On Sunday, January 4, 1942, just four weeks after Pearl Harbor, a special meeting of the Board of the Footlighters was called “to consider the propriety and desirability of continuing to give performances in war times.” After discussion, it was unanimously voted “to carry on as far as possible, not only to help maintain home morale, but as a definite financial aid to the drives which formed such an important part of the defense effort. From now on, as long as the war lasts, the Footlighters will seek no profit for themselves, but will endeavor to tie in every performance with a money raising effort for the benefit of some worthy cause.”

General plans included a play for the United Charities Campaign in January in order to make a gift to the Neighborhood League which had become affiliated with United Charities by that time; a benefit for the Footlighter’s Red Cross War Fund gift, in February, and a play at the U. S. O. in March. Later on plans were somewhat altered and enlarged. “Skylark,” with Amy Leavitt in the lead, was the first of these benefit performances. In spite of the fact that the Footlighters lost money on this play, a small contribution was nevertheless made to the United Charities. Original dates for the play had to be changed so that members of the cast could attend the Air Raid wardens school.

The February play, “Ladies in Retirement,” was directed by John Hoag, who did not know until the last moment whether he would be called away on a Government job. The programs of this play carried a simple “in Memoriam – Daniel Turner recently killed in action in service of his country.” Dan, who was still a very young man at the time of his death, had been very active in the Footlighters before going into the service.

The March play, “Mr. Pim Passes By,” was given not only at the Saturday Club, but at Fort Dix, where it was done “in the Shakespearean manner, with only the simplest staging.” There was no April play because of “difficulties beyond control, among them scarcity of men due to the war.” In the Spring of 1942, H. Morgan Ruth was elected president, an office which he held for two years.

Records of this period are scanty for the first time in Footlighter history. One small newspaper clipping does explain, however, that “due to wartime gasoline restriction” the January, 1943, production had to be indefinitely postponed. The 1943-44 season opened in November, instead of the customary October. At that item the Evening Bulletin’s “Little Theater” column says, “The Wayne Footlighters suddenly sprang into activity with robust performances of that Pennsylvania Dutch hit “Papa is All.” January, 1944, saw the production of “Ring Around Elizabeth,” March had “Craig’s Wife” and May, “Mrs. Moonlight.”

At the annual meeting and election of officers held at a dinner at the Wayne Hotel in June, 1944, Edward Bracken was made president; T. Bertram Genay, vice president; Sally Hill, secretary, and William L. Caley, treasurer. In September of that year a letter from the chairman of the membership committee asked each member of the past season to try to bring in at least one newcomer. The Footlighters in 1943-44 had operated with only 175 in its ranks, a far cry from a membership of 315 its first season, and a further cry from the membership of more than 500 of the season just passed, that of 1948-49.

At this time plans were made also to present each of the five plays of a season on three evenings a week instead of two. The season proved a good one as among its plays were “Claudia,” “George Washington Slept Here,” “The Ninth Guest,” and “You Can’t Take It With You.” A grim reminder of the fact that the war was still on, however, was the fact that on each night of the March plays an announcement was made of Red Cross blood donor days at the Saturday Club Emergency Hospital, and a plea presented for donors.

Edward Bracken was re-elected to the presidency at the annual meeting held June 1, 1945, when the Little Theater had a dinner at St. Davids Golf Club at which roast beef and real butter were served, rare delicacies in the lean years that were not yet over! But in the fall of 1945 F. Ashby Wallace, as membership chairman, could write “Victory and Peace after years of worry and darkness have instilled in us new energy and encouragement to advance from last year’s success to even brighter hopes for the new season.” Five excellent plays were given with an original one, “Every Lass a Queen,” by H. Morgan Ruth closing the season in May. Harry Harris in the “Little Theater” column wrote, “Revitalized by the return of service men and overflowing with vim and vigor, local little theaters are promising a bumper crop of original scripts during the coming months. On May 9 the Footlighters will offer the premiere of “Every Lass a Queen,” a new comedy by H. Morgan Ruth. Advance reports indicate the play concerns a youth overly susceptible to feminine charms who finds himself betrothed simultaneously to the boss’ daughter and to the little girl back home.”

The Annual Dinner and Footlighter Frolic was held that year, June, 1946, at the Merion Cricket Club, at which time Pedro G. Salom, Jr., was elected to the presidency, an office which he held until June, 1949. “Footlighter Chatter,” the pleasant gossip column concerning the actors in each play was inaugurated with “The Late George Apley” given in October, 1946. December was marked by the presentation of “Christmas Carol,” one of the most delightful and charming plays ever given by the Footlighters. The January, 1947, play, “The Male Animal,” ave an extra performance for the benefit of Wayne’s Camp and Hospital Committee, at which more than forty convalescent patients from Valley Forge General Hospital were present. It was received with such enthusiasm that the play was taken to the Hospital itself a short time afterwards.

It was in the Spring of 1947 that a separation took place between the annual business meeting and the annual party. At the forum, now held each year in the Saturday Club, reports of officers and chairmen are given and elections are held, thus leaving the party itself free for an evening of entertainment.

Present Footlighter officers elected last Spring include Richard E. Weinberg, president; Robert H. Kleeb, vice-president; Mrs. Alfred N. Watson, secretary; Edward F. Bracken, treasurer and F. Ashby Wallace, assistant treasurer. Membership last season exceeded 500, with promise of more than that number for this season.

The recent purchase of a large piece of ground on the Gallagher tract at the intersection of Conestoga road and Lancaster Pike provides a site for the long anticipated theater of its own which the Footlighters hope to make a reality in the not distant future.

At the October 1932 business meeting of the Footlighters, T. Bertram Genay was re-elected to the presidency for the ‘32-’33 season. These were still the years of the depression. Nevertheless Wayne’s Little Theatre Group carried on with energy unabated. Ten one-act plays were given as well as two three act ones, notably “Children of the Moon”, with T. B. Beatty directing. This was one of the Footlighters’ most pretentious efforts to date. Christmas was marked by the presentation of “Maid of France”, followed by much whole-hearted carol singing on the part of the audience. In June came the fourth annual frolic “Happy Days,” when dinner was served at the Saturday Club, followed by skits and monologues.

At the annual meeting held in October, 1934, Herbert L. Badger was elected to succeed T. B. Genay as president. There were the usual quota of one act and of three act plays during that season. Milne’s well-known play “Michael and Mary” was given at the Saturday Club for four nights as a benefit for the Radnor High School Fund. Philip Barry’s “Holiday” presented in april was another noteworthy play. In June the fifth annual frolic, dinner followed by entertainment and dancing and “$1.50 for everything” was given with T. B. Genay as chairman.

In October, 1935, Mr. Badger was re-elected to the office of president. Dues were now three dollars a year and a big membership drive was under way with Mrs. Henry Ecroyd as chairman. As a result of the presentation of “Big Hearted Herbert” in the High School auditorium in February, a a check for $450 was presented to the Scholarship fund by the Footlighters. A “tragi-comedy” “Of Things Not Seen”, written by H. Morgan Ruth, was the April offering with W. N. Stilwell, Joan Hodson and Stuard Armour as the three central figures.

The sixth annual meeting held in October 1935 had the following “order of events”, snappy business meeting, conversation, refreshments, cards and dancing to a 7-piece orchestra. Mrs. Y. Parran Dawkins was elected president for the 1935-36 season. There were now 125 members interested in acting, 34 in directing, 40 in various forms of stage management and still others in publicity and membership, costumes and make-up. In January “The Monkey’s Paw” was broadcast over station WIP as the last in a series of amateur theatrical radio programs. Eventually the Footlighters were chosen as one of the three finalists in the contest, though they were not the final prize winners. The February play, “The Late Christopher Bean”, was the most pretentious offering of the season. Two original plays of Footlighter members closed the season “Mugs and Millions,” by John H. Hoag and “Make Mine Rare”, by Margaret Geis.

Wendell Warner succeeded Mrs. Dawkins in the presidency. The Neighborhood League benefited by about $500 from the January play “As Husbands GO”. April was noteworthy in Footlighter history with the presentation of three episodes from Victoria Regina”. It was at this time that the end of the fiscal year was changed from October to May. For the first time it became possible to plan in the summer for the winter program. More money was necessary, and again it became imperative to raise dues.

Thomas O. Haydock succeeded Mr. Warner as the president in a rather gala annual meeting held at St. Davids Golf Club in May, 1938. The new season opened with “Ghost Train” produced by Betty Powell and directed by Margaret Weinberg. In November, “The Nut Farm” was given as a benefit for the Neighborhood League. “Love From a Stranger”, a difficult play, not often attempted by amateurs was the March offering. “Accent on Youth” given in April, was a benefit for the Wayne Art Center.

Mr. Haydock succeeded himself as president in the May 1939 elections. The ‘39-’40 season opened with “The Patsy”, given for the Scholarship Fund, while “Dear Brutus”, given in February, benefited the Wayne Art Center, and “Holiday”, given in April, was for the Saturday Club. A demand for the once popular one act plays resulted in the presentation of three in March.

At the annual dinner, dance and bridge at the Tredyffrin Country Club held in May 1940, Horace B. Montgomery was named president. It was at this time that the Footlighters received “The Boulders”, a large residence on the corner of Conestoga and Audubon avenues as a gift from Mr. and Mrs. John A. Tillotson. An immediate campaign was launched to sell season tickets to augment Footlighter funds for the maintenance of this property, which the Little Theater group hoped to have as its future home. However, since the property was in a Class A residential district, there was considerable opposition to it as a site for a theater. Eventually it was sold, with the proceeds forming a nucleus for a building fund for the organization.

The 1940-’41 season saw the presentation of both one act and three act plays, notably “Outward Bound” and “Captain Applejack”. Mr. Montgomery succeeded himself in the presidency in May. November saw “the first Footlighter Benefit for the Footlighters” in the form of a large card party with Ida Belle Kistler in charge of the large committee working for its success.

December marked the beginning of World War II. Mr. Montgomery immediately announced that “all theatrical productions of the Wayne Footlighters during the remainder of the War will be held for the benefit of was relief and charity organizations”. Just as the Footlighers survived the depression, so it survived the War, in each instance helping to sustain the morale of its members and their friends. There were many difficulties to surmount, chief among them perhaps being the shortage of young men for roles in plays. But this, like every other obstacle was overcome, and the Footlighters “carried on”.

The first costume play to be attempted by the Footlighters was “The Jewell Merchants,” a romance of Tuscany in the Renaissance period, given March 24-25, 1931, at the Saturday Club. And then, just as now for a play of that type, all the costumes were made by Narcissa Cameron and her committee! That kind of talent is rare, even among the versatile Footlighters! Pictures that are remarkably clear even after a period of almost nineten years show the beauty of these costumes as worn by the three characters, Jane Gray, Bayard Beatty, Jr., and Richard Wynkoop Rigg. It is interesting to know that the music of the song that Miss Gray sang was written especially for her by Stanley Muschamp, distinguished Philadelphia musician. The words were Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s translation of a poem written by Allessandro de Medici. Mrs. Thomas E. Walton played Miss Gray’s accompaniment. A one-act New England comedy in light vein, “Stick ‘Em Up,” was another offering for that evening.

And then following the first costume play came the first play writing contest to be featured by The Footlighters. First prize was won by John Garrigues with his play “Headlines,” and second prize by Rhodes Stabley, for “Mirabel Makes Demands.” The two plays were given in April, the entire cast of “Headlines” being composed of members who were making their first appearance with the Footlighters. They were C. Earl Moore, Pearl Seitz, Ruth Tolf, Joseph H. Forrest and Susanna Holt. Laurene Rolf and Charles C. Smith composed the cast of two for “Mirabel Makes Demands.”

This interesting season closed with a drama of great power, “My Son,” with its setting on Cape Cod among the Portuguese inhabitants. For it “the characters and emotions are drawn in sharp contrast, youth and age, strength and weakness, love and infatuation.” Directed by T. Bayard Beatty, it had in its cast Margaret D. Clark, James Rice, Arthur Edrop, T. B. Genay, W. J. McMillan, Jean Frazier, Edith Conner, Eleanor Johnson and Richard Rigg. A picturesque bit was the singing of Portuguese fishermen in the distance as they go about their work. These singers were Addison S. Buck, Charles C. Rich, F. Ashby Wallace, Wendell E. Warner and Cornelius Whetstone.

At the annual meeting held in October, 1931, T. Bertram Genay succeeded Mrs. Howson as president, an office which he held for two years. Wayne Little Theatre group continued to prosper under his able leadership. There were one act plays and three act plays, benefit performances, play writing contests and Footlighter Frolics.

These were the years of the depression. The Footlighers were urged to give again a play for relief work in the community, their first one having proved so financially successful. This did not materialize, however, and the February, 1932, play was given instead in conjunction with the Wayne Library, “Turn to the Right,” a delightful comedy with a large cast, when given in the Radnor High School Auditorium, netted a very worthwhile sum for the Library. The following February “The Last of Mrs. Cheyney” with Isabel Jacob Ruth in the lead was given in aid of the Radnor High School Scholarship Fund, at which time about $400 was realized for that purpose.

Winners of the play writing contest in the Spring of 1932 were Stuart Amour for “Futility,” and T. Bayard Beatty, Jr., for “The Sand Maker,” a costume play of the 17th Century. As an introduction to the performances of these plays a “curtain raiser,” entitled “A Footlighter Writes a Play,” written by Ethel Dorr McKinley, was presented. The 1933 play writing contest brought forth at least four that were considered good enough for production. “Home-Coming,” by H. Morgan Ruth, was awarded first prize “as being of most unusual merit, and quite well able to hold its own with any one act play produced by the Footlighters.” When given, this play was directed by Mr. Ruth’s wife, Isabel Jacob Ruth. Second place in the contest was won by Ethel Dorr McKinley’s “A Bowl of Yellow Roadsters,” which the judges pronounced “hilariously funny.”

The 1931-32 season closed in June with “a depression party” held at the Tredyffrin Country Club when rules made by the committee called for the wearing of old clothes. Uniquely, there were no speeches, save for the necessary announcements of Mr. and Mrs. Y. Parran Dawkins, who shared the dual responsibility of master of ceremonies.

The Footlighters’ efforts to carry on despite the depression must have been a noteworthy one for it even brought forth the following editorial comment in the SUBURBAN of October 14, 1932, “Wayne is fortunate in having many things that make the town a good place in which to live, and among them might well be mentioned The Footlighters, an organization of local amateur Thespians. During past seasons this organization of talented actors and actresses has furnished high class amusement not only to its members but to the public generally. Despite the well known and much advertised Depression, the Footlighters are going to ‘carry on’ which will be good news to our residents, who like an evening of wholesome enjoyment.”

When we consider from what a small group the Wayne Footlighers started it seems almost impossible to believe that by the end of the short first season membership should number 315! The opening play of the second season was “It Won’t Be Long Now”, given on Tuesday, November 18, and Wednesday, November 19, 1930 at the Saturday Club. Directed by T. Bayard Beatty, it had a cast of sixteen, including DeWitt C. Clement, Alan M. Fishburn, William M. Crook, Howard T. Leland, Laurene Rolf, Harold Dwight, Ruth Wetzel Cady, T. Bertram Genay, Jane E. Gray, Mary Obdyke, Edith McCartney Edrop, Arthur Edrop, Carey P. Williams, Barry E. Thompson, Charles C. Smith and Bayard Beatty, Jr.,

The fame of this rapidly growing organization was spreading. There was much publicity in connection with this play, not only in The Suburban, but in many neighboring weeklies as well as in the Philadelphia newspapers, inlucing three well-known ones that have since vanished from the scene, namely the “Public Ledger”, and the “Philadelphia Record”. Pictures of the large cast appeared not only in The Suburban, but in a number of other suburban newspapers. There were also special feature articles in several publications.

The December play, “The Vanishing Princess” featured Mary Whetstone, the former Mary Bay, who had had eight years on the professional stage. Given on two nights, this Christmas play had additional attractions in the way of a “Musical divertissement” in which Mrs William McKeever was the violinist; Mrs. Rowland Paull McKinley, the cellist, and Mrs. E. Bisbee Warner, the pianist. On Tuesday evening Franklin Forsht gave the soliloquy from “Hamlet” and on Wednesday evening Margaret Duncan Clark presented a monologue in French-Canadian dialect. This play was directed by Jean Stineman. February one act plays were “Columbine”, produced by Margaret Duncan Clark and “Suppressed Desires” under the direction of Mary Knorr Genay.

But the real efforts of the Footlighters for February went into the production of a large benefit for the Neighborhood League when “The First Year” was given in the high school auditorium on two successive nights. In the letter that went out to almost everyone in the Community, the Wayne Chamber of Commerce, who sponsored the benefit, explained that “the unemplyment situation in the Wayne area is such that special efforts must be made this winter to care for those who are in need because of it. . . for the purpose of raising money to be dusbursed by the Neighborhood League to those who are suffering because of lack of employment, the Foodlighters will donate the proceeds of their February performance to the Fund for relief of the unemployed”.

The tremendous urgency of the situation is dramatically disclosed in some of the “Suburban” publicity. “Wayne has no bread line. But in this community doctors are reporting cases of illness in self respecting families due to actual lack of food . . . the family diet in some households for an entire week has included only potatoes and tea and a little canned milk . . . malnutrition is producing rickets among the less fortunate children . . “

Unusual and striking programs tell the story of those two performances in which the Wayne Musical Coterie combined with the Footlighters to produce the almost unbelievable sum of $1156.39! “The First Year”, described as “a comic tragedy of married life in three acts” was produced under the direction of T. Bayard Beatty and had in its cast William J. McMillan, Hazel Rolf, Gladys Tilghman, W. N. Stilwell, Jules F. Prevost, De Witt C. Clement, Mary S. Obdyke, Carey P. Williams and Clara Beatty. Before the play Mrs Thomas A. Walton and Mrs. H. H. LaMent played two piano duos while between the first and second acts Ethel Door McKinley played a group of violincello selections. So unlimited was the musical talent that there were different numbers between acts two and three on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. On the former occasion the Coterie Chorus, assisted by Mrs. Charles B. Finley and Mrs. F. Ashby Wallace sang a number of old-time songs while on Wednesday Mary Whetstone danced. A humorous program note states “Gentlemen will be seated. It’s a solo”.

These programs were twenty page affairs, in which one advertiser evidently vied for another in taking space! Arthur Erop produced them while Benjamin F. James presented the engravings. “The Argus Printing Company”, a program note states, “printed them with little of no profit to themselves”. The Committee in charge of this more than successful Benefit consisted of Joseph M. Fronefield, 3d, as chairman; Helen S. Harris for the Musical Coterie; Susan B. Dawkins, Percy W. Clark and Arthur Edrop for the Footlighters and Marian D. Van Pelt for the Neighborhood League. Representing the Chamber of Commerce were Elizabeth S. Kay, A. A. H. de Canizares, Albert M. Ehart and Paul N. Furman, ex-officio.

Once the organization had been launched, Footlighter enthusiasm seemed to grow by leaps and bounds. The first play was given in February, 1930. By May ther were so many eager aspirants for stage parts that two casts were chosen for that month’s play. The SUBURBAN describes the organition growth as “Mushroom-like” in a long article concerning “Ice Bound,” a play that was “so subtle a comedy that in it pathos almost outstrips humor.” The stage setting as arranged by M. Howard Tilghman, Jr., was a fore-runner of some of the excellent ones that have followed in these twenty years past. “The ugly interior of the plain New England parlor was emphasized by the stiff little horse-hair settee, the red table cover, and the wall mottoes” according to the SUBURBAN article which continues “Only the little rush bottomed chairs suggested something of beauty, and even they were not made for comfort. In contrast to the ugliness of the room was the beauty of a bit of winter landscape outside the windows, the little pine tree powdered with snow shining in the cold winter sunshine of a Maine day.

“Friday night’s cast included T. Bertram Genay, Elisabeth B. McCord, Dorothea Waples, Susan B. Dawkins, Parran Dawkins, Jr., Edith Macartney Edrop, Arthur Edrop, Laurene Rolf, Howard T. Leland, Henry V. Andrews, Mary Knon Genay and Percy W. Clark. Saturday night’s cast had in it W. N. Stilwell, Cora E. Roever, Olive Badger Stacy, Louise Post, Merrill H. Tilghman, III, Margaret Duncan Clark, Arthur Edrop, Marion Keator, Harold Dwight, Dewitt C. Clement, Mary Knon Genay and Percy W. Clark. Both casts were directed by T. Bayard Beatty, assisted by Howard T. Leland.”

Up to this time play programs had been merely mimeographed sheets. Those for “Ice Bound” were printed ones designed by Arthur Edrop, using for the first time the “Footlighters’ lady,” created by him and used in various ways since then. Colorful posters made by several artistic members of the organization adorned the town and added to the “lively press-agenting” done by Betty Dawkins. Two large and appreciative audiences witnessed the plays that ended the formal program for the first season of the Footlighters.

But then plays were not all that cconstituted this first season. For “in recognition of the invaluable services of T. Bayard Beatty, the members of The Footlighters who have been active during the season just passed are giving a dinner dance in his honour on Saturday evening, June 14, at seven by the clock at the Tredyffrin Country Club in Paoli,” according to the announcements sent out to every member of the Footlighters who had done any work during the season. About 600 people attended this party, forerunner of those that have followed the conclusion of almost every Footlighter season since then. Guests were led into the dining room to “a merry tune played on the bagpipes and drums by two brave Highland laddies, Francis Smaltz and T. Bayard Beatty, Jr.” Place cards, which also served as programs, were written and designed by Arthur Edrop, assisted by Barry Thompson. Decorated with a little group of hand painted figures representing different characters in the plays of the first season, these programs are still the most pretentious things of that kind that have ever been done by the Footlighters.

Howard Leland as master of ceremonies took over the party at the conclusion of the dinner and announced the five plays that were to be given on an impromptu stage. All were burlesques of the Footlighter productions to date. “The Last of the Joneses” became “Mrs. Jones at Last,” while “The Tomb House Blues” was developed from “The Little Stone House.” “A Matter of Husbands” was changed into a farce entitled, “Hand Over the Wife” and the “Drums of Oude” became “Some Thrums for Freud.” Last but not least “Ice Bound” was changed into a burlesque entitled, “How She Met the Ice-Man.” Dancing concluded an evening that for originality and amusement has never been surpassed by any other Footlighter party.

In October, the second season started with two one-act plays “Trifles” and “The Third Angle.” Regular dues were fixed at two dollars. Members were urged to fill out “activity cards” indicating in what branch of work each wished to participate. At an annual meeting held the week after the opening plays the treasurer presented his report of the year, showing a membership of 315 and a goodly balance in the bank. All officers were re-elected for their second term, Mrs. Howson for president, Mr. Stilwell for secretary and Mr. Clark for treasurer. Reports of all standing committees were given, showing great activity on the part of each. A new office was created, that of historian, in connnection with which “The president announced that the Executive Committee, in order to preserve for posterity, a record of the acts and acting, brilliancies and banalities, casts and castings, deeds and derelictions, errors and excellences, fame of Footlighters (and so on to the end of the alphabet) of the organization had appointed as Historian, and called upon Mrs. T. Magill Patterson to tell what she had done.

Mrs. Patterson, emulating the most noteworthy statesman at election times, proceeded with an interesting account of what she would do. Indeed the prospect was so inviting that upon motion duly made and seconded, by-laws were amended to read, “The Records and History Committee shall have charge of keeping and preserving full and complete records of the activities of the Footlighters”. (And well does that first historian remember to this day and with this writing the difficulties of collecting programs, newspaper clippings, activities cards and other early records of that first season when the second season was already upon her!)

As we recounted last week, the presentation of “Erstwhile Susan” by the Dramatic section of the Saturday Club on February 8, 1929, had much to do with the formation of the Footlighters. For one thing, the cast of that play included a number of men, and since the Club boasted none in its membership, these parts had to be taken by women. And so there was much discussion on the formation of some sort of a dramatic organization which should include both men and women in its membership.

Whether this discussion went on for almost an entire year is not recorded. But it was that long before any steps were taken to form such an organization. On January 6, 1930, Mrs. Richard Howson, then drama chairman of the Club, presided at an evening meeting at which Mrs. Willis T. Spivey was appointed temporary secretary The main discussion seemed to hinge on whether the contemplated dramatic group should be, or should not be, a “Club Study Class.” There were great monetary advantages to the former since a “Study Class” would not have to pay rentals for rehearsals and performances, though it should be self-supporting.

As this writer well remembers, there was considerable reluctance on the part of some of the men to affiliate themselves so closely with an organization as distinctly a women’s group as was the Saturday Club. However, W. N. Stilwell finally meade a motion “that the Little Theater Group be started under the auspices of the Saturday Club as a club class with nominal fees to come within the by-laws.” Percy W. Clark’s motion that “finances be started by initiation fee of one dollar” was carried, whereupon all those present joined the new organization.

T. Bayard Beatty refused the presidency on the grounds that this office would handicap him in his capacity as play director. Mrs. Howson was then unanimously elected to the office with Mr. Stilwell as secretary and Mr. Clark as treasurer. A committee on organization plans included Mrs. Y. P. Dawkins, Walter A. Halkett and Mrs. Willis T. Spivey, in addition to Mr. Stilwell and Mr. Clark. Dr. J. Arthur Standen was named as chairman of the publicity committee.

And from that time on Footlighter affairs moved rapidly with a meeting on January 14 at which by-laws were adopted after “animated discussion concerning certain provisions” and an open meeting on February 18, which began with a business session and ended with the first play given by the Footlighters, “The Last of the Joneses.” Directed by Walter Halkett, the play had in its cast Dewitt C. Clement, a librarian; Mrs. C. H. Rolf, his assistant; Miss Cornelia Wright, a young lady in trouble and Mrs. F. W. Conner as Mrs. Abbott “from the West.”

The SUBURBAN of February 21 gave the following write-up, “Dewitt C. Clement gave a most realistic portrayal of a young geneologist, shyly and absent-mindedly going through his first, and it is supposed, his last love affair, with the charming little lady in distress, Miss Neal Wright. The latter won the sympathy of the audience, as well as their admiration for the clever way she handled her part. Mrs. C. H. Rolf, in some mysterious fashion, added 20 years to her age and at least 40 to her looks, and gave an excellent character study of an old-maid secretary. Frs. F. W. Conner, a newcomer to St. davids, pleased everyone by her presentation of a Western relation trying to get a fortune, and be conscientous about it at the same time – a hard thing to do.

“We should like to make special mention here of the scenery which received a large hand all on its own merit. As a result, Howard Tilghman, who was responsible for it, has been elected chairman of properties for life, as far as the Footlighters are concerned. – – – The evening ended in an informal reception, and all enjoyed the coffee and cakes, served by Mrs. Post and her committee. Everyone is now looking forward to the next meeting in March”.

At this March meeting two one-act plays were presented, “The Little Stone House” and “A Matter of Husbands”. The old record book even has pictures of these two casts! They included Miss Ruth Wetzel, Miss Cora Roever, Jules Prevost, Harold Dwight, W. N. Stilwell, Arthur Edrop and Francis Smaltz for the first play, with its Russian setting for which T. Bayard Beatty, Jr., had made “a most exquisite ikon, copied from a Russian original”.

Mr. and Mrs. Makarov with their knowledge of Russia had also helped to make the details of the peasant home true and accurate. (Mrs. Makarov was director of the Neighborhood League at that time). This rather tragic story of a little old peasant woman, a part most sympathetically taken by Ruth Wetzel, was directed by Mr. Beatty. It was followed by “A Matter of Husbands”, a play consisting of a dialogue between Mary Soleliac as a famous actress and Madeline Hale as an earnest young woman.

April brought “The Drums of Oude”, this time on two different nights. A suggestion given in advance through the columns of the SUBURBAN was that “to avoid overcrowding on either night . . . those whose names begin with A through L come the first night . . . and those from M to Z, the second night!” At the moment the writer does not remember whether this solved the problem or not.

In the cast were Charles C. Smith, Eugene Williams, Arthur Edrop, T. Bayard Beatty, Jr., Barry E. Thompson, William Welsh, Jr., and Mrs. W. Roberts Cameron. As the action of the play took place in 1857 in the store room of an ancient palace in Northern India, both staging and costuming must have presented its difficulties! A program note states that “we are indebted to Captain Edgar C. Kirsopp, M. C., late of the 42nd Highlanders (Black Watch), and alter Staff Officer, for advice as to correct military usage; and to Mr. Frank MacIlhair, secretary of the Caledonian Pipe Band of Philadelphia, for the use of several of the uniforms.

This week The Footlighters, Wayne’s own Little Theatre group, comes of age when they present “Jenny Kissed Me” in the opening of the twenty-first season of that organization. On February 18, 1930, “The Last of the Jones” was given as the initial performance of a newly formed dramatic group of which Mrs. Richard Howson was the president; W. N. Stilwell, secretary; Percy W. Clark, treasurer and T. Bayard Beatty, director. Minutes of that meeting state that “Mr. Clark, having by strenuous efforts caught up sufficiently with his work, announced that he had paid membership of 189, 26 not paid, and would have many more before the evening was over.” A perusal of that membership list shows that almost all were residents of Radnor Township. The 1948-49 membership totaled well over 500 with residents in almost every suburban community in the vicinity and even in Philadelphia itself!

Of the original small group who first met to discuss the possibility of a local Little Theatre, not one now remains on the membership list. Some have lost interest, some have moved from Wayne, while death has claimed others. Of the somewhat later and considerably larger working unit scarcely a half dozen have maintained continuous membership in the intervening years. (These include Mr. and Mrs. T. Bertram Genay, Mr. and Mrs. W. N. Stilwell and Mrs. T. Magill Patterson.) And yet the Footlighters have always had sufficient support to maintain an unbroken record of yearly plays, through times of prosperity and times of depression, through times of peace and times of war. Starting as a Saturday Club “study class” back in January, 1930, the organization, having long since severed its formal connection with the Club, now has promise of a play house of its very own in the not too distant future.

Few organizations of any kind have the wealth of past records that the Footlighters possess. The first “scrap book,” a heavy and cumbersome volume, starts with “A Foreword . . . in which the Footlighter historian attempts to trace the story of that organization from its beginning to the point at which newspaper clippings, pictures, programs and copies of the minutes of various meetings take up the story and carry it on.” That historian and her successors have filled scrap book after scrap book with play programs, pictures of many casts, yearly lists of members, and newspaper clippings until these books furnish an almost complete history of an amateur theatrical organization that has weathered many a storm through the twenty-one seasons of its existence.

“In tracing the idea of the Footlighters back to its beginning” so reads the Foreword, “its members may well feel that it originated with T. Bayard Beatty, whose interest in the Little Theatre Movement inspired the formation of this amateur dramatic organization of Wayne.

“Mr. Beatty became principal of Radnor High School in the Spring of 1925. Previous to that time he had been associated with Central High School in Pittsburgh, with Carnegie Institute of Technology in its Department of Dramatic Literature, and with Lebanon Valley College as head of the English Department. As a high school teacher, Mr. Beatty has some hundred and fifty dramatic productions to his credit. At Pittsburgh Central High School he put on the first play ever presented by a public school in that city. At Carnegie Tech he was associated with Thomas Wood Stevens, who is called “the father of pageantry in America,” with B. L. Payne, dramatic director for Frohman, and with William Poel, originator and founder of the Elizabethan Stage Society, in London.

“When Mr. Beatty came to Wayne, Mrs. Walter H. Dance was president of the Saturday Club. She knew of his interest in dramatics, and asked his help with some of the club plays. The handicap of having no men in these productions was discussed, and with it the possibility of some organization that should include both men and women.

“Nothing definite was done in regard to this, however, until February 8, 1929, when the Dramatic Section of the Club, under the leadership of its chairman, Mrs. Charles C. Rich, gave an exceedingly good presentation of that amusing comedy of Pennsylvania Dutch life “Erstwhile Susan.” Mr. Beatty had helped in the coaching of the play, and on the evening on which it was given he made a short between – the – acts speech setting forth his ideas in regard to a Little Theater in Wayne. He asked that all those present who were interested in an organization of this kind, sign slips indicating in what phases of the work he or she might like to engage, such as acting, making of scenery and costumes; advertising, publicity, etc. Later on, through the efforts of Mrs. Louis L. Calvert, an appeal was made to the members of the Junior Section of the Club. In all there were about one hundred names presented.

“When Mr. Beatty spoke at the performance of “Erstwhile Susan,” he planned to have a meeting two weeks later to form committees, and to select a play which should be given toward the end of March. However, it was sometime in the Spring before this meeting was held and the minutes of it (if any were taken, of which there seems some doubt), have apparently been lost. It took place at the home Mr. and Mrs. Henry Roever, and there were present, if Mr. Beatty recalls correctly: Mr. and Mrs. Charles C. Rich, Mr. and Mrs. Willis T. Spivey, Mr. and Ms. Percy W. Clark, Mr. and Mrs. Clarence H. Rolf, Mr. and Mrs. M. Howard Tilghman, Jr., Mr. and Mrs. Henry Roever and Mr. and Mrs. T. Bayard Beatty.

“At this meeting Mr. Beatty was elected chairman, and a tentative committee was to have been appointed to discuss ways and means.

“And from then until January, 1930, for one reason of another, things were at a standstill with the proposed Little Theatre movement. At that time Mrs. Roever was president of the Saturday Club, and Mrs. Richard Howson was chairman of the Dramatic Section. After conferences with Mrs. Roever and with members of her committee, Mrs. Howson decided to call a meeting for Tuesday evening, January 7, at the Club house, to discuss the formation of some sort of a dramatic organization which should include both men and women in its membership.”

(To be continued)

Note: The first Footlighter season was a short one, beginning in January, 1930, and ending that spring. The second season began in the fall of 1930. This current season is, therefore, the twenty-first.