The Washington herald., 1908-06-21
The Theater and Education.

Those who cling 20 the best traditions
Of the stage and hope that some day 1t
will return out OF its present use as
mere purveyor Of amusement, which,
year by year, seems 10 become more
frivolous and frothy and Of less sub.
stance. viii welcome the announcement
that a movement has started in New
York for the establishment Of what is to
be known as an Educational Theater
Talk Of a national theater. to be. at
least partly. supported by governmental
funds. has long been current In both
England and America, where patrons Of
arr have been insisting tina, the example
OF the Coincide Francaise should be
emulated. There has been no expression
Of doubt as 20 the utility Of such
project and its need as a competitor TO
the mere money-making theater which
caters 90 ;he worst, because the mere
money-spending public, has been fully
recognized. But the difficulties up 10 now
have always proved insuperable
There was some thought OF success IN
this direction when Il was proposed 70
erect a national theater in England as
memorial TO Shakespeare. hut IT seems
that even with such an inspiring name
back of it. the project fingers. In New
York there seems to be an air Of bust
ness about the preliminary arranEements
for the Educational Theater that augurs
well for its outcome Under the name OF
the Educational Theater Company, the
business was incorporated last week in
New York, with Mark Twain as president
OF the board Of directors and Mr.. Stan
ley Hall. president OF Clark University:
the Rev. Percy s. Grant. and others Of
similar high standing associated with Mr..
Clemens. The practical knowledge OF the
stage and It's workings has been pro-
Yided for by including Mr. Charles +.
Miner on the theatrical side and Mr.. Otto
Kahn on the business side. on the board
Of directors
The secretary Of the board. Miss A. NJ
Herts. announces that the general pur-
pose OF the Educational Thoater will be
10 use what has hitherto been very
largely a matter Of recreation as means
for moral education. This means. Of
course, that only moral plays are TO be
produced. which will certainly limit the
theater's field OF activity and is almost
sure TO bring up In a more or less un-
pleasant way the question OF what. I'm
the drama, is moral and what immoral.
II IS a question that can scarcely be
settled even by the oblter dcta OF a
carefully selected and hlgh-class board
OF directors. For what is moral for one
man is immoral for another. and that
the story OF a courtesan-m in itself
may be means of grace is amply illus
trated for all Of US by the use made Of
such an object lesson by the Master
when He was on earth.
Still, In spite OF the difficulties that are
in the way, and which must not be
minimized, such theater will have a
fine field Of endeavor. and can work
enormous good. It is not proposed that
the good shall be directed only toward
the audiences, which is a common-sense
plan. but it viii begin with the stage
itself. II is announced that the Educa-
tional Theater will attempt 70 hold its
company up TO high standards, not only
Of artistic expression. but Of life. as
well; and It is hoped that II will develop
naturally into a sort Of academy for
actors. and offer opportunity to youthful
talent, which may thus be saved from
the evil associations OF the cheap and
tawdry companies, IN which, to-day. so
many young men and women have to get
their first start.
That such theater can be OF great
moral force In the community IS beyond
peradventure, and we sincerely hope that
actors and managers will not seek TO
decry this effort or fear its rivalry, but
vii! help It in every way possible. recog-
nizing what a vast Improvement must
follow the striving for a hleh fdeaI