The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1916-04-22
A MUSICAL CRITICISM.
Dear Editor:

Ch thS SNSHiuS vi tHe Oln lHSl |
attended a musical at the First A, Nj.
f. church, Kansas side, under the di-
rection of our W IN. Clark Smith"
This was indeed a grand affair,
worthy of all praise and support, the
only fault being the needless scarcity
of such e~levating and inspiring pro.
grams.
On the evening of the 14th l attend.
ed the treat of the season, the operetta
The Drum Major" given by the stu
dents of Lincoln High school. There
are no words with which l can ex.
press my complete appreciation of the
superb and excellent musical and dra.
matte talent displayed. That such tai
ent abounds in abundance in Kansas
City, no n will deny, but to have
developed it to such a high state of
perfection and excellence speaks we'll
for those in charge, who, no doubt,
spent many weary hours turning a few
seemingly rough musical n dramat-
ic stones into priceless highly polish.
ed gems.
OF the actors, too much canno be
said of Misses Cowden and English
and Messrs. Robinson and Oden whose
performances were above criticism
and who seemed Il have thrown their
entire beings into their respective
parts, so highly enthused were they
in what they were doing and no
doubt t%houghtless of the fact, that
they were comforting one more degree
of excellence and perfection on Negro
undertaking. In connection with
these two and many other musical
treats we have 81 far enjoyed this
season. l wish to repeat here as far
rs | am able a statement made by
Professor Smith on the evening of the
performance at the first A. NJ. E.
church, Kansas side.
In words, it was to the effect, that
there was no need for Kansas side
citizens to be continually running over
to the Missouri side for musical and
literary talent, and in fact any kind
of an entertainment that was elevat.
ing, instructive and generally benefic,
ial.
| say more, | am not a moving pic
ture show devotee Chaving been to but
two in my lifel principally because l
see nothing gained in attending shows
of the blood and thunder circuit, and
secondly, because | do not care to be
Inundated by attending the white
shows that admit Negroes. True it is,
the movie" has a mission but is this
mission being performed among us
Negroes as it should be? There are
thousands of films being presented
that are really a source of instruction,
for instance picture lectures on travel,
sanitation, hygiene, good housing con-
ditions, and in fact, any number of
subjects which are of vital impor-
lance to us, as humans and striving
for recognition as such and which are
being shown daily to every other race,
except the Negro. If those possessing
musical talent do not care to display
them in a way that will tend to ele.
vate and benefit other mortals not so
we'll blessed still fail to see why we
cannot make of these two Kansas
cities the musical mecca of the West
so far as Negroes are cnocerned. The
extension movement begun by Lincoln
High is only a step in the right direc-
ton with the help of the Y. NJ. c. A,
Y. w. c. A. and the Sumner High on
the Kansas side, and other organiza-
tons having Negro uplift as their OBJ
ject.
There is no reason why we cannot
produce such a high standard of must
cal and literary entertainments
throughout the entire year that the
majority of those who swarm to the
movies every night will be willing to
content themselves with at least one
high class entertainment a week or
until such time as the Negro movie
show managers produce something
that is more in accord with the trend
of Negro sentiment Onward and Up
ward" l would like to hear from a
Few of our leaders on this subject now
that summer is here and hear what
can be offered as a form of entertain.
ment that will meet the approval of
the masses and at the same time bring
at least sufficient encouragement to
those in charge that will be only a
matter of a short while when the two
Kansas Cities shall have made them
selves known the world over as the
home of really good music and the
original ''uplift center" which we nov
have not.
Very respectfully,
VI ~ 49, ~