Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1900-06-08
THE ROMAN DRAMA.
A Notable Feature of the College Centen-
NAL Educational Day.

A Notable Feature of the College Centen-
NAL Educational Day.
The Roman drama, which. by request
of the authorities, is to 'e repeated as
student contribution to the Educational
Day of the coming Centennial, Is in
active preparation. The c. ntcnnial build
ing in which it is to be presented is
being pushed forward toward completion
and will doubtless prove itself admirably
adapted to the needs of the occasion. The
public interest in this feature of the eel
ebration grows as July approaches and it
will not be amiss TO make clear some
facts concerning the drama that may not
be fully understood. 1t should be noted
at the outset that its purpose is radically
other than that of the great majority of
college entertainments which might at
first thought be coupled with 1t. The
end sought is strictly educational and so
far as the projectors know the means en-
ployed in securing that end are different
in their scope and completeness from
any that have elsewhere been made use
of. The play ITSELF to begin with, is an
original production, affording constant
opportunity for the vivid reconstruction
and portrayal of the very life of Rome in
the days of Cicero. On the accessories
of that portrayal, there has been expended
during the last two years an amount of
study and experiment that illustra-
ties admirably the spirit of exhaustive
scholarship behind the enterprise. The
results, too. independent entirely of the
f,,1 nf
have been most gratifying: to mention
but single point, the Latin department
of Mddlebury has attained to what is
probably position of authority in mat
tiers pertaining to the tunica and the
tOga. From first to last, accuracy has
been the the prime consideration no.
where has effect been sought at the ex
pense of truthfulness. 1t is hard for the
uninitiated to realize how very strong the
temptation is to err in this regard-to
sacrifice fraction of the fact, in cos
tune, hair-dressing, or what you will,
for some supposed advantage in personal
appearance. That the temptation has
been resisted is an added evidence of the
scholarly enthusiasm that has marked
the work throughout. The issue of this
thorough-golng fidelity is most interest
ing. As was said of the Roman chorus
two years ago, truth has again proved to
be beauty, while the charm of the swift
ly moving scenes is heightened by a com
Portable feeling of confidence that what
is being presented Is as true to the origi-
nal as conscientious and protracted study
can make it. That the charm of it all is
potent none who saw the chorus and the
play of a year ago will question; and the
result of the present effort bids fair to be
in some respects even more memorable
and complete. The magic of Mr.. Wit
hams brush. in the marvelously Elusive
backgrounds of the house, the temple,
and the Forum. will again be brought
into requisitiOn, and other scenes by
another artist will be added TO the list.
And all-whether in accessories or i'm
action, whether in domestic, political,
or religious life, under the temples
springing dome or AMID the splendors of
the Forum-introduced with the sole
intent to create anew the thing itself.
that remarkable life of the days of the re-
public. 1t Is fitting, therefore. that those
in charge of the programme of the week
should have made the play q feature of
Educational Day; there only, in view of
its aim, could 1t most appropriately have
been placed.
Within ten days floor plan will be
completed and the public sale of seats
Will begin. Meanwhile. As has been pre-
viously announced, if those who desire
to do so will make application to Pro
fessor NJ. Il. Sanford, their names will be
recorded and seats furnished in the order
of receipt. The price of admission is
one dollar and is uniform throughout the
house