Omaha daily bee., 1915-10-14
DANCE AND MOVIES
GET ANOTHER BLOW
After Severe Scoring by BILLY"
Sunday, Miss Mcdowell Follows
with Mild Denunciation.


z Z =
Modern society dances and the
movies, both of which have been
lambasted by BILLY" Sunday and
| members of the Woman's club this
week. received another blow, though
tempered one, at the hands of Miss
Mary e. Mcdowell, head of the Uni
versity of Chicago settlement, who
spoke at the Commercial club
Wednesday noon.
Though opposed to the tango, Miss
Mcdowell thinks that "Billy'' Sun
day is all wrong on the recreation
subject. "If 1 could discuss it with
him, he would preach another SER
mon on recreation" said Miss Nc
Dowell.
Recreation is a necessity. Dancing is
as natural to the child as dramatics. The
trouble is most recreations are exploited
for profit. II you make money from the
play instinct. you build the wrong kind
of citizenship. Let US redeem dancing.
Why should the devil have it2 There is
nothing but ugliness in the dances you
have. been doing lately At the settle
ments they dance folk dances, nothing es
bad as they do in your circles.' she de-
clared.
Isn't it true society dances should be
redeemed before the municipal dances.
Miss McDowell?" she was asked.
II wouldn't wait for that" was the
quick reply.
No II nF .AxFlaa a.,
the inevitable return to the spoken
drama. was advised by the speaker.
Wen all be bored soon because there is
no talking back in the pictures. Some
times am tempted to talk back myself"
she exclaimed,
The work OF the social settlement and
| its place in the community were en-
phasized by Miss Mcdowell. The set
tlement is not a mission nor a charity. 1t
is a common meeting place. II is a
modern neighbor. with modern methods
to meet modern needs. but with good,
old-fashioned heart. 1t proves the need
OF a certain thing TO the community.
awakens the civic consciousness and de-
velops the need TO its attainment through
personal service. Settlement workers
don't pose as uplifters. We hate the
word In Chicago and never use 1t.
THE church does not teach ethics. I
say this. much as | love the church.
Moral education is social education. You
can't love God. whom you haven't seen.
unless you love the brothers whom you
have about YOU"
The open school house was advocated
by Miss Mcdowell. THE school ought
to be the peoples palaces. Dancing, dis
oussions. old-fashioned debates should
be held there. There is not an indus
trial plant in the country which wastes
as much as we do by not throwing open
our school houses"
Miss Mcdowell praised Omaha for its
progressive spirit in creating a recreation
board and for refTaining from provincial
ism by bringing an expert from else
/ where to conduct the work. Her entire
] talk, which sparkled with keen-edged
/ humor. was replete with suggestions for
: work to be carried out here. A woman
| on the recreation board. an open school
! house near the social settlement on South
/ Thirteenth street. and a big dramatic
/ production like THE Piper" with Maude
/ Adams for the leading role. 20 teach
/ civic lessons were among the thoughts
] she left with the audience.
| The speaker was Introduced by " y.
I Baxter, who In turn was presented by
/ Mrs. Philip Potter. president OF the So
1 cial Service board.