Alexandria High School - Alecko Yearbook (Alexandria, VA)

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SOUTH IS SOUTH

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BARRYMORE DRAMATIC CLUB Presidents VIRGINIA PARKER, HERNDON DeCOSS Vice-Presidents HERNDON DeCOSS, LUCILLE CARROLL Secretary -Treasurer LUCILLE CARROLL, JUNE PADGETT Assistant Directors MABEL FLORENCE, VIRGINIA PARKER A new club, the Barrymore Dramatic Club, was organized September, 1931, under the able direction of Miss Mary W. Dickinson, a new member of our faculty. The club was named after the Barrymore family, as one might suppose. The purpose of the club is to interest all members in the best to be found in drama and to develop dramatic ability among its members. The routine of the club is very interesting: business comes first and then a program usually follows. On roll there are about forty members, who willingly cooperate with the officers for the good of the club. Students of ’31 and ' 32 will always remember the play, “South Is South,’’ given by us on December 12, 1931. All parts in the play were well taken. One will especially remember June Padgett as Virginia Bankston, the heroine and blushing bride: and William Gael, as the hero and the groom. As for devoted lovers, no better can be found than Herndon DeCoss and Dorothy Allen. Billy Reece and Ora White were a scream as the faithful old negro servants. Edward 7 ' aylor took a wonderful part as the young devoted son, with George Rutledge as Jimmy, his playmate. Lucille Carroll displayed un- usual dramatic ability in her characterization of the aristocratic Southern grand- mother. Virginia Parker was simply grand as the dignified widow, who finally succeeded in vamping Virginia Bankston’s father, who was James Luckett. J. C. P., ’33: H. W. D., ’32. +[8o

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THE SEASON In the well-regulated high school annual there is no place for animadver- sion, even of theatrical efforts; so even if the efforts of 1931-1932 were entirely of those well precedented types of high school plays, for which there would be no audiences if the adolescent performers were orphans and had no Aunt Matildas and Uncle Williams, we should have been nice about it and should have done our best to conceal the fact under elegant literary verbiage. Ambiguous circumlocution, though, is more or less unnecessary when the offerings have been as well above mediocrity as have those of the present season. South Is South, with southern Mary Waller Dickinson directing, and replete with atmosphere of the best mint julep tradition, was entirely satis- factory. The grandmother was aristocratic, the heroine beautiful, the hero gallant, and the servants faithful. The play, of course, ended with the march from Lohengrin. Paul Bladen Bayliss as the minister, however, was a strain on our credulity. Crinoline and Candle-light was more than a very attractive entree on the Bicentennial menu. It was simple and it was effective — a masked ball, powdered wigs, gold braid and blue and buff uniforms, and Washington stepping from a painting as lightly as The Lady of the Portrait of The Beau of Bath. The Dream That Came True was Miss Ficklin’s outstanding production of the season. The heavy roles were carried by the veterans, Lillian Wigfield, James Luckett, and Sarah Carter. Marguerite Moncure excelled as the slightly noisy landlady (but we do believe that she would have much prferred playing Juliette.) Conway Brawner in a Lord Byron collar and with the inevitable monocle more than pleased the audience. We remember, too, though with all profundity, we can not make clear just why, Margaret Fenwick Monroe (yes, Peggy) . Nor is this all. We have yet to witness A Flower of Yeddo, a Japanese affair. The Maker of Dreams, and the present season’s edition of the annual Endeavors. F. C. R.