Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1911-04-28
STAGE CHILDREN PROTECTED


There are always certain persons
who In moments of idleness turn
their thoughts to the stage. Clergy
men are in the habit of doing this.
There are certain other worthy peo-
pie who with nothing else on their
minds turn their thoughts to the
theatre. 1t was just such interfer
ence as this that led to the applica-
ton of factory laws ii Illinois, Mas
sachusetts and Louisiana to the child
rem that went there to play. OF
course there is no relation whatever
between the work a child OIL the stage
has to do and that imposed Oh child
rem working in factories un ess there
is legislation to protect them" said
Marc Klaw of Klaw & Erlinger, the
big theatrical producers in a New
York interview.
Managers here In New York are
entirely satisfied with the situation.
Children under 16 who want to act
must every week obtain permit from
the mayor. No permit is good for
more than a week. That gives the
Gerry society plenty Of time to in
vestigate and see what the nature of
the child's employment Is. We are
perfectly satisfied with any such law.
1t will be acceptable in any city.
Here in New York children under 16
are not allowed to sing or dance.
Personally 1 think there are certain
objections to that. 1t will always be
impossible, for instance. as long as
such law Is allowed to exist, ever
to train adequate ballet dancers for
the American stage, because they
must begin young, when their muscles
are plant. That law was passed, /
presume, to make 1t impossible for
children to appear under any circum-
stances in dance halls of such char
acter as would interfere with their
morals. 1t does not affect the drama
anyhow, and for that reason is not
important.
But the prohibition of acting by
children in dramatic plays would be
fatal in many cases. Think of King
john for instance, and all the emil
nent actors who made their first ap-
pearance in that play. Then Of course
The Blue Bird The Piper and 9TH
er recent dramas requiring the pres
encs of children would be impossible.
When plays in which 1t is indispensa-
Bile to have children go to Boston
now it is necessary to employ dwarfs
When Mrs. Fiske was playing Saliva
ton Nell in New Orleans she fought
the rule. and her manager was ar
rested every night for allowing a
child to appear.
Nobody with any knowledge Of the
theater could ever believe that any
harm could come to a child. l would
like to know what the fate of any
man would be who attempted in any
way to harm stage child and was
found out. Children are invariably
beloved by all the company. They
get much more for their work in pro-
portion to what they do thsn adults.
1t is by no means uncommon foI
them to receive as much as SIS
week. and the travelling expenses OF
an adult to look after them, which
may be the child's mother or any
BODY selected to guard it.
One Of the most vigorous oppon-
ehts of child labor is Felix Adler,
who places his objection wholly or
educational grounds He says he has
a thsater connected with his Society
Tor Ethical Culture where children
can act # they want to ard in the
meantime be educated. Everybody
knows that the ability to read and
write is a condition precedent 10 the
actors profession. So children are
certain to be taught to read and write
and after that it lies within their own
power to acquire as much more edu-
cation as they want.
VI course there Is no schoo! for the
actor SO good as the stage. .dacklyn,
Master Betty, Siddons. the kemballs,
Salvini, Aistori, Helen FaEcit, Ed
win Forrest, Joe Jefferson, Maggie
Mitchell, Lolita ana Ellen Tsyyy are
some OF the noted actors OF tAs stage
who began as children. HAIRY Irv-
ing did Tot but Ellen Terry has al
ways told in her "Reminiscences how
deeply he regretted always tne loss
Of that discipline which he would
have had as a child actor M4ss Terry
also sadd that many Of his 0efects
sprang from the fact that be had moi
been trained when he was plastic in
body and receptive In mind to the
secrets Of his az.
Il have never k;lo..a a single case
in my own experience Ct q child de-
mora1ize0 by its a:-I eriences In the
theater. l cannot conceive Of any
circumstances under which q child
would be exposed to any evil inAu-
ences in the theatrical profession that
would no. always BE likely to assail
1t elsewhere. Its health Is also very
carefully guarded. II Is OILY ignor-
ance OF what the stage child's actual
life is that leads to such crusades
as those which haze barred them from
the stage in such Important cities as
Boston, Chicago and New Orleans"