THE VILLAGE HISTORICAL PLAY SOCIETY.
[To THE EDITOR OP TES "SPECTATOR."1 Sta,—The Spectator has always been so heartily in sympathy with all efforts to-bring intellectual pleasure into rural life that I ven- ture to think some of your readers may be interested to hear of the work of the Village Children's Historical Play Society. The Society was founded under the presidency of Lady Maud Warrender in October 1910. It has Associates in all parts of England, and performances of its plays have been given in Sussex, Oxfordshire, Nottinghamshire, Norfolk, Lincolnshire, and Glou- cestershire.
The Society was formed to encourage the acting, by village children, of historical and legendary drama ; plays about Alfred the Great, the Armada, Ctednion, St. George, or Beowulf, which would stimulate. healthy patriotism and make their national his tory and hero-tales living and dear to English boys and girls. The Committee strongly deprecate performances for bazaars or large entertainments. They desire that the acting shall be entirely simple and give the occasion for pleasant village gather-
The Society possesses the costumes, armour, weapons, 8tc., for each play upon its list. These are all designed from old pictures and MSS. They are under the care of the joint-hon. secretary, Miss Beatrice Beddington' The White Cottage, Winchelsea, Sussex. to whom all applications for plays and costumes should be made. Associates who pay 2s, 6d. yearly can obtain plays free to choose from, and can biro a set of costumes for Ms. 6d. for one week.
The Village Children's Historical Play Society numbers apes its committee and council Lady Maud Warrender (president), the Hon. Mrs, Alfred Lyttelton, Sir William B. Richmond, Mr. Norman Forbes-Robertson, and others interested in the growth of edu- cational drains.; it has the warm approbation of many of 11.31.4 inspectors of schools.
The Society will gladly welcome now Associates amongst those who sympathize with its aims or who may wish to have plays ia their own villages.
Subscriptions should be sent to the hon. treasurer, Miss Maud Beddington, Ballader's Plat, Winchelsea, Sussex.—I am, Sir, &A., ARICE MACDONELL, Joint-Hon. Secretary, V.C.H.P.S.
31 Xensington Park Gardens, London, W.
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