The Washington times., 1914-04-29
Mothers Congress Finds
Real Worthy Sex Drama
Tomorrow" Percy Mackaye
Drama, Has No Repugnance,
Says Mrs. Mccoy.

Tie Mothers Congress has n sub
st.tute for Damaged Goods
An effort to present the positive
and beautiful side of race improve
ment, eugenics and clean living was
one Of the much discussed subjects
of the National Congress OF Moth
ers and Parent-Teachers' Associa-
tions, which held its convention
here at the Raleigh.
Instead OF the method employed in
Damaged Goods" the congress be-
lieves that the subject should be
presented to high school. university
students and societies in a less neg
ative and Objectionable form.
The Percy MacKaye drama, TO
morrow" impersonated by Mrs.
Katherine Oliver-McCoy on the last
night of the convention. to use the
very words Of the delegates them
selves. came as proper and 1T
ting climax TO the congress"
For this drama the Mothers Con-
gress makes a strong appeal. No
repugnance. no annoyance. mar the
beauty OF this impersonation, yet
the message of clean living. race
betterment and explanation of the
origin of life itself is no less force
ful and clear than in the BrieuX
play.
Is Greatest Medium.
The stage is the greatest medium
for the education Of the young man
and young woman. Sex education
is now engaging the best minds OF
the country and Damaged Goods
was timely but an almost too dras-
tic story" said Mrs. Mccoy today
1T Ia not only my opinion but
that OF the Mothers Congress that
drama, which shows by result, rath
er than by actual scientific fact,
will leave a greater impression upon
the mind Of the coming generation.
The young person turns naturally
from that which is cold, hard or
unpleasant. Nor do We need to en-
ploy as a warning. such a play.
The old who did not know. had to
be informed. but the warning mes
sage to the young person need be
clothed in no such repugnant actu-
ality. The drama which l give
will reach and save thousands of
young people who were prohibited
from seeing Damaged Goods And
its effect is just as strong, for race
betterment.''
Given before the National Congress
Of Mothers the play made a marked
hit Even the story of the begin
ming of life as told to a little blind
girl in the play by the gardener
through botany. is nothing more
than a wonderful fairy tale. 1t is
an evansel of purity and hope with
ever the background of possible
tragedy. .-..-
How to Tell Child.
While the congress considered as
one of its chief duties, the discussion
of how to tell the child" and in
what manner to explain the great
subjects of eugenics and race bet
terment. no radical efforts in this
line were countenanced.
Information in an artistic, beau
tiful and natural manner was the
desire of all of the delegates. Al
though the great educational play:
Damaged Goods" was generally ad-
mitted to have had an exceptional
power for good, II did not meet the
requirements of the high school girl
an the student. In the minds OF the
delegates.
Tomorrow. did. however, qualify
THE shock of such a play as
Damaged Goods. said Mrs. Mccoy.
horrifies the young person. casts a
spell of doubt and annoyance over
their lives for the many months.
and. perhaps. years, when they are
growing up. The delegates of the
congress knew this when they took
up the subject in their meeting.
Growing up is a hard enough ad
justment as It is. The presentation
of some of the more serious facts
of life should be made in as beau
tiful a form as II Is possible for
words to give. No matter how bad
the world grows. the business of
holding before the bov and girl the
picture of a clean and perfect love
Is very necessary.
Real Beauty in Play.
The success of Tomorrow is due
to the real beauty of the play itself.
Instead of hard and scientific terms.