Evening star., 1941-11-23
Dramatic Arts
For the Blind
BIZ Frederic J. HdSkin.

actual practice in acting and play pro-
duction to young sightless students in
the various schools for the blind through
out the country.
The project at that time held to the
idea that participation on the part OF
Sightless young people in many rehear-
sails and in actual plays would give TO
them a greater ease in movement and
assurance Of manner in the form OF
greater self-confidence and added polse
which would carry over into their private
lives. The inability to see and TO initiate
the facial expressions, postures and
movements of others is at the root OF
much of the awkWardness and uneasness
from which blind young people suffer.
The experience Of acting in plays, in
which they would receive instruction and
practice in assuming the proper express
sons and poStures, it was felt would
provide an effective substitute for sight
in this connection.
Results of the years activities in some
IS schools IN various parts Of the country
| proved the validity OF the contention.
With the current season the foundation
has enlarged the scope Of its drama
project far beyond its original purpose.
Now education and play acting go hand
IL hand, for the drama project becomes
an integral part Of classroom procedure.
In history courses. for example, this Is
what has happened: A series OF l3 one
act PLAYS entitled Dramatic Hours n
Revolutionary History" by Henry Fisk
cd hy- q
/ dramatic arts project for use IN the
! classroom, where they Will proyiG- dra-
matte color in the regular classes. The
| plays include The Story of Nathan
Hale" washington Crossing The Dela-
ware and The Story Of Maj. John
| Andre"
| As an auxiliary instructor. the founda-
/ ton makes use Of the Talking Book,
which was introduced about three years
| ago. The classroom PLAYS which the STU
! dents rehearSe and act as classroom
exercises are first produced a. the studios
| of the foundation by professional casts
! Of actors on the long-playing phono-
| graphic discs Of the Talking Book These
! eXpertly acted dramatic interludes are
played to both instructors and students
before they begin their own work on the
| classroom drama, and act as guides and
/ examples 10 the interprets tIons which
the students themselves Try 10 achieve.
! This is the first time the Talking Book
has played the part OF a dramatic in
structor.
For the longer plays which are not
so closely tied up with classroom in
struction. professional teachers are sent
by the foundation TO the outstanding
schools for the blind Throughout the
country. Each instructor mas had not
only long experience in the professional
theater but has been trained in the adap-
tation Of stage technique to the special
needs of sishtless players. These in
structors spend on an average of six
weeks at school, and during that period
! not only produce two plays, but train
members Of the schools regular teaching
staff in the art Of dramatic production,
| including rehearsal of the actors, the
| construction Of scenery and making OF
costumes. and every detail connected
with the presentation of play.
AS result OF the projects activities,
the various schools are rapidly building
up workmanlike dramatic libraries which
include the plays in braille. hraille
prompt books. and the parts from which
the blind actors learn their lines through
their finger tips.
The idea of bringing the resources Of
the drama to brighten the cirriculums
in schools for blind students originated
with M. C. Nigel, president OF the
foundation Mr.. Nigel enlisted the noted
Broadway actress and director. Miss
Ruth Vivian. Miss Vivian, in turn. made
study of the requirements Of blind
players and personally trained the pro-
fessional instructors which the founda-
ton sends out.
Last year the schools visited were in
Tucson, Ariz. Berkeley, Calf; Vinton.
Iowa; Baton Rouge, La: Scotlandville.
La. Bathgate, N. Oak: Salem, Greg:
Pittsburgh, Pa: Nashville, Tenn; Van
couver, Wash; Romney. w. Va. and
GAINESVILLE, Wis.
Among the most successful production
was that of Shakespeares Comedy Of
Errors presented by young colored play
ers at the School for Deaf and Blind
Negro Children at Scotlandville, La.
These young players entered into the
Shakespearean farce with such enthu-
siasm that the school decided to send
the production on tour, and highly sue
cessful two-night stand was subsequently
played at the School for the Colored
Blind at Austin. Tex.
Already this year the foundation has
sent its instructors TO three schools for
the blind: The School for the Deaf and
the Blind at Staunton, Va; the State
School for Colored Deaf and Blind
Children at Hampton, Va, and the State
School for the Blind at Jackson, Miss.
Next year still other schools will be added
to the list. The first three Of these to be
visited in 1912 will be the School for the
Blind at Nebraska City, Nebr.: the School
for the Blind at Alamogordo, N. Mex.
and the School for the Blind at Gary.
S. Oak.
The Rockefeller Foundation Is aiding
in extending the new undertaking to
all the leading schools for the sightless
from coast to coast This injection OF
new interest into the school life OF
young blind people is but one illustration
of the way in which the Foundation is
making the road smoother for those who
have to tread it in the dark.
The American Foundation for the
Blind is a non-proflt organization dedi-