The times., 1899-12-03

OF all the distinguished professions
filled by women. the most unusual is that
occupied by Miss Mabel HAY Barrows.
since she can safely be said to reigu with
out rival in her particular field. From
the beginning OF the college year in Octo-
Der TO its end in June. Miss Barrows IS in
constant demand from universities and
preparatory schools the country over. to
train its students in all tue various arts
necessary 70 the production Of Greek and
Latin plays.
Miss Barrows early showed a love of
Greek and Latin combined with q passion
for the drama, and when only thirteen
years of age wrote a play founded upon
the crusades in which the crusaders ad-
dressed one another in Latin she had
also a natural taste for archaeology which
she inherited from her father. When a
student of sixteen in the Girls Latin
School in Boston, she dramatized portions
Of the Aeneid and began training some OF
her classmates for its presentation in the
home attic. The production, however de-
veloped so marvelously under her ssAifuI
management that il was finally given be-
fore distinguished audience in DE- Ed
ward Everett Hale's church p8rlors Be-
tween the acts Secretary Long read aloud
his own translation Of Virgil and a mem
ber Of the Boston symphony Orchestra,
who had written the music for the drama.
played the harp.
After graduating from the Latin school,
Miss Barrows went with her father Hon.
Samuel J. Barrows, TO Greece, where she
made a special study OF old Greek customs,
games, dances, etc. getting many Of her
ideas Of costuming fiOm the vase paintings
and figures After this she visited vari-
Gus continental galleries and mus -uls. I'm
ally taking a course in archaeology and
Greek art at Leipsic.
Soon after her return 70 America she en-
tered Radclin and while there gave her
first Homeric play. which attracted wide
attention from its entire novelty and dis
tinctiOn. This was really the foundation
of Miss Barrows professional career for
although after leaving Radciin, she took
the course at the Boston Normal Schoo. Of
Gymnastics. with the purpose Of making
the teaching Of gymnastics her profession,
her services were IN such frequent demand
at the various colleges, that she gave up
her original intention and gradually drifted
into professional trainer and coach for
Greek and Latin plays Once launched
into her career. Miss BarrOws found that
all her previous training seemed 70 have
been with this one end in view. Even the
athletics and the hours spsnt in studying
the violin were indispensable,
Be il said that with all the rest Miss
BarrOws had studied gymnastics in both
Germany and Sweden and has always i'm
proved every possible opportunity for get
ting hold OF national dances. In Sweden
she had the honor Of dancing before the
king and she learned the Scotch dances
from an old Highland dancer whose Office
it had been TO dance for the queen. Ger
man, Italian, and French peasant dancing
she learned from the peasants themselves,
and modern Greek dancing in Greece Nor
has she neglected cur own OId-fashioned
country dances The whole aim of these
productions is TO resurrect Homer and Vir-
gil from their textbook graves, and makes
them live again.
Teaching the delivery of the lines is but
a small part of her duties. Miss BarIOWs
must needs instruct young athletes to box
and wrestle after the old Greek manner
quite different from that Of today-tO hurI
the discus; to dance the Old Greek Dances
to throw the ball whi.e balancing, leaping
turning and wheeling, to chant the weird,
sweet music of the Delphic Hymn vita
which the play opens, etc, etc This means
the most arduOus work day and night lOr
al least six weeks.
My method is something as follows
said Miss BarrOWs: When sent for by
college 1 first meet the classical faculty,
and they present me 10 various classes OF
students TO whom I give a little sketch Of
the play, explaining its demands, and
showing pictures Of its final performance
/ then talk the men over with the faculty
and learn something Of their college rec
urds OF course. athletes, dancers, sing
ers. and the pOpHiace' do not need to know
Greek The students are then invited TO
meet me socially. after this for a day or
-wo observe them carefully in the lecture
room and on the campus and watch them
at their athletics. I am then able TO select
TWO or three possible actors for each role
These men I ask to compete for the parts,
and after day or two I am able TO decide
which of them is better fitted for the sew
eral roles OF course. they do not begin
to commit their lines until the parts are
finally cast Then I call the entire cast to-
gether for a reading rehearsal and go over
the whole play. After that 1 do not call
them together again until the last week.
The work in the meantime is entirely in
dividuaI / work with each man until he
is nearly perfect in his part. Then ] be
gin putting them together in small groups.
so that all the work is going on practically
all the time.
"Once I am in college, my time is all
theirs. 1 begin az o'clock in the morning.
and frequently during the last week am