasure. Their coun-
try homes had already been used for
! the reading aloud of romances and
operas on rainy days or Sunday after
moons. The first theatre was a long
store-house, rudely divided into pit,
gallery and stage. However, fine,
! large audience greeted the company on
their first appearance in the play,
Merchant of Venice" Lewis Hallam
afterwards became very popular and
was the first star known to American
play-goers.
The first theatre was built in Annap-
oils; the second on Nassau street, New
York. The Quakers opposed strongly
the opening of playhouse in Phila-
/ OQ( ISCClNeQ JUST TGDuhG
from Judge Allen, who told them that
he had learned more moral lessons
from plays than from sermons. The
| theatre was opened. Judge Aliens
wife died. Conclusions were drawn. In
IVA the provincial Congress recon-
mended a suspension of all public
amusements. Companies left for Lon
don and the West Indies to remain
until peace was declared
| a the nraSant tina tho 1r-or,
seems to be a source of amusement
rathen than means of education
Leasing saw this danger when he said:
1T is of the utmost Importance that
the amusements of the stage shall not
become coarse and idiotic. A good
theatre is more than an amusement
and can produce an effect second only
to that of tha pulpit. 1t helps to build
up and keep the purity of our Ian
guage; 1t impresses our morals and
customs; it ennobles both the per-
former and the public"
his is the ideal drama The public
must take the blame of demanding
plays of another character Authors
and actors must yield to the demand
or Starve If the stage were guarded
and encouraged to do it's best, it would
become the authority on manners and
morals that it now is on the subject of
artistic dress; it would become the
pulpit of the masses for their education
and elevation
While the introduction of children
upon the stage sometimes develops re-
markable talent, yet the practice is
Objectionable on account of its cruelty
Negro minstrelsy is the dis
tinctive product of the American
stage, and its characteristic melody is
our nearest approach to a national mu-
sic. 1t was the melody of the negro
songs that moved Thackery to write:
Il heard a harmonious balladist not
long since-a minstrel with wool on his
head and an ultra-Ethiop:an com
pleXlon, who performed a negro ballad
that l confess, mOiStened these spec
tacles in most unexpected manner.
l have gazed at thousands OF. tragedy
queens dying on the stage and expir-
ing in appropriate blank verse, and
never wanted to wipe them. They have
Hooked up. be it said, at many scores
of clergymen without being dimmed;
and behold, vagabond with a corked
face and banjo sings a little song,
strikes a wild note which sets the
he art thrilling with happy pity"
The international kindergarten
Union was the next topic. TINS as
ISOLATION was organized at Saratoga,
July 10, 1892, with the following aims:
ITO gather and disseminate knowl-
edge Of the kindergarten movement
the world.
ITO bring into active cooperation all
kindergarten interests.
TO promote the establishment Of
kindergartens
ITO elevate the standard of profess
sional training of the 1indergartener.
The especial aim of 1898 will be to
give as complete an exhibition as Dos
sible of kindergarten progress in the
world, at the Columbian exhibition"
All the visitors at the Worlds fair
who enjoyed the delights of the
children's palace will testify that the
union succeeded in its immediate aim
The world is beginning to realize
that the training OF children is no in
significant matter. The teachers of the
little ones should be more carefully
trained, most noble in character. The
International Kindergarten union is
in close touch with the National Edu-
catiOnal association, and has high
mission to perform in preparing out
lines of study for, and giving counsel
to. the state unions that avail them
selves of the privileges of this general
association.
The kindergarten system is the only
training that develops the child as a
unit in the three realms of body, mind
and soul. The mother is too apt, in at
tending to the maternal wants of her
child, to forget that he has a growing
iAiliAd anu oOui. lie SCHOOlS LOO often
omit the physical and moral training.
The Sunday school loses sight of the
active body, abhorring quiet, and the
active mind asking for reasons. The
natural laws of growth are illustrated
by Froebeps twelve gifts. These gifts
the child does not tire Of because they
have a meaning, while he throws
aside his worthless Gf expensive) toys
after he has satisfied himself that he
cannot construct them anew when once
destroyed.
Any organization that aims to spread
abroad these rational methods of edu-
cation deserves the help of all lesser
associations and of all individuals in
terested. Organized effort means a
saving of time, energy, and money.
Come let us live with our children;
Earnestly, holly live,
Learning, ourselves, the sweet lessons
That to the children we give"
The topics for the next meeting,
Practical House Construction" and
Effects of a High Altitude" are two
more of those practical subjects for the
discussion of which the Womans club
is becoming famous. All members will
be curious to know whether the
speaker will excuse the outbursts of
temper so common among Salt Lakes
women, as effects of our high altitude.
Madenoise1le MAYNARD has lust re-