El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-02-08

. way, for some kind or a SHOW on what
was provided for their elders. con-
! tinued Miss Fitzpatrick
Theater Has Educational Value
] THE failure of the world TO PROVIDE
( suitable dramatic entertainment Tor me
! satisfying of the dramatic instinct OF
the child has been due to the popular
! view concerning entertalnm eut. Salu
/ Miss Fitzpatrick. Until quite recently,
entertainment of any sort was con-
I Sidered "A luxury. instead OF the neceS-
sity that il is in a well balanced life.
/ To get religion, TO acquire learning,
We're considered necessary. but enter
| tainment could be picked up anywhere
in 4 haphaZard fashion me masses
OF people may not easily realize the
. educational value of the theater ana
consider II only as a place OF entertain
nent. But, making the theater educa-
tiOnaL in no degree lessons ITS deushts,
on the contrary il increases them
Teachers and people whose work
IL is to study the child's mind ana ma
ture have found out that dramatic in
stinct is a primitive, universal impulse
and al the root of the creative impulses
Of the mental and spiritual life, she
continued. Its intelligent direction
serves to fit children for better equip
ment in LIES requirements The child
is determined to find satisfaction for
this craving for the dramatic Com
mercial theater manaSers have used
this need OF the child to their own prof
il and at the expense Of the child
ina gination and character. The child
will feed its imagination upon what IL
can find As the tWlS OF It's magma
ton is bent. the tree Of sentiment is
inclined. The imagination Will respond
10 false and maudlin sentiment, If moth
ing else is offered. but ii Will just as
readily respond TO the highest ideals
Of life and conduct embodied in plays
Response 10 true and healthy sentiment
is the first requisite of character de-
velopment
Imagination Necessary and Valuable.
xyaTn n 10 a nd
necessary thing in all OF us empha-
sized Miss Fitzpatrick. Nothing has
been accomplished by people without
imagination. for without il the intellect
is barren. colOrlesS and mechanical The
theater seemed 10 students OF children
TO be the means that viii most ade-
quately provide for the fostering of the
child's ina gination and dramatic IN
stinct Not an adult theater. but a chill
dren's theater. where plays for chill
dren could be presented. and where the
children themselves could enact me
parts. Such theaters educate along the
lines Of the least resistance. by utiliz-
ing the eager craving for self express
sion and entertainment Of the child
Educators are more and more see
ing the value of the tremendous
moral and artistic uplift that may be
brought to A child through the right
eous and well directed utilization of
the chiId's desire TO make believe and
10 act The value of all education
should be determined by its efficiency
in shaping character Mere knowing
does not affect conduct. for behavior
is not determined by knowledge. so
much as by emotion Abstract theory,
unattached 10 practice is almost value
less. Through plays the child sees en-
acted, or, acts himself, MS emotions
are aroused and he responds to sentl-
ments of valor. heroism and noble
qualities of character Thus, great
principles instilled, and great truths
are impressed in such a way that they
are never forgotten The childrens
minds are broadened, into understand
ing the meaning of lives, totally apart
from their own environment. Children
become acquainted with literature
through seeing good plays We all
recognize the Influence of books. How
much more vital are these stories. when
the characters become alive before the
child's eyes
-'Children's educational theaters are
a system of ethical instruction for the
growing mind, leading the child by the
path Of the least resistance to the
results desired in his life and character
Tt was the realization Of this. that
theaters for children came TO be estao-
Iished," said Miss Fitzpatrick Not
many of them exist in this country The
first was founded by Miss Minnie Hert
connection with settlement work, sup
ported by the educational alliance and
later. BY private subscription
The next was the children's play
house of Columbus, Ohio, founded in
1915 This is conducted by the public
recreation commission of Columbus. the
chamber Of commerce and the Drama
League of America Performances are
given every Saturday afternoon. free
to school children to whom admission
tickets are issued. Children wishing to
take part are invited to do so. Three
or four casts are trained at a time for
the same play, as each play is repeated
several times. in order to give as many
children OF the city as possible the
opportunity to see them. and different
children take part at different perform
ances-