As a recreational director under the War Work Council of the National
Board of the Young Womens Christian Associations, I discovered that it
was difficult to get simple yet colorful recreational material suitable
for the various groups with whom I worked. Game parties, in which
straight games were played, became tiresome. Each group, accustomed
to the thrill of the movies, sooner or later demanded something
more exciting, so I hit upon the plan of combining the most popular
games, featuring with them some simple property such as balloons or
newspapers, as an entire evening’s entertainment. The Peanut, Newspaper
and Balloon Parties are the result of this experiment. Then, after a
while, the groups would want to take a more active part themselves.
The Japanese, Doll, George Washington and Circus Parties are the
outcome of this stage in my recreational experience. These parties are
more elaborate than the first; in fact, they require a great deal of
preparation and cooperation on the part of the group. After these came
the demand for something still more colorful and entertaining. Again
I took something familiar, such as a group of songs and dances, and
combined them with some idea of the dramatic, costumed and set them
in a suitable and attractive background. The result was surprisingly
effective in spite of the simplicity of the material and the idea. The
Italian Street Scene and the Strolling Gypsy Scene are two examples of
this type of entertainment.
The Christmas Service is an example of a still more elaborate attempt
at “recreational dramatics,” as one might call this collection. The
particular merit of the tableau is that it is very simple to produce,
yet very lovely, if well done. The pictures themselves can be planned
and worked out before the tableau itself is put together. In one or two
rehearsals the music, chorus singing and the pictures can be combined.
If the performers themselves catch the spirit of the occasion the
effect of the whole is very beautiful and impressive.
Helen Durham.