Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-31
BY GEORGE v. DENNY, Jr.,
Director, Institute OF Arts and Sciences,
Columbia University.

w WITH the continued introduce
n ton. of courses in dramatic
NV production into the curricu-
lum of our schools and coll
leges, the construction of
new and handsomely equipped theaters
for amateur use throughout the country
and the increasing number of trained
leaders who are turning their attention
to educational dramatics. the outlook
for drama as an important instrument
of education is better than it has ever
been before. Surveys on this subject
are being made constantly by individ-
uals and organizations.
Numbers of college students have
obtained their masters degree investi-
eating this field, and recently a doctor
OF philosophy degree was awarded to
an instructor of play production at Co
lumbia University for his thesis, 1.-THE
Equipment of the School Theater," for
which he made survey that was both
intensive and extensive.
Attitude Toward Amateur Changes.
Kennth MacGowan published last
Fall his new book "Footlights Across
America" which was the result of a
ID, 000-mile trip over America, visiting
schools, colleges and Little Theaters, as
field representative for the American
Association for Adult Education The
| significant point to observe in all of
these surveys is the changing attitude
of the educational institutions toward
the amateur theater. But our educa-
tional concepts are changing vastly, so
| why should not this be the case?
We have gone far since the golden
age of Greek drama, when the plays of
! SophocleS, Euripides and Eschylus were
| used to teach oratory to the young
/ Greeks: far from the days when the
/ comedies of Plautus and Torrance were
used as dramatic readings in the Eng
| lish class room to teach greater facility
/ in the Latin tongue, which was the
language of the educated man of that
day, but with the introduction of the
teaching of the vernacular into the
school system of England in the six
tenth century the teaching of English
| became more important than Latin, and
before long (apout 1540) the first Eng
lish play made its appearance, Ralph
Roster Doister," written by Nicholas
Udall, then headmaster of Eaton.
In each case the use of the acted
play as an instrument of education had
to be justified on some other ground
| the teaching of oratory, the use OF
Latin speech, English, gesture poise
or carriage. The brilliant era of Eliza
bethan drama was participated in BY
many university men, including Lyly
Greene, Peele and HYDE, who were
known as the university wits" Unit
1912. when the Puritans gained contro
in England and abolished the theater
the school play hourished and was ex-
tremely popular. The Restoration ir
1888 did nothing for school drama, fol
the professional theater soon became
identified with vice and immortality
and not until our own day has the
amateur theater regained its universe
favor.
An indication of the attitude of early
American college presidents toward the
theater is found in a statement by DR.
Timothy Dwight, president of Yale Col
| lege 1775-1817. He is credited with
having said that "to indulge taste for
playgoing means nothing more nor less
than the loss of that most valuable
treasure, the immortal soul"
Educational Viewpoint Changes.
What might this revered gentleman
do II he could observe the activities oil
Prof. George Pierce Bakers activities in
the finest equipped dramatic laboratory
and theater in any college in the coun-
try right in the heart of Yale Univer-
sity? Indeed, how long might Prof
William Lyon Phelps have held his job
under DR.. Dwight? Prof. Phelps has
been promoting good drama and teach
ing Shakespeare with the occasional
help Of Gene Tunney) for a great many
years.
One hundred years have made great
deal of difference in educational view
point. Contrast the undergraduate cir
riculum of the modern college with that
of Timothy Dwights generation. APP
piled science, business, journalism, So
ciology, commercial art and architecture
along with creative writing courses anc
play production, have made their way
into our educational system during the
last half century
Now half a dozen colleges are giving
the master of arts degree for creative
work in dramatics, and Cornell viii
award doctor of philosophy degree in
drama and the theater This practice
is regarded with skepticism by some Of
the more conservative institutions.
Plays in Lieu of Thesis.
When Prof Frederick H. Koch, direc.
tor of the Carolina Playn1akers of the
University of North Carolina, was urg.
ing the acceptance of original full.
length plays in lieu of the conventional
thesis for advanced degrees, he was
told that this could not be done, but
that hundred years from now some
student might get a degree for investi.
eating his activities in developing ma.
tive drama. However, Prof. Koch ha,
won his point, and it is now possible fol
a student to submit full-length play
in lieu of thesis.
Prof. Koch is doing some of the mos
interesting and valuable educationa
work in this country. After pioneering
for IL years on the plains of NORTH
Dakota, where he was instructor il
English at the State university, he went
to the University of North Carolina ii
1918 to teach the students there *
write and produce native plays of theil
own locality, folk plays" as they are
generally called.
Creative Energies Released.
Prof Koch has released a vast store
Of creative energy among the carolins
students, and the results of his work
are being felt beyond the borders Of
that State. His students have written
one-act plays for the most part ano
they have been presented on tour in
every nook and corner of North Caro-
lima, as far south as Savannah and as
far north as Boston, having played
three times in New York at Columbia
University.