Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-05-27
Warm Weather Wardrobe Should Include Smart Somber Town Dress
Stage>Struck
Youngsters
Recover
Phase Will Pass
Without Harm
To Anybody
By A neeFo Pafri

By Angelo Pafri
There is a bit Of the actor in
every human being and a great
deal Of it in many adolescent chill
dren. They are not actors in the
real meaning of that term; they
are adolescent children who have
the natural longing for attention
and praise. They long to be the
center of the group, and If acting a
part brings them that flattery they
will do their best to act.
The movie stars are the idols Of
these children, and they attend
every performance to study their
patterns. They copy their clothes
and their speech and their gestures,
especially their gestures and their
clothes, and fortified with that i'm
preston they 60 home to practice
before the mirror. Next day they
annoy the teacher and astonish
their classmates by their latest
tricks.
These children sometimes con-
fuse their desire for attention with
ability to win and hold it. They
think that because they enjoy the
theater and the movies that they
are actors. Their wish is father to
their thought. The girl who loses
herself in admiration for a screen
star begins to think she is very
like her in looks and ability and
longs for q chance in HOLLYWOOD.
The boy becomes certain he Is q
Fairbanks or a Mix, and there is no
holding him from his stage career.
If fathers and mothers can en-
dure for the duration of this phase
it will pass, usually, without trace.
The children discover ways of being
useful and important in the eyes of
others and concentrate on them and
forget the stage. Only those who
have the gift, and those who have
none Of any sort. persist in their
desire to go on the stage. Those
who are unfit are soon allowed to
know 1t, while those who belong
find their way there somehow.
In the meantime, what are par
ents to do with these stage struck
ones who seem to neglect every
thing but this one idea? Be patient
and listen to what the children
say. Point out that they have to
know something Of many fields of
interest in order to be an intelli-
gent actor. Actors interpret life for
the rest Of us, and in order to do
that they must know it thoroughly
from the inside. That means study
and hard work and q long appren-
ticeship. II they wish to go on the
stage they must gain knowledge
and skill. Languages help; so does
music, and voice culture, and dane
ing, and a cultural course in high
school and college. Actors have q
story to tell to the world, and the
world has a tough ear. One must
be informed and skillful to catch it.
Let the stage-struck child join the
dramatic club and take part In all
the plays. Give him every possible
opportunity to prove himself. Don't
make the mistake of forbidding the
idea, but keep before him the fact
that education and training must
come before expression. All roads
lead to Rome. and this road Of
education leads to success, II not
on the stage then somewhere else.
Treated with respect and with
wisdom. the phase passes without
damage to anybody. 1t is just one
OF the stages Of growth through
which most adolescents pass. Not
dangerous, but troublesome.
Many children behave badly
because they are not properly
fed. Be sure that your own lit
tie boy or girl forms correct
eating habits. Send for ANGLE
Patrfs booklet, Eating" inclos-
ing 10 cents in coin. Address
Angelo Patri, care The Evening
Star.