THE GREEK PLAY.

WHEN the Greek play was first thought of, the chief consideration which induced the undergraduates to enter into its production with such enthusiasm was the fact that the student would profit by it. The public at large would be only amused by it; the instructors would only have the pleasure of carrying out a long-cherished plan; but the undergraduates would find the Greek play not only interesting or amusing, but also instructive. In fact, were the Greek play nothing more than interesting or amusing, the great labor expended on it might as well not have been undertaken; for pleasure a student can find outside of Sanders Theatre at a much smaller outlay of both labor and money.

If then, the most important reason for performing the Greek play at all is the instruction which would be imparted by it to the students, the easier the access to the performance, the better; and just in so far as the access is made more difficult, just in so far does the performance miss a good part of its purpose. Therefore it must seem to all unfortunate that the gentlemen having the undertaking in charge have not been able, because of financial necessity, to sell the tickets at such a price as would enable all members of the University to see the play. For it is a fact that a good third 1 of the students (and this is a low estimate) are unable to afford the two or three dollars required for admittance.

Now it would be a great disappointment to these men not to see the &OEdipus Tyrannus, and, besides, it would be a partial failure in the object of the undertaking, which, as already stated, was designed in a great measure for the instruction of the students. Some plan should therefore be devised by which these men may have the same opportunity with their wealthier classmates. An extra performance, with tickets costing just enough to pay expenses, would be a practicable way of giving them this opportunity, and it is to be hoped that some such means will be taken for making the Greek play a performance by and for the students.

1 The writer bases his estimate on the number of men taking scholarships in College, assuming, of course, that a student that applies for a scholarship cannot afford to pay $2.00 for a ticket to a play. About one-seventh of each class take scholarships, but about only one-half of the applicants are successful.