Florence Reynolds Benefit

“The friends of Miss Florence Reynolds, a promising little ten-year old resident of this City, recognizing what they consider a remarkable aptitude in musical matters in her, desire to advance her studies, and this evening they tender her a benefit at Steinway Hall.”

“Amusements. Concerts of the Week. There was a concert early in the week at Steinway Hall for the purpose of raising funds to forward the musical studies of a pretty and somewhat capable child—Miss Reynolds. The little girl has a forward talent, but we should be sorry to see her aptitude brought into market. We believe her parents are not anxious to make capital of her phenomenal abilities and we hope her enthusiastic friends may not be permitted to force her. Whether girls or boys of very tender years (and Miss Reynolds is quite a child yet) should be suffered to appear upon the public stage is a question that may well admit of discussion. In the generality of cases it may be safely asserted that such miniature artists would be better at school while they are studying their songs, and better in bed while singing them. Moreover, the attempt is attended by moral and physical disadvantages which should not be disregarded. It hurts the health of children by forcing them into bad hours; it hurts their minds, by giving them a premature knowledge of seducing vices; it takes away, in short, that lovely simplicity—whose greatest charm is its inexperience, and without which girlhood becomes a mere effort at womanhood, contemptible for its want of power and pitiable for its want of modesty.”