The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-03-07
NETHERsOLE LECTURES.
The Actress Discusses s'The Stage in
Its Relation to Social Life"

Chicago. March miss Olga Neither
sole made her first bow as a lecturer yes
terday afternoon, when she spoke in Kent
theater under the auspices of the Gradu-
ate club of the University of Chicago
Miss Nethersole, selecting as her topic
THE Stage in Its Relation to Social Life"
spoke a word for Ibsen and declared that
the dramatist should write of life-both
pleasant and unpleasant. With the lat
ter she added should always go sug-
gestion of a cure.
She made a plea for the young play
always, and declared the actor. like the
doctor or lawyer, should be made to have
a diploma before practicing his arts on
the public. Miss Nethersole urged the es-
tabilshment in America and England of
national conservatories of acting, where
talent could be cultivated and the lack
1T is no part of my belief that should
decry my own profession for the sake of
at the momenf sb Ig}G 10 pc M ,111
help seeing while the stage of America
ed much experience from her elder sister,
the stage of England, slowly but surely
English stage has now to reckon with the
American, and we have to learn much
from iron you; 1t IS amazing to realize how
and grown in England and America dur
church and stage have come to hold each
other by the hand. 1 wonder what our
have said could they have known thai in
the last year OF the century the much ma
Crowned With laurel ' and S Clothed in the he
Without desiring to lay before You the
dhltnGI9lt les and trials of the stage, I
about subject of the profoundest inn
portance; Unless we are able to give
you good plays, we cannot give you per-
formances. To give authors every OPP
portunity, speed them in every channel, to
welcome change, to encourage the appear
ance of the drama in as many aspects as
sible, that is the obvious course to pur-
sue.
In the old days the stock company was
the rough school wherein the actor was
fitted for his profession, and I hail with
delight the revival, as 1 feel that it is a
step in the right direction. And yet why
should we not take the bull by the horns
and establish a dramatic conserva tory?
Every other enterprise of art has its train
ing school, and why not the stage? We
find 1t f1ourishing in France. We find it
America and England? 1t is absolutely
surprising that people should have the i'm
pert1nence to expect to be allowed to APP
pear before the public for the first time
without any qualification whatsoever.
claim that the actor has a mission,
he has a duty toward his fellow-men which
ing and preparation, and 1 would have
the state in each country establish a col
lege for the training of actors, and no one
should be allowed to appear in public with
out his diploma any more than lawyer
or doctor is allowed to practice law or
medicine without one.
Our profession should be incorporated
under charter and schools should be in
augurated. Educa tional qualifica ton should
be necessary for admission to the schools
and course of study should be prescrib-
ton, examination should be made in one
two. or three degrees, after which the
worthy should receive his diploma as a
graduate in dramatic art"