The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-05-08
MRS. BELMONT IS
FEATURE Of BIG
EVENING SESSION
Former Eleanor Robso n
Charms Audience in the
City Auditorium
AUTOMOBILE TOUR ON
THE PROGRAM TODAY
Annual Banquet Will be Held
Tonight in Jefferson Audi
forum With Three
Notable Features


Mrs. August Belmont, once the
popular actress. Eleanor Robson, and
now one of the leaders of New York's
400" divided honors last night at
the first big public session of the
Playground and Recreation Associa-
ton of America, in the City audi
forum, with Clifford w. Beers. the
New York millionaire. who, after hav-
ing been pronounced hopelessly in
sane. cured himself by a process OF
mental reasoning, and gave to the
world his experience in a book en-
titled THE Mind Which Found It
self"
In the same rich, sweet voice that
Richmonders heard when this gifted
woman was Merely Mary Ann" and
the same dramatic fervor and express
sion. Mrs. Belmont read from manu-
script an outline OF the work of the
Educational Dramatic League OF
New York. of which she is president,
which has for its purpose the filling
in of leisure hours with sane and
healthy amusement of educational
value.
Develop Dramatic Instinct
She declared that the dramatic in
stinct exists in every human being.
and can be developed for the better
ment of morals, Isn't II reasonable
to suppose" she said. ''in many cases
the badness comes from misplaced
dramatic instinct7'' Mrs. Belmont ex-
pressed the belief that amateur iheat-
rscals furnish a wholesome outlet for
this misplaced dramatic instinct"
that leads street gangs TO commit
outrageous acts for the pleasure and
excitement OF getting ride In the
buzz wagon"
The idea is to catch such youths as
these before they leave school and
impress upon them the ideas of be-
coming the right kind of heroes and
heroines, The mimic world OF make
believe" she declared. lis much more
effective In developing the character
of the boy or girl than the hard rules
of grammar and rhetoric. The boy
who wants TO play the king" need
not be told to stand erect. The
amateur drama gives the youngsters
self-confdence and rohs them Of self
consciousness. Mrs. Belmont told at
some length of the Chiidren's theater,
in New York. In which she has been
one OF the moving spirit, and denied
that II was any purpose of the move
ment to recruit the professional
ranks, though laughingly she said
that II they found a real actor or
actress now and then she didn't see
that there could be any objection to
It.
The audience went into estacsies
over Mrs. Belmont's essay. and re-
peatedly 'encored" her. Several
times. as though from force of habit.
she partly arose G from her chair to
respond to the repeated curtain
calls" but managed to remain seated.
bowling and smiling her appreciation
In acknowledgment of the ovation she
received.
How He Found Himself.
MIR. Beers--clear eyed, tall and pre-
possessing and altogether charming
Epeaker--discussed the value OF play.
recreation and diversional occupation
for the insane az the absolute solu-
tion Of the problem of the treatment
OF the mentally deficient Mr. Beers
effected his own mental restoration
by this process or variety of occu-
patton, and. as secretary OF the ma
taonal committee for mental hygiene
is preaching this gospel.
Professor Frank l.. Boyden, prin-I
cipal OF the Deerfield, Mass, high
school, rounded out the program with
an address. teeming with humor in
which ne told his audience how he
carved men and women out of the
rough diamonds that came his way.
Six sectional meetings, represent
ing the various activities Of the con-
gress were held during the morning
hours yesterday at which every phase
OF the play and recreation movement
was discussed by philosophers OF this
science of the profitable expenditure
OF leisure hours.
@ In the afternoon the visitors at.
tended an informal reception at the
executive mansion, where they were
received by Mrs. Mann. the illness of
the governor precluding his partici-
patton, and afterward amused them
selves with group or individual sight
seeing tours Of Richmond.
The series of sectional meetings,
with entirely new programs, will be
held this morning This afternoon
the visitors will be given an auto
mobile ride around Richmond and its
suburbs. and tonight the annual BAN
quet Of the association will be spread
in the auditorium Of the Jefferson ho-
tel.
Banquet FOnight's Feature.
This banquet n always the feature
OF the ORGANIZATIONS meetings and q
trio OF the most delightful features OF
the weeks activities 10 reserved for
this occasion. President Joseph Lee.
the father Of the playground move
ment In America, who heads this AS
seumas MacManus, the noted Irish
humorist. will be the speakers. Mr..
&acManus will tell Irish stories; DR..
cabot will compare the relation OF play
the ,civiiisation Of power. and Mr..
yreation movement in America. his talk
being in the nature OF an annual ad-
Will Ds "a ;sss !. =. =: n :.s.
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