Excerpt from The Guild of Play Book of Festival and Dance It is with great pleasure that I say a few words in bringing this book to the notice of the public. For many years past I have taken a very keen interest in the work of the Guild of Play, which I regard as so distinctly complementary to the work of the Guild of the Brave Poor Things, which is doing such yeoman service in brightening and uplifting the lives of so many crippled people. Of the work of the Heritage Craft Schools I cannot speak too highly. It appeals on many grounds to all interested in the well-being of cripples, and I can only say that year by year I watch the undoubted growth of the movement with entire and unqualified approval. It is quite possible, however, to be crippled in circumstance, as bitterly as to be handicapped physically, and for the children belonging to the Guild of Play it is indeed a steep path which leads to the stars. By means of such organised dances, games, and songs as are taught at the Guild of Play, I believe much can be done to brighten and uplift the lives of children who swarm in the poorer districts of London and our large cities generally. Nothing in the whole of the great Church Pageant which has just closed at Fulham Palace touched me more than the dancing of the 150 Guild of Play children in Episode X. The happiness and absolute unconsciousness of the children won all hearts, and in it I read, as their President, bright hopes for the future if this play could be made more general and have more widespread influence. I told the children then, and I take this opportunity of repeating it now, that I am proud to be their President; that I rejoice in their happiness; that I personally thank all those who contribute to that happiness; and I wish their dancing and play to be brought to the knowledge of a wider public, and I trust, by means of this sound part of the Guild of Play Book of Festival and Dance, that many more children will spend happy hours than ever before, and that this particular system of organised play will be given by educational authorities, philanthropists, and all lovers of children everywhere, all possible advancement, support, and progress. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.