New-York tribune., 1912-02-17
SPEAK FOR STAGE CHILDREN
Bijou Heron and Mrs. Ruth Lift
Convince Woman's Forum.

Bljou Heron, the little girl who used TO
| play Oliver in Dickenss "Oliver Twist"
generation or more ago, and who is now
Mrs. Henry Miller. with daughter on the
stage, and a granddaughter aged three,
whom she hopes to see there as soon as
| possible, came back yesterday morning and
! told the members Of the Woman's Forum
at the Berkeley Lyceum how delightful ii
was to be a stage child.
Those were the happiest years OF my
| life,' she said. AS 4 look back on them l
| think there is no happiness which can ap-
| preach that Of the stage child save tnat
| in the kindersarten. In each there are the
wise and kindly people who make the
child's welfare their o@n-its health. it's
education and its happiness. The stage child
has not one kindergarten teacher but many
that is, everybody In the company.
Il was never asked 10 do anything which
would not be asked OF child In the best
! home. Shall tell YOU little story? Well
/ was acting under the Palmer manage
ment out in California, Just at the time
! when there was demand for Sunday per-
! fCrmances.
against which l had religious scruples, so
wrote to Mr.. Palmer himself-the wisest.
: kindest man who ever lived, he as!-and
right away received telegram from New
York from him saying:
Il will never ask you to DO anything
against your conscience.
1T wasn't only my morals. either-even
my manners were taken care OF by those
dear actor friends Of mine. remember
Crce / was rude, iestingly, TO James Lewis.
the wonderful man who played Charley
Bates 10 my Oliver and he told me he
could not speak 10 me till ! apologiZed. l
stood II for three weeks, then my shame
conquered my pride and I told him ! was
sorry; y;,,u,, for ,ou ,,,t,a Girl, I'm glad Won
had the pluck he said. That was the kind
Of influence surrounding the stage child.
Yes, used TO love the theatre. j used
TO pray for IL TO be time TO go TO rehearsal,
and nothing made me happier than tho
The other speaker of the morning was
Mrs. Ruth Lift, who protested against the
inclusion Of child actors In the federal law
against child labor.
'Tt is absolutely ridiculous and totally un-
/ fair" she said. ITO class these talented and
protected children along with the little
not be employed, the law says. in danger
Gus work, as coal breakers, miners, In pack
! ing matches mixing paints, or on the
'fsn't that absurd to put the stage beside
! those occupations?
"There ought TO be a special section for
stage children. which should safeguard
/ them in all possible ways Of course, against
/ too late hours, or playhOuses OF an obJec-
/ ticnable character, or against exploitation
/ by their own vicious parents, as such thlnSs
do exist; but the child OF dramauc taient dn
vclop his talent, OF his right TO life, liberty
| and the pursuit of happiness.
"The little child receives dramatic train
| ing on the stage which is Invaluable TO his
( after career, and he receives, too. educa-
/ ton along all lines of practical conduct.
( hygiene, correct speaking, manners and
morals, in q way which stimulates his intel
| lect far more effectively than the examining
! en- masse in the public schools.
Then there comes a time. between thlr-
/ teen and sixteen or eighteen, when no chi IN
/ Is Of any use on the stage. In THIS aWk-
! ward. sclf-conscious period he may go to
/ school His earnings should be protected
/ by law, so that enough may be saved TOT
/ his schooling during these years.
The two speakers proved 10 be so con-
! vincing that the members of the Forum for
| got the Humanitarian arguments with
/ which they had come armed, and there
! couldn't one of them think up q dissenting
, word So Miss Helen Narick Boswell had
10 declare the meeting adjourned without
/ the usual discussion of the topic which
| is the pride of the Forums heart