New-York tribune., 1896-06-07
SHAKESPEARE IN COLLEOE.

Tho sooeon of commencements Is again at
hand-has, indeed. already Deguh-ahu soi''e
thousands of young men ana women are n''
yously intent upon its fascinating Iuiic'''"S
Orations are to be written, committen 10 mem
org ,nd rohoorscd ESSAYS are to be prepared
Cams and GOWNS are to be procured ana h'ted'
and the art Of wearing them gracei"i'! h'"''
bc ocouircd In the familiar phrases Oh 'he''
own orations the graduates are entering upon
the final dress parade before going lorth 10 en-
gage in the earnest battles OF life Year 'i'e'
wear the same scenes are enacted thc SAINT
sentiments sonorously expressed. he' mere an"
there appears tendency to modify the IL"
ditonal commencement programme OF III p'"''
to connect II with some new FEATURES "h''i'
while pcrhaps not less spectacular thah the o'u'
are less superficial and more practical
At Smith College for example, the perform
oncc Of n play of sterling merit by some S'ah'.
ard author has become II regular feature u
commencement week. In former years hhS'er-
pleccs of Sophoclcs. Shakespeare, BROWNING
and George Eliot have been produced FIJI
couragcd bv the marked success OF "A Midsuin-
mcr Nights Dream last year. the class OIL
1syG has prepared itself 10 give TWO perIorH'-
onccs of AS You Like IT, and there Is ever!
reason 10 anticipate therefor an equal measure
of success The standard of success on such
an occasion varies. OF course. In some respe''S'
from that ia an ordinary theatrl'ai perior"-
oncr although in some respects 1t coihcid's
with f. There will be no insistcnce upon III
exclusively academic ana therefor" onc-sldpd
intcrprctntion Of Shakespeare. The fact Is
f,llv taken into account that the dramatist
wrote his PLAYS to be- played, and 10 br played
before audiences of average people what Is
good and lasting I'm theatrical traditions, as al
fectjno the practical production of the plays
should NOT be found to conflict. therefore. with
the dicta of ShakcsIcarian scholars and com
mcntators There is. after all, no better com
mcntntor than the practical Interpreter, the
Booth or Irving or other great ARTIST WHO gives
his life to making the drama live
There may be- some interest in rcvivlng. aS n
curious experiment. the archaic conditions oi
the EIiznbcthan stage as also in dwelling upon
fhe Obsolete and the obscure In the text. Such
excursions are doubtless in "A measure educa'
tlonal I.ut they do not afford III" Kind o'
education sought In n frst-class modern college.
We may expect this presentation at S"ith'
therefore. Ike thnt Of last year. 10 cmbody not
the technical pcculiartics. hui rather the 'S-
snntlal spirit Of Shakespeare and 10 emphasize
what Is in him for all men and for al tih'
What has been done 10y Henry Irving ana An
custn Daly has properly been studied. 10 sup
plorncnt the instruction of the college professor
The young women ~ Smith will com" to their
tns, equipped with the results not only OF four
years of classroom training and library r"hd
ing but also of many weeks Of practical stage
discipline ln thc Interpretation Of their parts ~
the hands of one of The most approved IN
siruciors of the day In no way could the III
orarv culture II the college course hc more NJ
/ tlngly crowned. and in no wny could the irstivi
ties ~ commencement time be NOR" gracefully
adorned The undertaking Is one that VIII be
regarded with attention and appreciation whcr
/ ever a pracficll knowledge ~ the works OF or
/ greatest poet and dramatst IS recognized rs
an essential element 81 liberal education.