The evening times., 1899-05-23
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Children On the Stage.

II appears that the theatrical folk Of
New York are in glee because Mayor Van
Wyck has given the Gerry Society a black
| eye. For some years this society has con-
sidered that il had a mission to interfere
with all sorts of private affairs. and it has
| been particularly hard on the drama. 1t
decreed that no children under sixteen
should go on the stage. and as many stand
ard plays call for child actors the result
was that sixteen -year-old youngsters were
obliged TO impersonate those of SIX and
the effect was not artistic. Mayor Van
Wyck's decision loosens the shackles from
the feet of the histrionic muse
There is, of course. a certain objection
stage under certain conditions When a
child phenomenon is exhibited by injudi-
cious parents or guardians, and made to
show OFF attainments in the line of singing.
piano playing, or elocution. the chances
are that the result is painful to the audi
ence and harmful to the child. 1t is posi-
tive cruelty to accustom bright child to
public life. adulation. excitement, and the
luxury of success. when such course may
man. In ct least five cases out of ten,
phenomenal powers shown by children
might be preserved for greater attainments
in later life if the system was not ex-
hausted by forcing during the years of
growth. There is only a certain amount of
nervous energy in growing child. and
if he is made to exhaust all his strength
in achievement. the chances are that he
will have none left for growth. and that
his will be case of arrested development.
But this danger is in some respects
much lessened in the dramatic profession.
the child actor is quite likely to be Sue
cessful in after life; in fact, early train
ing is so great an advantage as to coun-
terbaiance whatever loss may result from
it. The young pianist or violinist may
study in private. and never play before
more than a dozen people at once until he
is grown. but the young actor must do his
practicing before the foot!ights, with an
audience to be his judge. The strain is
less than in other professions. for chill
dren are natural actors, and the most
matter-of-fact and prosaic fve-year-
has his private drama in which he is chief
actor and stage manager. and usually
playwright as we'll. If the child is made
to keep regular hours, study his parts in
a thorough and scholarly way, and observe
the laws of health. there is no reason why
his work should injure him any more than
il he were made to recite his lessons be-
fore sixty pupils of his own age in a big
schoolroom.
In fact. IL the psychology of children
could be thoroughly understood. it might
be found that there is more real nervous
strain, to many children. in the daily or
deal of lessons at school than to an Elsie
Leslie or an Ellen Terry in acting chi,d's
part at the age of eight. The child in the
schoolroom knows that his audience is in
terested in him, not in his recitation;
that it is waiting to laugh if he makes a
biunder land tease him about it after
ward), and to envy him il he stands at
the head of the class. If the Gerry So
ciety really wants to do some good, 1t
might turn its attention to the over-work
and over-excitement in the big city
schools.
However all this may be. there is no
doubt that the effectiveness and beauty of
many dramas is greatly enhanced by the
work of children, and diminished when
adults are required to play the parts. A
veteran Uncle Tom" tells a story of one
occasion in which the only person in the
company who could play Eva" was a lady
weighing about a hundred and fifty
pounds. When she sat down on his knee
and said. please Uncle Tom. tell me
story" the effect was picturesque, but