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Take Away Shyness And Bring Out Talentrrake IiLway S11 n ess By PRAIA HATHAWAY Times Staff Writer Shy? Introverted? Unsure? You mean that beautiful girl who won trophies at horse shows throughout the country? That young . woman who earned top grades both as a theater arts major in college and then in commercial science as.a graduate student? Carol Whitfield doesn't really seem the type, and today, she claims she's not. At 27, sitting in her lakeside living room in the Hidden Key section I i of North Palm Beach, she appears to have gained that understanding of self which banishes shyness and builds confidence. Personally, she feels she has. But because she has felt the freezing pain of uncertainty, she has particular empathy for those who still suffer it, and it's one good reason why her present work with teenagers is both pertinent and profitable for both. Carol is director of the Westminster Players, a youthful group of amateur thespians who will put on a children's play Monday at Palm Beach Gar- dens High School to benefit the North Palm Beach Branch of the American Association of University Women. Performances will be at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m, in the school auditorium. Tickets are $1, purchasable at the door or from any AAUW member. Proceeds go toward the AAUW's national pro- ject: providing fellowships to women for study at the doctoral level. Established in 1888, it is the oldest program of graduate fellowships for women in the United States. ,-.-,There is some irony in the fact that a young woman who battled shyness in her own youth is now helping young people overcome theirs, and in the process providing funds for women -- often overlooked when other scholarship money is hand- ed out — to rise to- the top of their prof essions. In addition, however, the AAUW is also provid- ing live theater for Palm Beach County children, a cultural boon worth supporting, The Westminster Players developed less than a year ago out of the Whitfields' search for a church home. Carol was impressed with small Westminster Presbyterian Church in Palm Beach Gardens and with minister Keith Taber's desire to put his message across in a creatively meaningful way. In discussing drama, they found they agreed that it could be a vehicle for molding youth as well as for entertainment-,, and Taber asked Carol if she would form a drania group within the church. He didn't have to ask twice. Carol began with the church's youth group as a nucleus, but the group expanded over the summer. At first, it was hit and miss as both Carol and the young people got to know each other. "Some of the kids could hardly talk to me at the beginning," she says with a smile. "One boy would sit and stare at the ceiling." Now, however, the boy who was so withdrawn has relaxed and even developed to the point where some special talents are emerging. "It turns out he has the greatest sense of comic timing," she marvels. Carol has studied the theater from glue pot to scenery to acting, but enjoys directing the most. Last year, she directed a production of "Charlie Brown" at Palm Beach Atlantic Colleaee she herself has grown, however, she has come to realize the great potential in drama for human development, particularly among the young, and now she would like to direct her talents specifically to that. In the Westminster group, already she has seen members gain new self confidence and has heard from some parents that such improvements are carrying over into home and school. What did she do? "We began with improvisation, Carol says, explaining that they took situations from the mem- hers' experience and went from there. "At first it s was difficult. Now it's not so bad." The play for the AAUW is entitled "The Lion 4 Who Wouldn't," and its an enjoyably didactic tale { about a lion who decides not to renew his contract with the circus because he wants to be "something more important. " In the end, of course, he finds that what he really likes is what he does best — being a lion. AAUW member Barbara Lyons has been at work on costumes while Carolyn Brawley has provided liaison between cast and club. Jean Groff is president of the north county group. The money from the benefit production will be added to the national AAUW endowment fund for fellowships, a fund which presently totals $7 mil- lion. "It is a national project," says Betty Van- trease, fellowships chairman, "though internation- al in scope, since awards are made both to U.S. and foreign women." Last year, she says, 90 fellowships were awarded to American women and 60 to women from other countries. The program is flexible, she adds. Next year, there will be new awards in the fields of veterinary medicine and nursing educa- tion. Ten years ago, they began a special thrust to provide educational help for African women. The AAUW is an organization of university graduates dedicated to promoting the educational advancement of women. It was founded in Boston in 1882. - -- "The AAUW were the original women's lib- bers," says Betty Vantrease. "They were the first to encourage higher education for women. And the fellowships are the heart of the organization." Originally, she says, the idea was to give U.S. women a chance to study in Europe — a finishing touch which often made their academic creden- tials superior to their male counter parts and enabled them to get jobs. Even in recent years, however,, Betty � says, grant money for women scholars has been difficult to come by. Conse- i quently, the AAUW's centennial program is to raise its endowment fund to $10 million. The fellowships definitely help. "Recently," " says Betty, "a woman was ap- pointed to the highest central administrative post ever held by a woman at Columbia University. She was an AAUW fellowship recipient." Carol Whitfield is also a member of the AAUW. Born Carol DuBois in Cincinnati, Ohio, she was an only child who f ell in love with horses at the age, of eight and subsequently showed hunters and jumpers at horse shows nationwide during • most of her girlhood. 'alentt Out'r Carol considered such activities as horses and - drama outside interests, however, and they did not stop her from winning -academic honors as well in high school and college. Pour years ago, she married real estate developer Charles Whitfield. Now, Carol wants to devote her time and\ talents to helping young people, and feels that creative dramatics is the way to do it. Soon, she will begin a similar project for elementary school children at the North Palm Beach Library P• "Actually," she comments, "my working with them has done as much for me as for them. They've helped me come out of myself." Not too long ago, Carol admits, she was "very high-strung, turned inward;" and believes this is often the case with creative people. "Now I'm not shy any more," she says, though she adds that, sometimes,, it's therapeutic to recall the dry words of a former riding instructor: __`_`People_who_never get on a horse never fall off." With the Westminster group, Carol is most concerned with the young people's personal devel- opment through drama. But she's also a theater professional, and now she feels she knows her cast well enough to put on a bit of good-natured pres- sure for a polished performance. "I told the kids I'd have this little bitty suit- case all packed at the back of the theater," she says with a grin, "and if they don't do well..