La Salle Academy - Maroon and White Yearbook (Providence, RI)

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2 D E E f 2 2 00N gfslxmdtz-15 arid WHITE 5 Yes, came the golden voice of Moliere, last year did bring a very droll performance. But this new one surpasses it. But come on m'lords. I still continue, m'lords, spoke Moliere, let us go-the curtain rises. A moment later unseen hands flung back the purple curtains and a golden light Hooded the stage. The audience sat back relieved and the play had begun. His Uncle's Niece, as Moliere had said, was a play with a very real plot. The first act reveals the dilemma of two likable enough, but almost penniless young men. Francis or rather Felton, a budding author who was doomed never to bloom, is suddenly confronted with the offer of a million dollars and an aged husband, from his uncle whom he has never seen, and who believes him to be a girl. Despite the proposed husband and the protestations of F rank, Richard Tate, a clever but not over-honest lawyer and a room- mate of Frank's, rapidly ensnares the entire cast in his seemingly hare-brained scheme to obtain the million. Cast in the title role was Frank McMurrough. As the puzzled hero and wily heroine he was superbg a handsome victim of circumstances. Ed- ward Fitzgerald was a very vivacious leading lady, who, though beautiful, certainly was not dumb. John R. Lenehan gave a splendid inter- pretation of an aged, half-crazy, eccentric. Many can interpret eccentric millionaires, but few can give such a perfect old-man performance. Camouche Del Fino's villainous characteriza- tion of a seemingly humble, but schemingly wise, would-be bigamist was faultless. Thomas Ciblin, portraying a youthful but very sophisticated lawyer, was excellent. His long parade of lies and deceptions made him a very laughable power behind all the trouble. As Alice Malcom, Francis J. Hanley was not second to any of the feminine characters, and kept her share of the plot in- tricate enough for anyone. Joseph Halton won the immediate good will of the audience by his wise but silent characterization of .Timothy Haye. nv H- -,...-f-1-ff Peter Barret was a very countrified constable and extremely amusing. And last but not least, by a very large measure, Edward Conaty, as Sarah Ann Mullen, self-styled the silent, was simply perfect. His impersonation of a much-wronged and painfully rustic wife, was full of laughs. The curtains swept to a glorious close and the play was over. The lights flickered out and the audience surged away. The three shades floated from the hall and out into the night. On the steps they paused. Aristophanes drew his cloak about his thin shoulders and then asked, Did it live up to your estimation, my friends? Zounds, rumbled Ben Johnson, linking the arms of his companions with his own and starting clown the broad stairs, such a question! Of course it did! And glad I am that Comedy yet lives. Yet lives? repeated Moliere, picking his way down the steps with his ebony cane, Why they claim Drama is immortal, and is not Comedy, which is Drama's life, doubly so?

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5 E 'S if 5 z 5 OON, 55e1XfEE'iHJ221g s,rtawaf111TE 'Eramatirn HRONGS of people surged through the doors. Waves of conversation floated above the seated crowd. It was the night of the play. Backstage, three shadowy figures moved im- patiently to and fro. So shadowy were they, that they might be called hazy. But they were neither shadowy nor hazy because of the gloom of the place, for theirs was a ghostly presence. From our point of vantage, an excellent view was obtained of the strange trio. The first was a wizened, semi-bald man, clad in a flowing, classi- cal robe, presumably he was a Greek. But he was an old, sallow, sneering Greek, it was Aris- tophanes, the greatest of classical satirists. The second was an enormously stout, red-faced jovial fellow. He was dressed in the ludicrous doublet, cloak, and ruff belonging to the hey-dey of Queen Bess. Great rumblings filled his throat as if he were moved with inner laughter, for Ben Johnson 82 was born to laugh and be laughed at. The last and tallest of the three shades was not muttering :austic comments as was the wizened Greek, nor was he chuckling like the burly Englishman. No, he was strangely silent. Very elegant, indeed, was the pale, hawk-faced Moliere, in his carefully curled periwig and gloomy laced velvet attire. Then the Greek spoke, his nasal, droning voice, piercing the shadows, My friends, we have come here to-night to witness that which we em- ployed once to gain renown, that with which the weary World seeks to ease and banish care. See- ing that I have never visited this particular place before, perhaps you, Friend Johnson, might en- lighten me as to the progress of dramatics here. By Jovef' rumbled the Britisher, I believe that Dame Drama did mention the talent here, when I was talking to her on the other side. Sev- eral successes have graced this hall. Last year, I believe, brought a particularly line offering.

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U Um 5 TE T3 f 5 E e s 00N and WHITE 2 2 Behating Glluh uf' ELLO, Jerry. How's the boy? Say, I haven't heard anything about that de- bating club you mentioned some weeks ago? What has it done since its inception last September. Well, joe, it is really encouraging to note the interest of the students in the debating club, and if you bear with me I'l1 try to give you a brief outline of its activities this year. To begin with, the students clamored for such a club. Brother Paul, heeding their cries, gave them the necessary impetus and encouragement, so that debating had advanced far beyond the high status it enjoyed in former years. Organization took place immediately. John Dunn was elected President. Teams were picked and subjects of debate selected. All our efforts were directed toward the grand finale of the year, the Senior-Junior debate. In the Senior divisions the team of Dunn, Mc- Williams and O'Keefe debated the advisability of a literacy test for immigrants with Carroll, Conaty and Barrett. After a long struggle, which threw a great deal of light on the subject, the former team finally won. Then this team de- bated the pro and con of government control of railroads with Leo Dunne, Durkin and Roarke. Thorough preparation made this debate very close and intensely interesting, but Dunn, McWilliams and O'Keefe finally achieved success by establish- ing a practical plan whereby governmental control would work for the best interests of all concerned. The Juniors had a wealth of material, among which two teams stood out. Havens, McGowan, Fletcher and Moran vied with Kinderlan, Murphy and Austin for top honors. When they discussed the practicability of student government the whole school rang with the echo of their arguments. Havens, Fletcher and Moran finally sewed it up for the negative by establishing the claim that stu- dent opinion either ignored a partial control or violently opposed complete control. Although the more experienced members of the club will be lost to the school through gradua- tion, La Salle need not be alarmed. In the Junior and Sophomore years there are budding wits and keen casuists. La Salle in debating will be safe. 84 we-. t. ,, f,. -.-