The Rotary Club no. 656 (October 5, 1950)

\Rotarians motored to the Wack Wack Golf & Country Club today for their week-lv luncheon because there was a golf tournament after the regular meeting. Merienda followed at 4 with the Rotary Anns. Guest speaker at luncheon was Rolf Bayer, director of the Drama School of the Philippines, who takes pride in having been associated with the celebrated Tennessee Williams and Elia Kazan of Broadway. Bayer gave a lengthy talk on the drama and the national theatre highlighted by an impromptu performance in soliloquy on the speaker's platform. The Rotarians got a kick out of it. Bayer urged active public and government support of the arts, particularly the theatre. His subject was "The importance of the theatre to the people and the nation." He pointed out that the theatre reflects life and consequently mirrors the degree of cultural development of the people. According to Bayer, the Philippines is rich in theatrical talents, but the potential will remain latent until and unless the public and the government gives drama the support it needs in order to develop itself and flower into real art. "No one will strive towards theatrical perfection if the public does not show appreciation for this particular achievement." he stated. He suggested the teaching of dramatics in all schools, colleges and universities here as a means of encouraging the art since training is essential to it as in any other form of art. Bayer took occasion to praise Rotary's plan to exhibit film shorts for youth education purposes. He said visual education is a modern method that should be availed of fully. The theatre in many ways and in several forms could be utile as well as entertainment, he concluded.