Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-02-25

ing yet. From the beginning the ac-
tors have played TO capacity houses
the farmers arc now writing plays
themselves, and the whole community
mas undergone soctal stimulus that
nothing else could have brought ;bou,
Moreover the fame OF the little conn.
Try heatcr as IL IL cailcd. has spread
ana rural communities all over the
country have adopted the idea
Each student in the college is rcouir.
Ell TO take some active part in thi.
dramatic work during the year. either
AS an actor, director, PLAYWRIGHT
sccne-shi;ter or member Of mob ~,
chorus. In this way he learns cvcry
phase OF the theatrical production.
"hlch enables him To establish a similar
Sc OF the town hall when he goes home
'hdcr the auspices o. the Drama
League OF America. Mr. Arvoid is max
'nr complete tour Of the country cN-
planning the object OF the littlc conn
try theatcr at Fargo and the results
IL has accomplished. Farm towns tina,
nave known no social activity in the
past hfty years arc giving historical
pHecah's ANA outdoor dramas with Tho
"nerS! of a broadway producer. And
'he'r young people are ccasing To hear
the call OF the cities
RESIDES entertaining the prosperous
ciaH'tS q! Va" nation. the Iit,l. ,n.u.r,
Is being used to educate Tho i,r,,;
grant 1t has proved highly ci,,cocinus
IN social settlement work on the I,,s,
Side Mrs. Alice Hcnigcr long ,ro
discovered it's value and. acting i'm con.
hec',on win the Educational Alliance.
established classes In dramatic art
among the tcncmcnts Sin. found IN,
YOU could waste hours trying 10 ,c,rl
children something with tcxthooks
which they would grasp in minute
~ allowed TO make believe" For In.
"a ~, IN
against cruelty to animals could be
half as effective az the cXampl. nf
kindness and rentl"ncss set hv IN.
iair young maiden In Beauty and the
Beast"
serves nv Educational Medium.
Almost all fairy tales contain ,
moral which is concealed hut none the
icss effective And tho social-scttlc-
mcnt classes do not cOniinc themselves
10 fairy tales; they produce other chill.
drens plays. such as Sarah Grove
the Prince aud the Paupor" Peter
Pan aud Little Lord Fnuntlerov.''
Not only are the children benefited
but the parents and older people arc
afforded an educational amusemcnt
They are entertained, and at tho same
Time hear good English spoken When
Jimmie plays the part OF the prince
Jimmie's mother and father and his
cousins and his aunts Will all he there
~ Stt MN no u. mus IN teaching the
children. the adult tenement popula-
ton is taught also.
The results Of the chiidrcn's thcntcr
are seen throughout tho tcncmcn, dis.
trict The shopkcepers occasionally
nstonish the teachers by coming ior-
ward with offers Of materials for COS
tunes and scenery when their children
are going 10 take part In the prod,lC-
ton. Mothers Of tho little plnyers
change their front sitting rooms TO
correspond with the stage settings OF
the PLAYS. When questioned they say
that they think the ncw furnishings
are pretty and not half 50 much trouble
to keep clean.
'ut the most significant phase OF the
nth" thrai"r movement IS its coHlt"t-
ton with tho man on the farm. Not
only is he being stimulated TO apprcci-
alton, but hitherto unsupported crca-
tive impulse IL beginning to make il
self manifest. We have been reproachcd
SO often for oar lack OF a characieris-
tic drama that some of us have come
To look on America az barren Philis-
tia whore the stage is concerned.
Maybe the farmer viii bc the one to
change all that.