Not many of us adults fully realize the power of the theatre in the lives of children in our cities and larger towns. According to a study made at Worcester, Massachusetts, of children between ten years of age and fourteen, it appears that one quarter never attend the theatre at all, another quarter go at least as often as once a month, while no less than half of all the children examined go habitually once a week or more frequently. There is no reason for supposing that Worcester is in any respect exceptional in this regard. Let us note the reports of the boys themselves:-- “Go to shows two or three times a week; liked tragedies; get up shows and let fellows from our district come in.” “Go once or twice a week to the theatre; go to Bowdoin Square and Grand Opera; like love plays best.” “Go to shows once a week; Bowdoin Square, Grand Opera, Lyceum and Howard; like funny plays best. Father gives me money to go.” “Go to shows about every night; stay around and they would let us in late; hook our way in sometimes; jump over the banister when man’s back was turned. Like to see men get shot; like to see trains come on the stage.” “Like tragedy best, where there was a hero in it. In the ‘Devil’s Island,’ the hero was a fellow in the English army. One fellow was maltreated and sentenced to Devil’s Island, but finally came out the victor.” “Like war plays. Liked the acting where there was fighting and singing. Ran away from school to pick coal to make some money to go to theatre.” “I like murders and plays that have villains in them. Got passes from fellows who go out after the first act.” “Saturday night go to theatre; like tragic plays best, where the hero kills the villain.” “Go to shows Saturday afternoons; like all kinds. I like war shows and heroes and all like that.” “We had the best time going to theatres; like comical plays; like to see Irishmen and fighting.” “Like plays with fighting in them best.” “Like hero plays.” “Like excitement and Indian plays best.” * * * * * There were eleven different reports in regard to plays which boys liked. Uncle Tom’s Cabin is mentioned in five of them. Others, mentioned once or twice, are Great White Diamond, Queen of the White Slaves, Steeple Chase, Railroad Jack, White Eagle, Devil’s Island, Peggy from Paris, Girls from England, Under Southern Skies, Arnold the Traitor, Wedded in the Streets, Shaumus O’Brien, Limited Mail, The Power of the Cross, Paul Revere’s Ride, New York Day by Day, American Gentleman, Heart of Maryland, Why Women Sin, Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch, Across the Rockies, Younger Brothers, Night before Christmas, Monte Cristo, Midnight in Chinatown, Rip Van Winkle, James Brothers in Missouri, Eight Bells, Across the Pacific, Way down East, McFadden’s Flats, The Blue and the Gray, Winchester.