The purpose of this project is two-fold. The first purpose is to explore the benefits of incorporating the arts in the education of all students. Incorporating the arts into other curricular areas enhances learning and makes it more meaningful to the student. The second purpose is to develop a performance program that brings the California Gold Rush era and the cultural diversity of that period of history alive.

The problem of this study was the writing of a comprehensive history of speech and drama education in the Dallas Public Schools from 188^-1970. This necessitated the recording of the facts, events, and circumstances which have determined the condition and progress of speech and drama education in the Dallas Public Schools during this period of time.