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TRAINING FOR THE STAGE
actors, and sometimes of considerable skill
— are fairly numerous in New York, Phil-
adelphia, and Boston; separated by long
intervals, in two or three of our largest
cities, are Conservatories or Schools of
Expression, of which some in terms pro-
fess to train for the stage. To the person
who wishes to become an actor only the
last two means of instruction are accessi-
ble, until he has got a foothold in some
company. I shall have something to say
by and by concerning our great national
aptitude for the stage; but it is plain to
any clear eyesight that the condition of
chaos in respect of instruction, and the
want of fixed standards at almost every
point, are interfering seriously with our
progress in the art of acting, and make the
attainment of distinction in that art in the
largest way, for the American stage, prac-
tically impossible. It is unfortunate that
the actors themselves are barren of helpful
suggestions. As a class they have little ca-
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