BYRD EXPEDITION

Southland Times, Issue 20771, 11 May 1929, Page 7

BYRD EXPEDITION

“A LITTLE NONSENSE—”

THE POLAR SCHOOL OF ART DISPLAY BY “CHILDREN” (By Russell Owen. Copyrighted 1929 by the New York Times Company and the St. Louis Post-Despatch.) (All rights lor publication reserved throughout the world.) (Wireless to New York Times.) Bay of Whales, May 8. Our own little theatre opened last night and no cramping conditions limit us. We have originated what might be called a Polar School of Art in which we cast off stifling convention and go back to the primitive. What could be more gaily realistic than dropping a handful of snow down one’s back. There’s about it a sort of rollicking simplicity and having a rather select audience we are able to train it, which is a great advantage. They’re probably the most intelligent group of things on this whole continent now that the penguins are gone. Let someone forget to close the door, there being a slight difference of 100 degrees in the temperature between that inside and out, there comes a yell: “Close that door!” followed by words chosen carefully for emphasis, the meticuloufl care with which the choice of language is used being something upon which we insist. A school scene was selected for the first performance because of its suggestion of refreshing innocence in this decadent civilization of seals and penguins. The little tots were dressed daintily in canvas, which covered most of their figures although an arm which had escaped washing, as children’s arms sometimes do, here and there escaped concealment. They are well fed children and quite muscular, and their precocious development was indicated by a .beard or two or perhaps a species of horsehair which adorned their pink cheeks. The little things danced in so prettily in their five pounds ski boots, which, ever so gently put down, shook the house, and sang a touching song as they presented a golden apple to their teacher, a good natured and obese soul named Alexander, though how a Dutchman got that name it is hard to understand.