davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-06-13
Uplift of the Stage
From the Detroit News.

From the Detroit News.
 A notable symposium discussing the trend of American drama has been held here. and out of a mass of wise comment no conclusion or basic theory or diagnosis emerged. Critics. pro- lessor of rhetoric. a publisher and other earnest members of the Drama league voiced opinions representing the stand point of every one from the savant to the fatigued commercialist. Considera- tion of the tendencies of the stage must be sharply localized to avoid limitlsss confusion Burlesque, the movies. mu- sical shows, poetic drama-all have departments of their own and func- tions of their own. When the question of the trend of drama Is raised it should be determined whether Al Jol- son or Forbes Robertson is meant. Our local playhouses contain in successivs weeks changing audiences representa- tive of the widest divergence of tastes
 And. to the mere observer who has no intention of hoisting the drama up to any loftier level. it all amounts to a matter of taste. Movie films in which murderous assault supplies the chief action are interpreted as irresistibly comical by profitable crowds; vaudc- vile relying for its appeal on the climacteric revelation of the Stars and Stripes draws paying patronage. The manager who backs any other kind of an ending in this land of the free is | philanthropist at heart and cares noth- ing whatsoever for crude material re- turns Who will pay $1.50 to behold the painful truth on the inside Of 8 theatre when so much of it can be ub- served. free of charge. outsides
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-06-13
WAR HITS FUR TRADE
Economy Reduces Buying and Market Centers Are Closed

The effect of the European war has nowhere in trade been felt more keenly than in the fur market, writes United States Consul General Robert P. Skin her from London to the New York Times.
 Among the reasons assigned for the stagnation In this important branch of commerce are the inability or disincli- nation through caution of the middle and richer classes to buy, the absence of Leipsic and other continental deal CTS, and the fact that skins cannot now be sent to Leipsic for dyeing. The richer classes are buying lower grades of furs than formerly, so that the loss in medium priced skins Is not so great approximately as in the higher grades
 As consequence of these condi- tions,' continues MT. Skinner, "trappers In Canada and the United States can no longer find a market for their skins Probably the greatest sufferers are tn 3 canadian Indians, who for years have made their living by trapping They have been notified through the depart ment of Indian affairs of the Canadian government that the Hudson Bay com pany, Revil1ion Freres. and the inde- pendent trading companies will no longer advance them their usual sup piles of food, ammunition clothing, etc, against their prospective catches That this will cause much suffering among them can well be imagined, as they lead precarious hand to- mouth exis- tence and have no other way of sus- taining themselves.
 f"The largest part of the fur supply comes from the United States, with Canada close second, perhaps excell- ing the United States in value per skin. Next in value is the Russian supply. if Siberia be included. closely followed by Australia. Other countries furnish smaller amounts. Probably Russia and Siberia furnish almost as valuable supplies as any country, but of these quite a large part is kept in other Russian cities. Sea otter Is the most valuable fur at present; Russian sable is next in value, with silver fox nearly approaching 1t, although when the size of the skins is considered the sable is infinitely greater in value"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-06-13

selves-all sanitary and germproof--so that the kddies are protected against everything that might prove dans er- ous in the way of disease.
 Sanitary conditions and pleasant pros- poets are the prime considerations in the playroom. Soft-toned denim floor cover ings. wooden seated. miniature. unbreak- able and untipable chairs and benches adapted for children, easily laundered draperies. are some of the features. The walls are stenciled and painted in water colors exemplifying scenes of childhood lore The dreaded germ-carrying wooly lamb is only in a picture, 1t Is not per mitted as a plaything. Cinderella and her golden coach and famous steeds are shown on another panel-she is not pie tured In the ashes Old Mother Hub- bard finds cupboard. not bare but full of pies and cookies Jack and Jill have their roll down hill but with laughter and no broken crowns. Goblins, giants and wicked fairies have no place here. Little Bo-Peep has not lost her sheep in these Mother Goose pictures.
 In an alcove Is the House that Jack Built, which is just like a real house, and you can go in it and sit. if you are small enough and look through the win dows. and play you are the lady of the house and receive callers. One row of shelves contains books with all sorts of fairy tales in them and another is filled with dishes of the size that lit- tie folks like. Besides, there are all sorts of toys.
 The toys are all metal or wood, and are thoroughly sterilized. The woolly lamb, the fuzzy teddy bear and all sorts of woolly dogs. cats and playthings in which microbes might turk. are banished. Care is taken for the body as we'll as the mental consciousness. No pictures and games tht might cause pain or unpleasant suggestions to the children will be per mitted here. The games are all of an in- structive order to develop the child-facul- ties to what is sweet. true. beautiful and good.
 The box of sanitary sea-sand is baked every day or else treated with germicides. and thus will be always thoroughly clean.
 The work is planned to interest the child from the time 1t begins to notice things. and the Idea is to have the little ones imbibe ideas that are not filled with horror to the childish mind.
 These theories are based on the evo- lution of the treatment of the child.
 In charge of the kindergarten is Miss Becker, charming young woman, high ly educated and a graduate of several of the best known kindergarten schools in New York. Parents who are visitors many who are residents of Vanderbilt ho- tel-place their children in Miss Becker S care during the day. when they are out shopping or pleasure seeking, with the satisfaction of knowing that they are safely cared for and amused all the while
 Among the children at the hotel who have enjoyed the kindergarten under Miss Becker's direction are the little sons of Mrs. Alfred c. Vanderbilt. who lives at the hotel; the three attractive children of Mir. and Mrs. Edward w. Barrett of BIrming-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-06-13

north of the south pole. Then. too, 1t Is claimed, the greatest degree of heat is not as might naturally be supposed, to be encountered at the equator. but at some distance to the north and to the south of that line.
 The records and statistics show that the coldest place on earth is In Siberia. The lowest temperature ever recorded In the opn air was 90 degrees blow zero (Fahrenheit) at Werchanjansk, central Siberia, January IS. 1885 The highest temperature Is set down at PA degrees above zero tFahrenheit). registered in Algeria, northern Africa. July, IT. 1879. These records of extreme heat and cold afford range of tenn perature covering the whole inhab- itable world of 214 degrees, or two de- srees more than from zero to the boil ing point People who inhabit these places of extreme heat and cold are found to be exceptionally healthy, and live to a ripe old age
 In this country the extreme range of heat and cold is not so great, but one may live in comparative comfort In any section; yet the same conditions apply to animal and plant life here as prevail throughout the world. Animals and plants that survive the winters of the south could not endure the winters of the north.
 The greatest of the extremes of heat and cold in the United States are found in the western states. from the Dakotas and Montana southward to Texas and Arizona. The tempera ture in the north west during the winter months fre- quently drops to 30 or 40 degrees be- low zero, and occasionally runs below 60 degrees, while the heat of summer in the central west and southwest touches 100 degrees or more. Regard- less of such extremes, the climatic con dtlons throughout the entire Rocky mountain range are delightful for 10 months of the year.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-06-13
The Hardness of Man

From the Washington Star
 Man may with more or less discom fort endure the climate of any part of the globe whereon he lives. On the other hand plans and animals can not exist in temperatures far higher or lower than those to which they have become accustomed. Man moves from one extreme to the other with, gener- ally speaking. but small physical ,lis- comfort. Explorers visit the sands of Africa and. the ice fields of the north returning to their normal environ ments with. in some cases, a distinct improvement In physical condition. Man snhabits pretty nearly every part of the earth. with the exception of the i'm mediate vicinity of the poles.
 Men of science contend that the low est temperatures at the earth's surface are not found directly at the poles. but at some distance to the south of the north pole and at some distance to the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-06-13

be considered in New York's high class hotels, he resumes his solloquy
 It's time, goodness knows. that tho future citizens of this big country are | to be provided with entertainment anc fresh air and wholesome surroundings in | stead of having to be shut up tight 1T small rooms and badly ventilated places with never a square chance for a free rein or sufficient space in which tc amuse themselves and drink in some oi the pure air that God gives alike to al His creatures. Think of the little folk al last having a big, broao. spacious play ground on the tip top of big 25-story hotel, overlooking all New York and vi cinity. where they can run wild, play bal and tag, spin their tops, roll their hoops 1 dabble in the sand piles swing as high as they please and let the old cat die; and l, skate, dance and be happy!"
 Honestly, you'd think muses old Dr | Capsule that after scanning the every York hotel that these little creatures were born for no other reason than mere 1 ly to relieve adults of ennui like perform ing animals in crcuses. Sometimes l think, when I look at the way they are neglected in the provision of amusement and fresh air. that it's pity they aren't; then the doctors could chloroform them instead of trying to patch them up and keep them out of sanitariums where their nervous vitality is burnt out"
 ] And so old pr. Capsule is comforted for | he ,top far ba t.;. heart, are about to be consummated | And he is comforted, not because the plan Is a nice, kind, thing in its thought l fulness of children; not at all. but because at bottom lies the tremendously big req 1 son that "child welfare means parent welfare and parent welfare means na- tions welfare"
 Or, as John Dewey. the psychologist puts it:
 1 "The indefinite improvement of human l ity and the cause of the little child are inseparably bound together"
 Curious isn't 1t. that though we've had them with us always and like to affirm that we love them fairly to distraction and though we subscribe to all the old saws and maxims about them, like "the child's being father to the man. and ''the trees being inclined the way the twig is bent'-as a matter of fact, we've only discovered lately that children need recre. alton and attractive surroundings as much as grown-ups. in the matter of hotel ac. commodations.
 Tn the modern hotel especially. the motto has been. Children should neithe, l be seen or hea rd,-anA so thaxr ,ro~. -. away in the daytime in stuffy little old rooms and if they had breath of fresh air at all 1t was only when they were wheeled miles and miles away to the nearest park!-but now. all that is eliml. mated and the innovation of providina ample room and splendid facilities foi play and amusement has Instituted the first step in the right direction for chil. dren in modern hotels.
 Children when they are taken away from home on trip do not have the amusements provided for them like tho
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-06-13

ham, Jane, Edward Jr., and Little Kitty;
 the children of MT. and Mrs. Sidney J.
 Colford of Newport, MT. and Mrs. Jack Rutherford's little folk and many others from the north and south.
 In explaining to me the arrangements for the roof garden playground. MT. Mar shall said the morning we went up on the
 roof of the big hotel to see tie initial
 work:
 "I have in mind many attractive fea-
 lures in connection with tho roof play
 ground. In the first place, lis safety is the main point. The walls around it are IS feet high and there Is not the slightest possible danger In any way to the chil-
 dren. Even the big swings nave all the room they require, as you see; the sand piles are as large as they are in any ordi- nary playground: the places provided for dancing are ample and when the play ground is finished 1t will be charming. "The roof playground is Intended in the summer to take the place of the kinder garten in the winter, and Miss Becker will be in charge just as she Is at the kindergarten. All sorts of games will be taught the children and everything to make them happy and comfortable will
 be arranged in due time"
 "Of course. it will require lot of money and energy to perfect my plans for the roof playground, but nothing is too expensive, nothing too good for the chill dren. That is my motto and I mean to carry it out to the letter."
 In the "Prospectus' concerning the kin dergarten the following is suggested. ''The object of the playroom is to give the child guests more consideration than is ordinarily shown them, and at the same time relieve the parents of care" The same idea will be carried out in the playgrounds de luxe on the roof. Also the Prospectus" says: "Everything is to be done to encourage the children to express the natural, hnppy tendencies of their divine rights" and one of their divine rights is to be free from the clutches of ferocious rav- enous germs and to see only the sweet beautiful side of life. and to have their mental vision as safe and sound as their physical vision and so when the walls of the playground roof are decorated there will be additional Mother Goose paintings like those in the kindergarten, and while they may be slightly anachronistic. of the "and they lived happily ever afterward variety, everything will be done to in- still into the youthful consciousness a love of all that is happy. sweet. beautiful and fine.
 Hooray for happy childhood and it's golden hours!
 Hooray for the kindly gentle hearted modern hotel manager who has solved the problem of how to amuse and care for hotel children!
 Hooray for the inspiration that has come to dig into the heart of the situation and
 discover that as a matter of business,
 common sense and economy, 1t is cheaper in the long run and better and kinder to keer children healthy, happy and normal
 ly supplied with amusement and plenty of
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-06-13

parent has; the theatre. the opera, the cafes and the cabarets-and from be- ing transplanted from big lawns and beautiful playgrounds at home to the corridors of a huge hotel stiles their little hearts and minds and makes them irritable and cross and fussy all of recreation and pleasure.
 It Is useless to say that to have been able to formulate the plan that is now taking definite shape at the Hotel Vanderbilt in the form of ploy- ground de luxe on the roof for chill dren, the originator must possess the heart of child himself and in addi- tion must have children of his own In order to become interested in such a plan.
 This Is true of MT. Marshall who, being southerner and having lived most of his life in the broad expanse of Gods own country in his native state-Virginia-ha played on the big, broad verandas of his own beau tiful home as a child, having enjoyed romping and frolicking about on grass covered lawns and under the shade of great spreading oak trees, realizes all the more the needs of children in this respect.
 Having two beautiful children of bis own--two wonderfully human little tots born beneath the roof of a big hotel. MT. Marshall has been only too happy to put into effect the pet ob- ject of his dreams in connection with his hotel-providing for children and their pleasure
 The plan for the playground for chill dren on the roof Is the outcome of an idea that took definite form at the Hotel Vanderbilt a season or two ago, when through the kindly offices of Mrs. Edgar Lacey Speyer of New York. plan to establish a kindergarten, up-to-date and thoroughly attractive in every respect, was accomplished.
 Take peep into this charming room for a moment and let me introduce you to the most attractive of places in all New York for children. v
 A big. bright sunny room 1t is. done in the bluest sort of Della Robbia blue like the beautiful room that the grown ups enjoy at the Vanderbilt, Everything is in pastel shades. carry ing out the dull modulated effects so pleasing to the eye, and so soothing to the mind-while the pictures on the walls, painted by the clever artist, Leo Fl. Junker, from Mother Goose rhymes, seem to have literally stopped out If that interesting book itself and taken their places with the rank and file to amuse the ngsters-only every dis agreeable aspect-everything that IS unhappy in the old rhymes has been eliminated.
 The whole room is truly a realiza- tion of a Mother Goose story, the art list having been charged to give free rein in the decorations appropriate thereto
 And listen to this
 The same beloved Mother Goose folk are used as motif not only in the decorations but in the toys them-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-06-13

Children grew to kings and sagcs. Stevenson.
 Listen, fathers and mothers Many of you who would go to New York oftener
 If you didn't have to leave the 'kiddles''
 at home because there is no place for
 them to play in a New York hotel, and
 realizing as you do that fresh air and
 amusement spell almost the whole of life b children:
 The problem has at last been solved
 You may take the "lxiddies" along-iust
 as many of them as you can get together,
 for "a little bit of heaven has heen
 dropped down through space and the
 Hotel Vanderbilt has caught it in a heap
 and fastened 1t good and tight on the roof
 of that big, beautiful hotel and is now
 converting it into playground de luxe, .
 which is at once the wonder and amaze
 ment. the topic of conversation and com ment throughout hotel circles everywhere. A playground on the roof of New York hotel for children
 Isn't that splendid?
 Representing an outlay of large sums of money, and several years of painstak- ing research and investigation into chill dren's lives, their needs and wants as af- fected by life in modern hotel MT Wal ton H. Marshall, the clever and enter
 prising manager of the Hotel Vanderbilt, feels that he has at last found the key
 to the situation and his enthusi asm and Nelight in completing his plans to make .ne playground on the roof of the Van derbilt the most attractive spot in New York for children, is second only to the approbation that the scores of guests who frequent this popular hcstelry are put ting upon the plan. Can't you see old Dr. Capsules long face round out into a broad. pleasant smile as he reads this announcement and bromidi- cally says, q told you sop
 Another step in the risAt direction for children" you can hear his stern old voice saying. Its time they've learned that hotel children deserve some consid- eration. Now you take dogs for instance. Nearly every expensive hotel has pro- vided for the entertainment. and comfort of It's dog guests. Particular rooms are set aside and handsomely equipped for the reception of the canine haute monde-a sort of Pommeranian roonl as It were' instead of a Palm room. In nearly all hotels, accommodations are made for servants, including maids and chauneurs' and all other comfortable accessories 10 the domestic menage of My Lady ana her lord and master, but up to the pres ent time there never has been any sort of arrangement made for the kiddies-tne most precious and most valuable asset that any household ever had or ever will have"
 Old pr. Capsule takes off his glasses, wipes them with his old-fashioned silk Handkerchief and scanning again the an- nounoehient that children are at last to
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-06-13

fresh air, than to have them stunted and warped and to grow up bad hammered and poevish and unhappyl
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-06-13

-iappy hearts and happy faces, Happy play in pleasant places That was how, in ancient ages. Children grew to kings and sagcs.
 Stevenson.
The Dickson County herald. (Dickson, Tenn.) 1907-1979, 1915-12-17
MOTORISTS MAY NOW
PAY As YOU RIDE"

Acting on the souni principle
that automobiles can and will b.
generally soid on the ssme basis as
pianos. real estate and other com.
modities OF value. Mr. Robert Nicks
Of he Standard Motor Co.. Local
Maxwell representatives, announces
10 this issue a lima.payment plan
ny which the prospective motorists
Of this city and vicinity can secure
Maxwell cars without any appre-
ciable encroschment on their fnan-
cial resources snd investments.
Pay as you Ride" Is the con-
else way in which Mr.. Nicks sum.
marizes the details OF the plan.
Modern conditions often de.
mand that man make use OF his
entire capital in his business or in
his professional equipment de.
clares Mr.. Nicks, often, even the
relatively small amount needed 10
keep him from taking bic money
from the channels in which il is at
work.
The automobile business must
recognize this condition have
worked out plan which ! am put.
ting into effect here. for the benefit
of,my customers who may be so
situated.
This plan enables the man OF
average means TO buy car and en-.
Joy it while he is paying for II, and
enables him. as well. TO pay for il
out Of his regular income. This
plan | atm putting at work to-day.
1t will be eligible in the case OF
svesy car | can secure from the De.
nolf factory. and my schedule calls
Tor more Maxwell cars than have
ever been delivered here in any
,old.weather month. At present
IAN make immediate delivery under
his Pay az you Ride plan "
The experiment is being explain.
ID to buyers frankly and without
.eserve, and the local Maxwell sales
Dom was crowded to-day with in.
crested motorists.
The Dickson County herald. (Dickson, Tenn.) 1907-1979, 1915-12-17
In The Mail Box.

Dickson County Herald
Read this; then some one or sew.
eral do likewise, aud give their
views on how the pixies of the coun.
ty can and should be kept up.
My suggestion would be for the
County Court TO take charge of and
MAINTAIN and keep up wha,
roads We have. First, see how man,
miles one man, one mule, dump
cart, pillow. pick and shovel can
keep up. | believe one man can
keep in good repair twenty miles Of
road. There is too much that car
be said along this line and for one
man TO think OF and write. lie; .
man 20 on the road every day We
have plenty OF gravel; steady droI
will make hole in a rock, ! an.
not writing this because am irwin.
TO run the County Court, but think
ing it will put them to thinking
We know we have got TO do some
thing to keep our pixies up, or they
will soon 20 down. | think thi,
would better meet the approval Of
the people than for the county 10
go ahead and buy a lot Of costly
machinery; don't you think SO? Ny
idea would be this: Say that man
or a road.hand tina, lives on a pike
TO pay 15c per day for five days, 81
work five days on some road that If
not a pike. Leave this to hie cholct
and that will satisfy him. II he
pays let il 60 to help pay the con
tractor. The Court could figure,
and what they thought one man
could handle. they could set some
day to lei opt the contract to the
lowest and best bidder.
Hoping To hear from someone
else, | am, respectfully
CHARLIE CROW,
Dickson. RI. /.