Evening star., 1938-10-09
Shakespeare Society Head
Fosters Pleasure IN Plays
Dr.. WiLcOx Arranges
Interesting Program
'
for 22d Session.
BY JESSIE FAINT EVANS.

JOf <&U oCSCtOtGs
BY JESSIE FAINT EVANS.
The Shakespeare Society Of Wash
ington begins Its 22d consecutive ses-
sion at 8:l5 pm. tomorrow In Perkins
Hall OF the Universalist Church. Six
teenth and P streets NV.
DR.. Elmer L. Kayser, professor Of
European history and dean Of stu
dents at George Washington Univer-
sity. will address the group on Patriot
ism in the Elizabethan Period" His
talk will be followed by A dramatic
reading by Miss Esther Marshman.
Another high light of the years
program as outlined by Dr. E. Y.
Wilcox. now in his, 10th successive year
as president of the society, will fea-
ture Leander Mccormick Goodhart of
the British Embassy. one of the
groups most enthusiastic members, on
Shakespeare and the Sea-" From his
very special study OF Shakespeare from
this standpoint. it is Mr.. Mccormick.
Goodhart's opinion that the Bard of
Avon, by his familiarity with nautical
terms, must have been aboard ship
during some period In his career
Other programs will feature Shake
speare's Vocabulary" BY DR.. Wilcox;
Some of Shakespeare's Imagery" by
James G. McManaway of the Folger
Shakespeare Library; Loves Labor
Lost" an essay Of appreciation by
Prof. F. S. Tupper of the George
Washington University and the pres
entation of the Shakespearean back
ground and significance of Thomas
otways' restoration play. Venice
Preserved by Dr. George B. Woods,
dean of American University.
Given In 1900.
This play, believed to be the first
one oyer to be presented in a COM
mercial theater in Washington, is
known to have been given here in the
year 1900 in an inn remodeled into a
theater. Press comments of the time
refer to its being warmly received by
an audience more numerous as well
as more splendid than could be con-
ceived from population so slender
and so scattered"
This organization, which is made
up today Of lay Shakespeare enthu-
siasts, gathered from all ranks of So
ciety in the Nations Capital, is the
successor of an even older one of
Shakespearean scholars and players.
Among the latter was the late Charles
B. Hanford of this city. famous for his
own Shakespearean roles. as we'll as
for his earlier appearances with Booth
and Lawrence Barrett
The Shakespeare Society's first pres
ident under its present broad scope
and plan of membership for those
interested in Shakespeare was Harry
c. Davis, secretary Of the Board OF
Trustees Of the George Washington
University. with the first meeting held
in the university's Law School audi
torium.
Mr.. Davis's successor in the presi-
DENTAL office was S. S. Ashbaugh. a
railroad attorney OF distinction, who
was followed by the late Henry B.
Meyer, for many years chief of the
bibliogra phical division OF the Lii
hrery Of Congress.
Stressed Enjoyment in Works.
During DR.. wilcoxs term as presi-
dent he has sought to further the read
ing of the works of Shakespeare for
their cultural enjoyment and pleasure,
rather than to lay emphasis upon their
technical study. "Shakespeare's plays
he emphasizes, were not intended to
serve as dry. didactic studies. His
| audiences in the main were made lp
of the common people. not more than
IS per cent of whom could read or
write. They stood crowded in the pits
Of the EYzabethan, stheaters for a.
much as two hours at a stretch to
listen to range Of drama that swung
the circle of human emotions from
lyric poetry to spicy, vigorous, rough
stun, thrown into the picture rs a
counterbalance to stupendous speeches
Of compelling magnitude. His Jokes,
his quips, his political illusions, had
to be on every ones lips to be un-
derstood"
With this in mind the programs fea
ture entertaining aspects of Shakes
peare for one-half Of the meeting
time. During the rest of the period
the members. in costume, stage in
condensed form, scenes from the plays
upon which there has been comment
and discussion.
But One Play Neglected.
Under the direction of Mr.. Hanford,
Walter Beck, Arthur Rhodes and Mrs
Mabel Owen Wilcox. wife of DR.. vii.
cox. the Shakespeare Society of Wash
ington has presented, in whole or in
part, all of Shakespeare's plays except
Titus Andronicus.' -.
These dramatic enactments have
in many instances been given as bene-
fits for churches. civic organizations
the Monticello Fund, Stratford Me-
mortal Theater, Walter Reed Hospital
and many other groups. In all they
represent some 262 entertaining and
instructive programs, the soGety's
participation in them being purely q
labor of love with its members richer
and mellower for the acquaintance
they thereby received from Shakes
peare's artistry and scholarship"
To Gideon A. Lyon Of The Evening
Star. Sir Willmott Lewis, Washington
correspondent of the London Times;
DR.. c. G. Abbot, secretary Of the
Smithsonian Institution: Dr.. C. A
Brown of the United States Depart.
nnent Of Agriculture William Aller