Bryn Mawr College - Bryn Mawr Yearbook (Bryn Mawr, PA)

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THE CHARM OF 1016— A CRITICAL PAPER 25 Other names are bandied about, but one name is uttered in a beautifully modulated, low, thrilling contralto: Eleanor Jencks. The game was up — but we did our best to drown the sound. Unfortunately Mr. King recognizes a beautiful sound when he hears it. and, sobs from 191( , he did hear it. Mk. King. — Ah, Miss Hall, Miss Jeneks is just the person I should have chosen for the part. Jencks becomes Bottom and Con Hall ' s slock goes up another ten points. 1917 always was lucky! But there was one thing Betty and I, doing our best to look after 1916 ' s interests, couldn ' t understand, and that was why did 1914 let character after character go by with- out suggesting Lil ( ' ox, for we knew she could act. Hadn ' t all 191(5 seen her play the Athletic Girl in 1914 ' s banner show? Certainly! So loyalty to our sister class came lo the fore and we suggested her strongly for every part from Titania to Noah. We felt sure it was a mistake not to make her May Queen — but she did make a wonderful Merry Man. Finally, nearly all the speaking parts were cast, to some if not to everyone ' s satis- faction. Then came choosing the dancers. Legs were the chief matters under considera- tion. Mr. King made several tours of inspection, accompanied by Madam Chairman and a tape-measure. The results were on the whole satisfactory, I believe, to all parties concerned. If legs were good all the way. the owner was made a short-skirted dancer; if legs bulged at the knee, long skirts were prescribed. And so the business of casting continued for months, liter ally. Toward the end when the Committee had got tired of hearing Mr. King and the contralto give out parts to 1917, Mr. King and the contralto had words. Excitement reigned, and we listened with bated breath to a healed discussion of the relative merits of Water Polo versus May-Day. It appeared that if Con Hall left the meeting to go to a Water Polo game at nine, she was never to return. The King had spoken. At nine promptly she left. We wondered what would happen when she came back. We found out! No one knows how lucky those words were tor 191(i, 191a and 1914 even. After that we managed to get our friends a few minor

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24 THE CHARM OF 1916 — A CRITICAL PAPER balls open for us after half past ten every night. Then another warning — this was going to be very hard work and we must all take care of our health. Did we all have goloshes? Eight pairs of feet were raised in affirmation. A certain list of medicines, which I have since mislaid unfortunately, for I never meant to be without it again, was given out as invaluable in warding off colds and over-work. By this time it was twenty-nine minutes after ten and as we had not warned the wardens as yet, we left precipitately. The next night we began in earnest. Everyone had a notebook and pencil; the chair- man had a finding-list of every girl in college; and Mr. King had a list of every character in May-Day. Our task was to fit the two lists, with equal signs between the name and character as appropriately as possible. Mr. King had grown old and experienced in the service so he cast his committee first as far as possible. This method avoided friction. His treatment of my case, which I remember best, will serve as a model for all. It is typical. Mr. King. — Miss Packard, have you ever played before!- ' Me. — Ye-yes. Mr. King. — Ah-hum {looking over the list of characters). 1 think you may be able to do Will Scarlet. (Scrutinizing me over his glasses.) He is a courtier and a fop (nods his head on the last term an if convinced I could do that) and s omething of an exquisite. (Eyes turn very dubious. Muffled but plainly derisive snorts from the Committee.) Miss Rand, how are her legs? (Being reassured on that point, he assures me that he will have no com- punctions about removing me at once, if not sooner, if I fail to grasp his conception of the aforementioned fop. I quake audibly.) Mr. King. — Miss Perkins — I know myself what she is capable of — will play a perfect Campaspe. (7 was revealed to both Dagmar and Mr. King that Campaspe was made in Heaven for her.) Miss Baker will do a masterly Diogenes (Beany hadn ' t had the same revela- tion about Diogenes that had come to Dagmar about Campaspe. — Mr. King now leaps lightly to another character.) Now about Bottom? (With an upward inflection, meaning: Com- mittee, you may offer suggestions.) The din is terrific. Each one offers a classmate upon the altar of friendship. Betty and I repeat in unison at discreet intervals: Larie Klein, Larie Klein, Larie Klein

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26 THE CHARM OF 1910— A CRITICAL PAPER parts, all that were left. But then, as 1917 pointed out, they really had all the parts they could use before it happened. But in spite of the words and work. I can say truthfully thai May-Day was one of the two nicest things in college (the other was Freshman Show). We have hut one regret, and that is beautifully and tenderly expressed in the words of a famous song: And all our star comedian said Was ' Dog. Dog, lake a bone ' . Dorothy Packard.