The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-17
Mrs W. D. Smith, President of Birmingham Center of
the Drama LEAGUE Talks About the Seasons Plans
BY DOLLY DALRYMPLE

! NNTITH the initial meeting for the
! WV season of the Birmingham
center of the Drama league
next Tuesday interest gathers about
the plans of the local branch and es-
peciaily about the new president Mrs.
| William d. Smith.
! Following the capable and splendid
administration of Mrs. B. f. Wilker-
son as president Mrs. Smith with all
her grace of mind and charm of man.
ner wears her honors most gracious
| ly and fitted as she is mentally and
socially to gather about her an in
! terested number of followers during
her presidency of the local branch of
the Drama league, there seems to be
| every evidence that the present sea-
son will assume a most interesting
and profitable aspect.
Already interest has grown ire
Birmingham, thanks to the inspiration
of Mrs. Wilkerson, who has worked
faithfully and Loyalty for creditable
center, and her associates, many of
whom have given their best efforts
to the building up of this work.
Mrs. Smith comes to the league as
president very popular and honored
member and during the past summer
which she has spent at her country
home she has given a great deal of
time and thought to the working out
of the plans for then season.
In speaking of the work of the
Drama league, Mrs. Smith said yester-
day:
Eyes, I am in the city for the win
ter, you see, with the back to- the
farm movement 1 was caught in the
first wave. Should you ask me how
to conserve the farm surplus of or
chard and garden 1 could give you
some funny and sad experiences along
that line But as you say, diversifi-
cation, is the present slogan of farm
ers, perhaps I can tell you a little of
another field of my endeavor.
Before leaving this thought of
farm life do. let me speak of the re-
markable work of A. G. Arnold of the
Agricultural college, Fargo, N d."
she continued. ''He is the originator OF
the little country theatre movement
in North Dakota. He was one of the
interesting speakers at the last ma
tional convention. The boys and girls
in his college take their school plays
out into the country for the entertain
ment of the farmers, using their large
roomy barns for their performances
While in ST. Louis I was amazed at
the rapid growth of the Drama league
In six years centers have been formed
from coast to coast, from Canada to
Birmingham. There is one also in Eng
land. The learned men and women in
America have Joined it's ranks and are
contributing their talent with the
feeling that the league is a construc-
tive aid to the upbuilding of the most
concrete, the most intimate, the most
human of all the arts-the drama.
Bernard Shaw had said that he is
preacher, not dramatist, choosing
the platform and stage for the express
sion of ideas that had message. Gals
worthys Justice bears out this asser-
ton of Shaw. Many prison reforms
are attributed to the direct influence
of this play. 1t is still drawing ca
pacity houses in New York. We will
have to wait to see it performed in
Birmingham. However, it is being used
by readers, notable among whom is
M. S. H. Clark of the Chicago univer-
sity. Very likely we will have the OPP
portunity of hearing him for many
requests are coming from those who
heard him at chautaqua this summer
for us to have him.
During Mr.. Favershams visit here
last winter season when he presented
The Hawk he was told of a pro-
gramme meeting the Birmingham CEN
ter had called for a discussion of his
play before he came and regarding