davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
, 1923-09-29

which had to be furnished II shown
closely. the stores which had to be
stocked-there was an orchard to be
planted. a bayfield, to be provided.
barns and pig styes and chicken pens
and corrals all to be built. The
streets had to be laid out. tho gardens
planted with flowers or vegetables,
and on top of all this. the whole
thing had to be SO constructed that
when the great storm scene comes at
the finish. these houses. with the ex-
ception of the old homestead itself.
could be unroofed or otherwise dis
mantled, and the foods of rain pro-
yided.
A Soundless Storm.
Twenty wind-machines were used
for the storm. A wind-machine in a
studio is altogether different from the
one used on the stage. The latter
has to provide sound. The former
must provide action-in brief, wind.
These machines are simply aero
plane propellers and motors, which
blow a hurricane of dust, faxed as
bestos for snow, drive the rain and
otherwise tear up the surroundings.
They never show themselves. but the
effect is all that could be desired. 1t
is left for the picture theater orches-
ira and stage electricians to provide
the sounds and other effects neces-
sary to create fully the effect of a
terrible storm.
All these things. however. were
comparatively simple-they have
been done before. though perhaps
not on quite such a great scale.
Director James Cruze surrounded
himself with a corps OF experts. The
research department OF the Lasky
studio sent for photos of New Hamp-
shire villages and dug up data on
other points OF which there might be
question. Art Director Max Parker
gathered his stan and set them to
, 1923-09-29
When a Play of a Certain Period Is
to Be Produced 1t Means Untold
Research Work and Lnrumer-
able Details Which Must
Be Taken Care of.

But it entails endless work. espe-
cially on the part Of the research
department, the costumers and set
designers.
A case in point is the Paramount
picture. THE Old Homestead" which
is laid in 1885 in our own land and
which will be watched with avidity
by the chronic f%aw-fnder.
When Mother Was Young.
That's approximately 35 years ago.
But what a lot of changes have come
about in those years! Changes in
custom. in dress, in modes OF living.
Numberless inventions have been
given to the world since then, dis
coveries whose very common a
today renders US forgetful of the
fact that they are OF recent date. We
get to thinking that they existed
always. but most OF us will recall
when our own parents looked ask
ance at the telephone and are even
yet, in some cases. disposed to re-
gard the photograph or wireless as
almost magical in their functions.
When Perley Poore Sheehan and
Frank E. Woods adapted 1.-THE Old
Homestead" from the Denman
Thompson play and Julien Joseph
son vas given the task OF writing
the continuity, they began to see the
innumerable places where they had
, 1923-09-29

work on the houses and stores and
barns. Others laid out the street
scenes and provided the lampposts
with oil lights, the pumps. the water
ing troughs. the farming implements.
the store stocks, etc. The property
department was as busy as a lot of
beavers and the costume and charac-
ter wardrobe people uncovered vast
stores of clothing worn in 1ss5-or
OF hat type.
Bustles and Carpet Bags.
There had to be the right kind of
carpet bag for Uncle Josh, played by
Theodore Roberts; the right kind of
dog for Happy Jack. the tramp,
played by T. Roy Barnes-remember
that some of the breeds OF CANNES
common today were not known In
America in 1885. There had to be
the right kind of bangs for Ann,
played by FRITZ Ridgeway, and Just
as Mr.. Barnes grew a tramp beard,
Miss Ridgeway allowed her bangs to
grow. trained and cut them to show
just in the right degree. Rose, played
by Kathleen o'Connor had to have a
dress with a bustle-several dresses,
in fact. And she had to be supplied
with just the proper sort OF parasol.
Reuben's homemade clothing had TO
be built to order; Harrison Ford
plays this part Eph Holbrook need
ed a square topped derby and George
Fawcett found one to 1T. Lem Hol-
brook required a funny looking lid.
being something of n country sport,
and James Mason was given several
varieties to pick from. Clarence
Thomas, an expert on period sub
jects. helped much in these matters.
But Roy Diem and Ethel Chafan of
the wardrobe departments were kept
busy. Howard Wells. the property
chief, had a whole staff busy gather
ing up funny furniture and hand
props for the interior scenes.
, 1923-09-29
@1 G@Z 49,

Ethel Wales as Aunt Matilda had
to be up on cooking steak and fried
potatoes and proved she was a cul-
mary expert along these lines.
The New York street scenes o:
1885 presented a formidable prob
lem: Gas lamps. hanson cabs. the
right kind of buildings. the queer
stores, the freakish costumes and a
, 1923-09-29

@DDLY enough It is considered
a much more difficult task to
make a motion picture which
contains a story dated say 35 years
ago than one which is laid in, say.
the seventeenth century. The rea-
son, however. is fairly obvious:
Except for possibly a few histori-
ans, antiquarians. and others. there
are few people who can find flaws in
what may be called ancient costumes,
or scenes While the producers of
high-class films insist on accuracy,
even in these things. and generally
come as close as possible to mirror
ing the actions and appearances of
olden times, n few anachronisms
which might slip in would be visible
TO the eye of an expert only.
When. however, the subject dates
back only to the time of our own
early youth. or to a period easily re-
membered by our fathers and moth
ers. no slightest error out will call
forth loud and satirical comment and
the picture director and producer is
pretty touchy in such matters. He
dislikes being caught up and criti-
clsed for a blunder which n little
care or research would have obviat-
ed. Therefore he ~redoubles his eff
fort and II he is conscientious. the
result is pretty likely to be 1awless.
, 1923-09-29

T. Roy Barnes says that while Wis
iting Wallace Reid he recently stood
on the lawn OF the latter's home and
p%assersby remarked:
That's himl That's wallyl"
And" observed the Paramount
comedian. 81 prayed that my lucky
star would keep wally indoors till
they'd gone. so a. not to make Thorn
aware of their error"
, 1923-09-29

which may have crept In despite thu
care exercised.
The broad ax., 1923-01-06
THE A. M. z. MINISTERIAL AL
LANCE OF CHICAGO SOUNDS
THE PRAISES OF ATTORNEY
AUGUSTUS L. WILLIAMS AND
JULIUS F. TAYLOR.

The following article is reproduced
in these columns as part of the his
tory of Chicago, in connection with
the riots Of 1919.
On Monday morning, July 10th, at
the regular weekly meeting of the
A. M. E. Ministerial Alliance of Chi
cago, Mr.. julius F. Taylor, Editor of
The Broad AK, conveyed to said or
ganization the information that At
torney Augustus L. Williams had
successfully won the fight for COM
pensating the relatives of the colored
victims Of the Chicago Race Riots of
1919. This information was badly re-
ceived, and the president of the Al
lance instructed the secretary to pre-
pare a resolution commencing Mr..
Williams on his success.
The broad ax., 1923-01-06
Resolutions:

Whereas, the "A. M. E. Ministerial
Alliance, having learned of the sue
cessful fight which was made by At
torney Augustus L. Williams, nobly
aided by Mr.. julius +. Taylor, in be-
half of the dependents and relatives
of the unfortunate victims of the Chi
cago Race Riots of 1919.
Be 1t Resolved, That we, the men,
bers of the "A. AZ. z. Ministerial AL
lance of Chicago, do heartily com
mend Mr.. Augustus L. Williams, At
torney-at-Law, for his courage, per-
severance, legal ability, and loyal de-
votion to the cause Of the Negro VIC
tins of the Chicago Race Riots in so
nobly championing their cause and
bringing it to the successful issue
whereby compensation will be award
ed by the city to their relatives and
dependents.
Be 1t Further Resolved. That we
express to Mr.. Augustus i. Williams
our profound thanks and gratitude
for his courageous and successful eff
forts in behalf of our Race, and that
we also express our gratitude to Mr..
julius =. Taylor for encouraging and
assisting Mr.. Augustus 7. Williams in
his successful fight.
THE A. NJ. E. MINISTERIAL
ALLIANCE,
Rev. 5. T. Brit, President.
Rev. j. N. Goddard, Secretary.
The broad ax., 1923-01-06
BOOK CHAT, BY MARY WHITE OV-
NGTON, CHAIRMAN, BOARD OF
DIRECTORS OF THE NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION FOR THE AD-
VANCEMENT OF COLORED PEG
PIE.

forty-three stories, bits Of happenings
in that section of the country along
the coast between Georgetown and
BeaufortS Here the Gullah Negro
lives; and here the writer retails his
quite simple happenings. Many of
the stories relate to the past. They
start, to take the story Of Barney AZ
an example, with an account in Mr..
Gonzales own charming English, of
the countryside, the Negro cabins with
their poorly fenced little gardens and
the bull, Barney that is allowed to
roam over the country though known
to be dangerous. He walks over
fences and eats up the garden truck,
while the black man vainly, at long
distance, peppers his side with small
shot. AT length Barney disturbs a
religious outdoor meeting and the
Negroes rush in terror. One colored
girl in a new hoop skirt, but without
shoes or stockings, tears past young
man, who describes her later as fol-
lows: (And here the author drops into
dialect, and makes his Hogarth- Nor
Teniers-picture all the more true
and less improper) x pass me duh
paat', en- e binnuh trabble so swift
uh vent ruckuhnize um 'zackly, but
e stan sukkuh two blacksnake duh
'tretch out cen one bu'd-cage."
There isn't as much old Massa and
Missus as usual in these stories, and
there is more rough fun. One feels
that Gonzales is something of Gull
lah himself. His own writing is suf-
hciently artistic to place him out Of
the path of the automobile that drops
the commercial story at every door
post, into pleasant, untouched
country, rich in swamp and lazy
streams, where the cranes fly over
head and the alligators move slug
gishly through the mud. The book,
by the way, has a great alligator
story. 1t should be of value as a
record, and also as store-house for
those who wish to recite Negro
stories. But. the stories must be told
by one who knows the dialect, "this
strange blend of African tribal sounds
and intonations," to quote again from
Bennett, with scant vocabulary Of
peasant, archaic English" And the
audience must not be squeamish.
The broad ax., 1923-01-06

work in 1908 at Tuskegee Institute,
Alabama.
Mr.. Work has contributed many
valuable articles on Negro education
al work to most, if not all, of the
standard periodicals published in
America.
The 1922 Negro Year Book is
the sixth edition, published annually
by the Negro Year Book Company,
at Tuskegee Institute, Alabama, where
all data relative to the Negro is col
lected, carefully edited, compiled and
published for the benefit of all who
are interested in Americas so-caIled
Negro problem. Special reference to
lynchings, race riots, migrations, The
Negro in Politics, Race-relations and
Inter-racial Cooperation is made by
the editor whose researches have been
both thorough and unrelenting for
more than twenty years. Consider
able space is devoted also to the At
rican and what he wants at his home
in Africa together with maps and
charts showing the territorial changes
and distributions according to exist
ing mandates. This subject Is dis
cussed in a way that all who consult
the book will conclude that the Negro
now realizes that he belongs to an
important group-factor in America
and other countries, that must be rec
onciled in the yet to be settled World
peace plans.
Never before has more extensive,
down-to-the-minute photography on
the Negro been published and the
book Is so arranged and indexed as to
make it indispensable to all who
would mark the wonderful progress
Of Americas former slaves and their
descendants who, within the past
The broad ax., 1923-01-06

lea to stay" Recommending that a
permanent Commission on Race Re-
lations be created, the Governor fur
Their AYERS that "as soon as the COM
mission was appointed, conditions be-
tween the races began to improve"
To the Japanese in America and
Japan, perhaps the best known men,
Der Of the commission is Julius N. Ro-
senwald, Jewish merchant and philan-
thropist, who has contributed $685., 900
toward Young Mems Christian Asso-
citation buildings for Negroes in thir-
teen cities and more than 1000, 900
toward rural schools for Negroes in
fourteen southern states. Mr.. Rosen-
wald learned to appreciate the good
qualities of the Negro and his eco
nomic value through his close associa-
ton with Booker T. Washington as a
member Of the board Of trustees Of
Tuskegee Institute. He is also a
member of the boards of trustees for
the University of Chicago and the
Rockefeller Foundation.
The above able and highly inter-
esting article, which appeared in the
Christmas issue of the Eagle, Los
Angeles, Cal, December %, 1922, is
from the pen Of our old highly es-
teemed friend, Col. Noah d. Thomp-
son, and it is worth any ones time to
carefully read it.-Editor.
The broad ax., 1923-01-06
THE BLACK BORDER, Gull
Lab STORIES OF THE
CAROLINA COAST"
BY Ambrose Gonzales. Published by
the State Company, Columbia,
S. Car. Price $500

There are book reviewers, and I
understand their name is many, who
read what "the jacket" of the new
story has to tell of the inside, and
then after a cursory glance at the first
and last chapters, give their learned
opinion of the author and his work.
l have never been guilty of this
method, thinking that if a book was
worth talking about it was worth
reading, but / must plead guilty at
not having finished "The Black Bor-
der" Hours and hours of patient eff
fort with the dialect has left me still
with pages yet to conquer. So I will
start by quoting the opinion of John
Bennett in the Literary Review of
the Evening Post. Devoid of
maudlin sentimentality, but touched
with comprehensive pity, marked by a
caustic, humorous, but somehow eff
fective irony, the tolerant humor of
one who has known the Negro from
his birth, assembling nothing, and
without malice, he has drawn them as
they are, with Hogarthian fidelity,
George Morland's eye and Teniers-
like truth Of detail" This is only
little Of Mr.. Benefits praise. 1t spills
over into two columns. But he has
a sentence that explains it all: ITO
one who has heard these anecdotes
from Mr.. Gonzales lips"
Here is the reason for the review
er's enthusiasm. He has heard these
stories told by one who knew how to
speak American-Gullah. But to try
to read the transcription that Mr..
Gonzales gives us, is like trying to
read a foreign language that one has
never heard spoken. The thing is
impossible. And it does seem little
hard to have to decipher, by means
Of an elaborate glossary, corruption
Of English. Now if it were real Gull
lahl
The Black Border is a collection of
The broad ax., 1923-01-06
LESS BLINDNESS IN COUNTRY
Figures Reveal q Gratifying Decrease
Of Terrible Addiction Throughout
the United States.

Imagine, II you can, city Of 100 600
Inhabitants, where every single soul II
totally blind; where doctor, lawyer,
merchant, chief, along with the rich
man, poor man, beggarman and thief,
are all In the same boat-sightless
America has the makings Of just
such city. There are more than 120,-
600 totally blind people in the United
States, and many times that number
partly blind. The terrible part OF IL
is that more than 81 per cent OF blind
ness In classed as preventable, large
portion being the result Of eyestrain.
II is encouraging to note, however.
that blindness In America has do
creased more than 20 per cent since
glasses have become more common.
Every other country has a far greater
percentage Of blindness, and they show
n yearly increase. Three Of every TEN
Americans wear glasses. Statistics
prove that seven OF each ten have
enough eyestrain to warrant tho wear
ing Of correcting lenses When We
realize the relation Of good vision 10
health and happiness. 1t In hard to nm
derstand why 10 many people neglect
their eyes until they are permanently
injured. In the first draft az Amsri-
can soldiers In 1917 bad sight caused
nearly three times an many rsjectiens
as any other physical defect Az tho
time OK the draft 2,51O,70e man were
examined and 21.6S per cent were TO-
5scted because Of grossly detective
vision. Illustrate World.
The broad ax., 1923-01-06
vIRGINIANS PROUD

On Dec. 3Oth, at 1888 S. State St,
The Virginia Society of which NJ. T.
Bailey is president and J. B. Street,
vice-president, held its final meeting
for the year by giving a literary and
musical program. Those taking part
included Mesdames R. A. Jackson and
Johnnie H. Mcpherson; little Misses
Gladys Wingate and Geraldine Nc
Cav; Masters Robert Shaw, James
Williams and Odell ID. Rand. The
members were made proud and left
pledging themselves to do more for
the betterment Of the Society during
1928.
The broad ax., 1923-01-06

Tens OF thousands cf wild caribcm
are reported to be swarming over tho
hflls through the suburbs Of Dawson,
Z. r, for a radius Of 80 miles The
great herd, which annually treAks
through the district, In now moving
ncrthward. Large herds swimming
the Yukon have interfered with the
progress Of steamers. The hard IN
30 vast that the hunting By men. vom-
en- and children, who have provided
nearly every home with deer meat for
the winter, has made mo noticeable
elect ON II.
The broad ax., 1923-01-06

sixty years, have acquired 100000
acres Of good land; 100000 good, sub
stantial homes and $4,000 churches.
Besides the American Negroes operate
70 banks, 100 insurance companies and
10000 other business enterprises with
a capital amounting to $150,OO0,00O
Meanwhile his illiteracy, through
school and college attendance, has
been reduced to less than 81 per cent
According to the United States Blu
reau Of Census, the center Of Negro
population, numbering about 12,000,-
900 in 1920, was located in Dade
county, situated in the northeastern
part of the state of Georgia. But one
should study THE NEGRO IN
CHICAGO" a book setting forth the
Negroes trials, tribulations and ambi-
tons in order to feel the pulse" of
this group Of loyal citizens Of America
which is scattered to all parts Of the
United States.
The race riot" in Chicago, July,
1919, was of importance grave enough
to cause Governor Frank D. Lowden
TO create a special commission on
Race Relations" for the purpose of
studying the cause and effect of the
riot and to make recommendations
that would, in measure, better con
ditions, and enable the two groups,
Negroes and whites, to live and work
together amicably. The commission,
composed Of six Negroes and six
whites, representing the highest type
of manhood, required three years Of
careful investigation to complete its
task. The result of the commissions
findings, together with its recon-
mendations, haze been printed in
book form with the title Of "The Ne
gro in Chicago" published by the
University of Chicago Press, Chicago,
Ill.
Containing $50 pages Of we'll edited
material on the race problem in gem
eral and the Chicago Negro problem
in particular, the book makes revela-
tons and suggestions for avoidance
Of future conflicts that will undoubted-
ly prove Of great interest and help to
all who wish to study Americas race
problem earnestly and help adjust
matters satisfactorily. Photographs of
the riot scenes, charts and maps are
used literally by the publishers who,
with the commission members, feel
that to solve the race problem in Chi
cago means, in a large measure, to
solve the problem in all other parts Of
the United States. "A foreword by Gov.
Lowden, who appointed the commits
sion, declares first that "There is no
domestic problem in America which
has given thoughtful men more con-
Germ than the problem Of the relations
between the white and Negro races"
I'm earlier days" says the Governor,
'the colonization Of The Negroes in
Liberia was put forward as a solu-
ton. That idea was abandoned long
ago. It il now recognized generally
that the two races are here IN Amer
The broad ax., 1923-01-06
SERVES DINNER ON ANNIvER-
SARY

Vashti Temple, 1O4, S. M. T., Of
which Mrs. Ida Simmons is worthy
princess, held an entertainment on
New Years evening at Entertainers
hall in observance of its first ami
versary. After a program and the in
stallation of officers by the district
deputy. Mrs. Hattie Sawyer, turkey
dinner, punch, ice cream and cake
were served in abundance to all.
Among those who spoke at this time
were Mesdames Laura r. Johnson,
Minnie A. Robins, Elizabeth Rochon;
r w. Wells, M. 7. Bailey and I.
Pryor.
The broad ax., 1923-01-06
EXTENDS SEASONS GREET
INGS

M. T. Bailey, pres, The Bailey
Realty Co., and general manager of
The Milton Mercantile Agency, 3638
S. State St, who has done so much
good during the past year for clients
of the companies throughout the Uni
ted States and many foreign coun-
tries, extends to them the seasons
greetings and hopes for each one
prosperous and bright New Year.
The broad ax., 1923-01-06
THE NEGRO AND WHAT THE
JAPANESE SHOULD KNOW
ABOUT HIM
By Noah d. Thompson

Two books, just off the press, should
be in the hands Of every Japanese.
interested in American history and the
part played therein by the group rep
resented by Prof. Monroe N. Work,
who was honored with the Am. and
Ph.D. degrees in 1oO2-O3, since TAX
ing charge of the records and research
The broad ax., 1923-01-06

Rev. 5. L Brit President.
Rev. J. N. Goddard, Secretary.
The broad ax., 1923-01-06

Member of the City Council From the Old Second Ward
Der of Its Finance Committee Who At First Was Strongly
of the Opinion That Mr. Williams Should Be Forced to
Wend His Way into the Supreme Court With His Riot Cases
and Permit That August Body Sit Judgment Them,
But When Alderman Anderson Observed Which Way the
Wind Was Blowing He Left No Stone Unturned in the WAY
of Assisting Settle Them Up Once and For All
to Come.