Thomas Herbert Dickinson was born in Virginia in 1877, and
after a wide and thorough scholastic preparation was made
associate professor of English in the University of Wisconsin
in 1909. Mr. Dickinson is known to thousands of the citizens
of Wisconsin as a friend of the drama. He believes that the
drama is one of the most legitimate and natural means for
the expression of the sentiments, tendencies, activities, and
ideals of any people. No doubt he has done much to raise the
standard of dramatic judgment and criticism among the
citizens of Wisconsin. However, he would not want it said
that he is trying primarily "to raise people's dramatic
ideals." His mission rather has been to encourage communities
to express themselves legitimately and wholesomely through
their own dramatic productions. He has won much distinction
both as an editor and an author of plays, but perhaps his
greatest service to Wisconsin in this direction is his work
in editing the little volume, "Wisconsin Plays," containing
one play each by Zona Gale, Professor Leonard, and himself.
The following selection is taken from his play, "In
Hospital," in the volume just mentioned. It depicts just such
a scene as takes place in our hospitals every day of the
year. The wife is about to undergo a serious operation. The
husband is trying to keep cheerful in anticipation of the
ordeal. That is the sort of scene which, Mr. Dickinson wants
us to realize, can be wholesomely and pleasantly represented
by the drama.