Robert Edwards

The
Story of
Greenwich
Village
Part XX
First published in The Quill
October, 1924

reprinted by
Ten Penny Players, Inc.
www.tenpennyplayers.org
 After these many illuminating chapters it is still
possible that the patient student will say, “Well!
after all what has Greenwich Village ever done to
deserve a history anyway?”
As far as that is concerned, what has any coun-
try ever done to deserve so much publicity? Why
should children of future generations be forced to
sweat over the dry pages of this or any other histo-
ry? Why after all shouldn’t youth forget everything
of the past anyway—as it is natural for youth. But
in the event that at some future time—when prisons
and capital punishment shall be abandoned—per-
haps the ideal state will sentence the gravest offend-
ers to the unmitigated study of History. With this
problematical future in plain view we continue
because we proudly think our history will be
admirable suited for such a purpose.
To resume. In medical matters Greenwich
Village is responsible for the Freud panacea for rest-
lessness, hysteria and the development and amelio-
ration of egotism. In art Greenwich Village was
among the first to show Picabia, Picasso and other
nauseating examples of modern art in Cody’s Art
Gallery at 16 Washington Square. In terpsichorean
matters the ineffable and incomprehensible modern
art dancer, Henri, was developed. He is now the
rage in Berlin where they take everything seriously.
We pass over this misfortune quickly. In musical
matters Harry Woods composed ‘Goin South’ while
mediating over the sweet strains of Ethiopian cook-
ing at the Samovar restaurant—which curiously
enough is untouched by Russian influence. Also the
highbrow nut musicians first put on their cacapho-
nious outrages in the Greenwich Village Theatre. In
Greenwich Village, Gertrude Stein, first compelled
people to listen to her astonishing gibberish, com-
pelled their attention by promises of ample food
kindly provided by Mable Dodge. In Greenwich
Village, Jo Davidson sprouted his famous whiskers
which were to bring him comic renown as a sculp-
tor. In Greenwich Village, Murray Anderson
dreamed of musical shows made of curtains, electric
lights and skinny ladies, mounting and descending
stairways of silver.
As for the prowess of Greenwich Village in
Literature and The Drama, that is where playwrit-
ing is concerned rather than the sheer art of produc-
tion—as in Germany—that will take several chap-
ters more, so prepare students for a few future lec-
tures.

(to be continued)