Saturday, November 8, 1919

Typical beautiful autumn day. To college 7:45 to 11. Home. Candled eggs. To Union-N.Y.U. football game. Union got trimmed 17-6. Down town. Bowled at Morse. Home. Took bath etc. To Union College gym at nite with Doris Smith. Dramatic Club presented plays. Good. To bed 11:15 P.M.

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The Dramatic Club was also known as the Mountebanks. Here is some information about them, taken from the Union College website:

The word "Mountebank" literally means "mount-on-bench" and dates back to sixteenth-century Italy. It describes a traveler who, from a bench or platform, entertains his audience with stories, tricks, and songs in hopes that they might purchase pills, balsams, charms, and quick medicines. Traditionally, a Mountebank wanders, and Union's Mountebanks have often traveled from space to space, performing wherever they might find a spot, whether it was in the lunchroom or Jackson's Garden.

Founded in 1912, the Mountebanks claim to be the oldest continually-operating student theater organization in the country. Student theater actually began at Union in 1801 when a group of students petitioned the Board of Trustees for "permission to present a tragedy or comedy in College Hall," located at the corner of Erie Boulevard and Union Street. There is no record if the play was ever produced.

One of the spots the Mountebanks found to perform, apparently, was the college gym. I wonder if the acoustics were any good?

Here is a photo of a play, X=O, that the group produced in 1929. Looks a little strange.