Imperial Valley press., 1922-04-14
MISS PHILIPS ADDRESSES
TEN THOUSAND CLUB

Miss Ethel Philips who delightfully."-
entertained at the Ten Thousand Club
meeting Thursday afternoon, paid a
graceful compliment to the members
earnest q body of women to want to
be merely entertained this afternoon
and then proceeded to give them the
real meat of the word for which their
souls hungered.
Miss Philips, before entering upon
her subject, spoke appreciatively of the
work in AmcricanizatiOn which the
Mrs. Burritt Allen, is about to under
take on the Eastsidc. Feclingly she
wished that we in America might be
able to touch the spring to the souls
of these men and women who come
from other lands and find beneath the
sometimes ugly exterior the hidden
treasure that would help us to under
stand the Japanese who so love beauty
in nature that benches are placed in
little parks along frequentcd roads and
streets inviting people to sit and en-
joy the moonlight and the sunset, of the
Italian who also sees so much in the
country and 80 little in the crowded
city to which he most often drifts
when coming here, and of other of the
aliens of whom we know and under.
stand so little. Most effectively she
read little poem which set this forth
as mere prose could not have done, Il
poem expressing longing for the clean
and sweet things of life to be found
in the country.
The lecture on literature was truly
delightful. The speaker gave rules by
which stories are to be tested, differ
entiating between those to be told and
those to be read only. The Bible, folk
tales and some of 1olstOi's remarkable
stories were mentioned as models to
be studied. The best story is disting-
uished by simplicity, spontaniety, and
sincerity, she said. 1t must have di-
rectncss, action and no preachment.
The hero of the old folk story does not
need to tell of his deeds. They speak
for themselves rs the tale unfolds. She
warned against bookishncss in story
telling. Read the story first, to love
it. Read again to thoroughly master
the plot; 4 third time, to absorb the
quain Or unusual words and phrases,
Studying these until they become your
own. At the twilight hour, steal away
by yourself and try to visualize the
story in picture as you think it over,
and last Of all tell it aloud to some one.
, The speaker paid high tribute to-
Morse folk stories, to collections of
English folk tales by Scudder, Jacobs
and kipling, to William Butler Yoates'
Irish legends and to Tolstoi. She also
spoke appreciatively of our own Haw-
thorne, of joel Chandler Harris, the
negro songs and stories and Indian
legends and tales of American litera-
ture.
As fitting close to the address, Miss
Philips told two stories, one of the
maiden who wanted the stars of heaven
to play with and tho other, Tolstoi ),
story Of the little peasant shoemaker
who found that God is where love is.
Both wer told naturally, but with
dramatic effect. Truly story telling,
er will lose its power over the human
heart.
Miss Philips has dclightful person.
ality and the vote of thanks given her
at the close of the close Of the program
was not perfunctOry but spontaneous
expression Of real appreciation.
: Mrs. Rodney jenkins with three Of
her pupils, Mrs. Ruby Harris, Miss
Jewel Edwards and Miss Josephine
Williams contributed greatly to tbs
charm of the afternoon with violin
music. The four play well together
and their selection was particularly
good.