Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-10-16
J. A. MCCULLOUGH
On Need of Classic Revival

ON NeeO OI u dSsIC
A REVIVAL of interest IN the classics
and especially of study Of Shakespeare
and his works. would do much to rouh'Fr
act the influence of the present, day era OF
jazz" according TO J. A. McCullough pres.
ident of the Philadelphia Shakespearenn
Guild and vice president of the Natioha'
Guild
at is mainly through an inspection of the
literary works Of today that future geher-
ations will be able to visualize what our
ERA of Jazz means" said DIR. Mccullough,
"And Just as this is true, so is 1t true that
the rising generation is being nodded more
or less by modern literature. For some time
the thinking world has been proclalmlng the
need of calling q halt. and while the warn
ing seems to have been needed in some de-
gree, 1t is going to be hard for the postwar
neurotics to get back TO pre-war sanity.
This EZRA Of jazz that we speak OF has been
eXpained so often and SO cOnvincingly that
it needs but little explanation.
World Had to BLOW on Steam
at was absolutely necessary that there
be n reaction after th" long, trying days of
the war. The United States did not feel the
strain as did those countries more deeply
involved. But the reaction was bound to
come here as elsewhere. The emancipation
of woman was one great result. And just
as any person or class. suddenly thrown into
n new environment. will so beyond expected
or futlOIul IlHtS, ~ Nlltlc 'huic lhc p'' iou
Of over emancipation
"But all this is passing gradually.
Slowly but surely the entire world is coming
to look upon things SRnely. And where can
n better aid be found in reaching rational
viewpoint than by contemplation of the
classics? / refer partirularly TO revival
OF interest in Shakespeare, because the
works of the bard are OF interest to all and
he is not beyond the contemplation of the
laborer as well as the cloistcred student.
"The burden of reviving interest in the
usual run of classics rests with our large
schools and universities. Too unny Of them,
in my opinion, have been content to pass by
the fundamental worth Of Greek and Latin
in favor Of food of isms and new ologies.
All these have q place in never ending
progress, and ! am far from one who would
send back or even hamper true progress
But there is something ii! spending too much
| time in running up and down cross roads
and forgetting that the trip forward must be
| accomplished on the main road.
What Shakespeare Has Done
"But il is different with Shakespeare
! He meets all classes on their own ground.
and humanity too. Tho greatest thing TO he
accomplished Is making the middle classes,
so called. realize that Shakespeare Is not
necessarily for the 'highbrow.' Where in
| the world of letters can there be found a
man who understood human nature as he
| did? He saw into the fobcs of kings lust
as clearly az he saw the grotesquerics of
the buffoons? And the fact that he tran :
scribed this insight into dcathleSs words
! makes him still more human.
"One does not have to be II savant to an :
| preciatc the beauties of Shakespeare. Even
| the mechanic who spends II portion of his
! evening going over some play of the bard
| will find himself bettercd ut his bench by
| tho time spent. No one who reads his
Shakespeare and attempts to do so under :
standingly can help but be improved His
command of English will improve gradually
! by contact with that great master of the
, Language. Even the use Of archaic express
sions will not come In amss. The man ONLY
moderately educated who becomes interested
in Shakespeare will find himself adding IA
his store of meager knowledge until the sum
total of the result will surprise him as il
slowly but surely becomes evident in his
speech and in his thinking.
Provided Entertainment, Too
"Unlike many advocates of Shakespeare
am not in favor Of too many attempts tC
popularize him upon the stage. fee it i.
much better that there be one or two reaI
dramatic exponents Of Shakespeare, men who
know him and are sincere Interpreters RS
These men and women usually have made
Shakespeare their life study, and their inter
probation can be looked upon with conf
dencc, Shakespeare should not be treated