Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-05-22
PRISON DRAMA
INNOVATION is
HUGE SUCCESS
Sing Sing Sings Popularity
Spreads to Other Instit1-
tiOns.

oSSINING, y, Y. May &.-The Mutual
Welfare league OF Sing Sing prison has
turned its attention to the drama.
Recently dramatic and vaudeville
show was given in the prison audlto-
rum, under the auspices OF the Vel
fare league players. for which tickets
were sold TO the public, and the profits
will be used to defray the expenses OF
league activities.
The entertainments success was so
encouraging that officials OF the league
plan to give, with the cooperation of
prison administration officials, at least
one play a month.
The public, however. only occasionally
viii be permitted to view these perform
ances.
Under the administration Of Mai.
Lewis E. Lawes, the new warden, who
assumed his duties Al Sing Sing early
this yesr, the Welfare league. established
by Thomas Mott Osborne, has ressined
much Of its former power.
The league, according TO .ts officials,
is organized for the purpose OF training
the men in Sing Sing in the doctrine of
self government.
It is governed by its own elected rep
resentatives, who ara responsible to the
warden for the discipline Of the insti-
tution, and TO their fellow prisoners foI
such regulation of the privileges granted
as will work out to the best interest
Of all concerned.
WARDEN HAS
VETO POWER.
Roughly, the government is analogous
to the state government, with the war
den and his veto power in some such
relationship to the whole as the gov
ernor: the elected board of delegates
IN the position of the state legislature
and the members of the leagues execu-
tive board In positions somewhat Ike
that OF the heads of the various state
departments.
The work Of the league has broad
ened, SO that today all forms OF athletic
sports IN Sing Sing are supported and
encouraged by it.
Schools have been started to train men
IN trades.
The question of entertainment for the
men, after the labors OF the day have
ceased. also came up before the league,
and an entertainment committee assumed
charge of the work Of keeping the men
from their cells for as long a period as
possible.
Entertainments of some sort are pro-
vided for every night Of the year.
INTEREST IN
DRAMA AWAKENED.
The awakened interest in the drama
comes from the desire Of the league TO
supply as much as possible OF the prison
entertainment from talent discovered and
developed behind the walls.
Il is not expected 10 take the place
Of the motion picture, but 1t is hoped TO
vary the motion picture program weekly
by some original effort at drama By in
mate talent
Community singing was introduced re-
Gently. at first without a leader. and
this has gained much popularity.
A weekly song fest, led on alternate
weeks by the aurora band and q trained
song leader, takes place.
The fame Of Sing Sing Sings" has
spread TO the New Jersey state prison
at Trenton. and the Connecticut state
prison at Wethersf1eId, where they have
been introduced.
Another purpose Of the league is TO
bring TO a wider public than has hither-
TO been interested in them, a knowledge
Of prison conditions and problems, in
the hope that such knowledge may slim
ulate a healthy force, through public
opinion. to saner, more rational and
more progressive legislation in connec-
ton with penal affairs