Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-18
CHILDREN APPEAR
At HOUSE OF PLAY
New Institution Opened Aus
piciously, Presidents Daugh-
tiers Attending.
- -
NEWMAN ENDORSES
PURPOSES OF CENTER
Calls Law Preventing Use of School
Buildings for Other Purposes
Vicious

Nashington's new House OF Play.
which its organizers hope to make last
ing influence in the lives OF the children
Of the city, was opened last night with
an ambitious program of child plays and
speaking, given before an audience which
included Misses Margaret and Eleanor
Wilson. daughters of the President, and
many other prominent people.
District Commissioner Oliver T. New
man, who made the principal address at
the opening voiced his hearty approba-
ton OF the House of Play. He also
spoke of the law which prevents the use
of public school buildings in the District
for anything but school purposes, calling
the law most vicious" He pledged
himself To get the law changed or kick
up an awful Big row" The schools
should be used as neighborhood meeting
places, he said.
Purposes of Center.
The House of Play. established by the
junior department of the Drama
League of Washington in what was
formerly known as Faiths Chapel of
the New York Avenue Presbyterian
Church. at 493 NJ street southwest. was
with Children by guidance of their play
spirit. The buiilIng was spoken of
last night by Those who attended the
opening as ideal for the purpose,
The Misses Wilson displayed great
interest in the entertainment last
night, and remained after the formal
program to inspect the BUILDING and
talk Win the leaders of the movement.
mss Margaret wilson had with her
little Miss Davies, daughter of Conn
missioner of Corporations Dawes. MISS
Isabelle Hagner and DIR. Cary Grayson
compile .ed the White House party.
Miss Leila Mechlin, p. esident of the
WASHINGTON Center of the Drama League
opened the program with a short history
OF the league and its objects. She spoke
OF the need OF cultivating the spirit of
play, both among children and gown
ups and said that the league hopes TO do
much to better the people OF Washington
In this respect.
Foreword by Mrs. Neigh.
Mrs. J. p. S. Neigh. chairman of the
junior amateur department of the Wash
fnston Center, spoke a .foreword," in
which she mentioned the purpose of her
department to develop the love for the
beautiful. Mrs. Neigh was also In charge
of the first child play of the evening,
The Tongue-Cut Sparrow" a beauti-
fully allegorical Japanese fable enacted
by. the children of the kindergarten of
Neighborhood House.
Small children whose thin voices caused
delight among the audience took the
parts of Japanese men and women and
spa. rows and animals in the play 1t
was the old, old liable of the kind man
and woman who treated a sparrow kind
" and the bad woman who cut out its
tongue.
The kind couple called on the spar
row and, on being offered choice of
two baskets one small and one large
took the small one, only to find out
when they returned home that il was
hlled with silks and gold. The bad
woman saw the riches and called on
the sparrow. too. She took the large
basket and found it filled with crea
lures which finally carried her away
UP in the air.
Those Presenting Play.
Ethel. Owens was the "tonpue-cut
sparrow" Katherine koehler was
mother sparrow" Helen Mills was
little sparrow" Ora Perkins was
baby sparrow" Arthur Clark was the
Japanese man, Mabel Donaldson was
the Japanese wife, Helen Carraghan
was cross old woman" Marion Yer
non was a bat" and Rhoda Mothers
head was a field mouse"
The F1sherman's Wife, a dramatized
version of Grimms fairy tale of the
same name. was the second play. Four
small children dressed as elves skipped
about the stage to the music furnished
by piper" and furnished a great deal
of fun. The fisherman was content to
live in his comfortable howell but his