The Washington times., 1914-04-09

cage to fatten children in. and other
curious articles of stage furniture.
all well made and built so that they
could be fastened together with
hooks quickly between the acts.
Next. drops and wings were made
of canvas. and even the fire-proofing
was done by the boys. The scenes
We're painted by an artist teacher.
Rusy days followed in which re-
such as the kings throne. his crown,
tables, and chairs for the kitchen,
ana various other articles were
cleverly constructed by the boys.
scenery for the throne room in the
palace had been built by them, but
hearsals were held, and thirty-five
costumes were designed and partially
made in the school.
The result far exceeded our best
expectations, for the play was given
four times before large audiences.
Ihe members of the cast seemed to
enjoy the acting quite as much as
we did the planning
Splendid school spirit was shown
by the fact that nearly every cos
tune was donated to the school
wardrobe as soon as the last per-
formance of "Hansel and Gretel"
was over. Since that time the
youthful actors have followed the
precedent established, and our cos
sohS CIleSl Is no" Well 1llleu.
Summer Dramatics.
Dramatic work was a part of the
recreation center carried on in the
school last summer. Each week at
the Friday evening entertainments
a short dramatization was given
Among these were Little Bo Peep"
Little Miss Muffett," and Jack
and JILL. with musical accompain-
ments. as well as THE Three Bears
Little Red Riding Hood and other
fairy tales.
The last play of the season and
the one in which the greatest num-
Der of children took part. was The
Sleeping Beauty" Costumes were
made by the girls in the sewing
classes, while the stage properties,
there was no one to paint it Two
days before Sleeping Beauty was
to have been given, there was still
no throne room. only a bare. ugly
wall. Here again we found that
necessity is the mother of inven-
tion." for. with light blue alabastine,
an interested ianitor and enthusiast
tic boys transformed a disfigured
wall into a fairy-like palace room,
which was paneled in gold and deco
rated with a frieze made OF gold
baskets of flowers.
Kind neighbors soon furnished
this room with such articles as brass
candlesticks. Gilded chairs and suit
able draperies. so that two nights
later, hundreds of children were
spellbound when the curtain was
this play there were rua1y VINO re-
GREETED that the last sr:e entertain
ment of the summer had been given.
The following fall the members
Of the Boys and Girls Clubs who
had enjoyed the plags - much dur
ing the summer decided to repeat
Sleeping BeaIty" FOR the grown
they stepped into fair:-land for n
few hours to become Kings. Queens
and Princes. and 20 se..k the Hess
ings of the good fairies.
Planning For Spring.
The pupils of the schUol are now
greatly interested N TIE spring play
to be given in Apri' The Silver
Thread" a DEMONSTRATION of a tale
from the Welsh folklore. has been
reed by many Of the olier boys and
girls. They nave enthusiastically
discussed the wonderful possibili-
ties in the costuninr and settings
for the nlaJ. Already their construc-
tive imagination g a. work on the
weird cave of the dwarfs, with its
jagged rocks ard miniature forge.
Surely. here IS room for free play
of fancy and opportunity for dex-
trous manipulation of tools and ma
terials, for several scenes. as well
as numerous stage properties, must
be built before tn. Dlav can oe given.
The girls. too, will be busy. for the
princess, the Gueen. tcG ladies-in-
waiting. the peasants. the miners
boy and the dwarfs must all have
original and appropriate costumes.
When We think of the joy the
find IN this work and the
eagerness with which they are will
ing to give ali their energies to il.
how can II be said tina: the dramatic
instinct is not OF great Importance?
Also, it is absolutely necessary that
the city child be allowed TO have
rome real experiences. The Coun-
Lry child gets his experience through
his close contact with nature. for
he Eas the great oLtdoOrs with its
birds. flowers, trees, meadows and
brooks to revcl in. while the city
child is deprived of all of these
pleasures. Little wonG.r then that
he enjoys a chance to build for him
self a fairyland and iIuDersouIte
another character for q few hours.