Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1926-05-06
FAMOUS OPERA STAR,
IS INTERVIEWED FOR
LEADER ENTERPRISE
Gives Her Views Re-
garding Modern
Youth.
By MISS FLO


with the great Madame Schumann
Heink. But I'm not sure that I'll be
able to tell you lot about her, be-
cause she persisted in asking ques-
tions rather than answering them.
She flattered me so much by her evil
dent interest in me that the interview
was almost over before | reminded
myself thatI, and not the Madame,
was to write the story.
She is like that-interested in 9TH
err people, encouraging them and
helping them at every opportunity.
Yet she was good enough to give
me the story went after.
Sixty-6ve years old, the mother of
seven children, Madame Schumann
Heink is remarkably young both mem
tally and physically. Here is a wo-
man whose artistic achievements have
brought her fame and fortune, and
yet life, and her children, realities,
were always first and most import
ant to her. She seems to have done
a wonderful job of combining the
homely responsibilities of bringing
up her children, and the inspiring
business Of spiritual expression
through art.
cts silly idea that it is neces-
sary for girl to sacrifice her career
if she wishes to marry" she told me.
"They can be very successfully COM
bined, if one is willing to make sacri-
fees. And one must make sacrifices
anyway, and certainly nothing is so
worthy of them as marriage. But if
girl finds it necessary to choose be-
tween marriage and career, in all
cases, the career should be given up"
One could readily realize. that
nothing could have stopped this
capable woman from making a sue
cess of anything she might have I'M
dertaken. She was predestined to
do the great things of life!
l sought her views regarding mod
ern youth. This was her reply:
"Do I approve of the modern
youth? I approve of the youth of
every generation! Despite the Wig
orous crusades against their present
freedom, and the criticism that they
are both immoral and degrading,
youth today i essentially fine. To-
day, there is lesser formality than
in my youth, but why complain? I
have only one objection-that is an
artistic one. I don't like the way
girls make up their pretty young
faces. It isas't necessary. If they
will get plenty of sleep, eat plenty
of good fresh vegetables, drink plen-
ty Of water-they will find that they
have no need Of cosmetics. Those
have always been my only he. Sh
rules.
81 love youth live among it, and
l suppose that's one of the reasons
stay young. I have a healthy, con-
tented mind-that's why I'm happy.
AS happy as folks should be who
have been successful in their chosen
work. Happier, perhaps, because
have supreme faith in human beings,
in the world as a whole, and in the
God who sustained me in my hardest
struggle-faith that others some
times lost in their success.
''To those many ambitious, de-
spairing youngsters, ambitious be-
cause their fond parents, aunts,
grandmas and friends tell them they
are wasting their talent, that their
voices are wonderful-and who de-
spair because they are afraid they
will never have an opportunity to
show the world what they can do, I
say to them-'there is no place in
the world like our own good United
States. There is no other country in
the world where one has a greater
chance, where one receives such sub
stantial encouragement. Don't make
the mistake of thinking you cannot
succeed in your 9Avn, perhaps small,
locality. Don't, think that your local
teachers are not just as capable as
many of the highly paid, overcharg-
ing city professionals. Study with
them-absorb all that they can give.
Study the parts that you sing study
the life of their authors. Know all
about music that you possibly can
then go to the city. Hear con-
certs operas, lectures-but remem-
be: this day and age, it is posi-
bleTsT have all that right at your
fn.sE tips. Radio has made it posi-
BILE. Start at the bottom-don't try
to start at the top, and if you have
it in you-you cannot help but sue