New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-05-06
IT'S GOOD FUN TO ACT,
SAYS MRS. A. BELMONT
Pleads for Extension and Ap-
probation of Educational
Dramatic League.
YOUNG LIKE MAKE-BELIEVE
Three Large Glasses Formed
Since January, Primarily to
Teach How to Play in
Leisure Hours.

What are tire four and one-half millions
Of people i'm greater New York to do with
the four or five hours out of each twenty
four when he or she is neither eating
sleeping nor working? That is the ques-
tion Mrs. August Belmont asked the
Woman's Municipal League at its
luncheon at the Hotel Manhattan yester-
day. And she answered it. or at least
told what use might with advantage be
made of some of those leisure hours, by
describing the organization and plans Of
the Educational Dramatic League. of
which she is the president
Mrs. Edward r. Hewitt presided, and
she curbed the desire to talk which she
said always possessed her when she found
"a group of people before her. to give
Mrs. Belmont more time
This being our one pleasure party in
the year. she said, we will refrain
from discussing garbage cans"
Mrs. Belmont thought no subject could
be more vital than dramatics.
I'VE teach our young people statistics,
mathematics. how TO work she said.
is it not Just as important to teach
them the value of that most essential
part Of themselves. the emotions?
What the ninety millions of people in
this country do with their leisure is A
question of some moment. There are four
and one-half millions i'm New York. Of
whom from five hundred thousand ia
seven hundred thousand are children. and
few Of these are born with the slightest
knowledge of how to play. They have a
strong desire and instinct for amusement.
which need guidance. Taking Arnold
BENEFITS How TO Live on Twenty-fou~
Hours a Day as Il basis We may sup
pose a person. gives eight hours to sleep,
eight hours to work and three to eating.
What can be done with the remaining
five?
Amusement that must he paid for is
cut Of the reach of many. There are the
parks a few free concerts. the dance
halls. the moving picture shows. Those
shows. with posters so lurd that they
might found n new school of art. ] took
down a few Of the titles one day: Mikes
Brainstorm. Willie Wants to cure Faith
er,' The Three Hoboes And these are
the recreation offered our people,
Criminals Just for Fun.
"Out in Chicago. near Hull House. there
was a group of youths who committed
small crimes for the sheer excitement Of
getting arrested and being carried off In
the patrol wagon. The boy who could DE-
wise the most original crimes was the
hero. Why not utilize this dramatic in
stinct? Why not catch these youths and
steady their ideas as 10 what constitutes
q hero? Let them play the biggest and
finest things in history. and that may Gre
ate the desire at least to be the things
they play.
Young people love make-belevc, and
while through it they are learning pro-
nunciation. confidence before groups Of
people. how to bear themselves-for the
boy who wants to play king doesn't wait
to be told TO stand crect-they also may
be learning patriotism. loyalty, honor
Teach the boy TO see just when the
villain I'm play becomes "A villain. ana
how that emotion properly directed might
have made the villain hero-and you
have set the boy in a fair way to be-
come a hero. or at least to become some
thing worthy"
Ii was with these ideals in mind. Mrs.
Belmont said. that the Educational
Dramatic League was formed in January
of this year. And the Childrens Theatre
AT the Educational Alliance being the
nucleus. Mrs Emma Sheridan Fry, Mrs
Hertz's aid in that theatre. has become
dramatic director Of the league.
Three Glasses Already Formed.
since January We have formed three
large classes" Mrs. Belmont said, "one AT
Teachers College. on The Theory and
Principles Of Educational Dramatcs': a
speech and action class in some Of the
recreation centres and another in Public
School 60.
we plan to present plays In the park
audtoriums this summer. ana next WIN
ter. i'm the public school auditorums. FOR
next wear we plan a Shakespearan festi-
val. and we are Offering two money prizes
one for the best idea for "A play and
the other for the best play-for that fest-
val. Brander Matthews will be one of the
judges Of the play"
After Mrs. Belmonts talk two short
PLAYS were acted. Those who took part
were Miss A. Mckinley, Jack Delmonte
and Miss Celeste Danes who delighted the
audience with her vivaCious presentation
of MADAME" in a little French skit. All
three though grown now. were Riddles
under Mrs Fry ia the Children's Theatre.