Keene Evening Sentinel
Saturday, May 13, 1911
Page 7
NORMAL SCHOOL FETE.
May Festival Given on Lawn by Model Department
Unusually Attractive Dances, Marches Songs and Group Pictures –
Costumes and Implements Used all Made
by the Children and Their Teachers.
That the people of Keene are by no means lacking in interest and enthusiasm as to the normal school in this city, its pupils and teachers, was amply demonstrated Friday afternoon, when not less than six or seven hundred people gathered on the campus and remained for an hour or more, in spite of threatening weather and an actual shower, to witness a May day exercise given by the pupils of the model schools on Elliot and Lincoln streets, under the direction of their teachers. Everyone was more than pleased with the exercises, which were carried through with a noticeable degree of enthusiasm and interest and apparently went off without error or confusion among the 250 pupils who took part. Among these pupils are many foreigners who have never had any instruction before in marches, drills and the like. It was noticed that the preparatory work added to the confidence and discipline of the pupils.
An interesting and suggestive feature of the May party was the fact that all the varied and attractive costumes, which served to differentiate the many groups of impersonators, and all the implements, such as the platform for the May queen, the May pole, the staffs for the banners, the decorated hoops and other simple wooden articles required, were made in their regular school work by the girls and boys of the model schools, under the direction of their teachers. These costumes and implements simple in a way, and yet picturesque and fascinating in effect, were a great addition. The drills, marches, dances, songs and recitations were prepared by the children in their regular school work, during the periods for music and calisthenics, while the boys did their wood work during the manual training periods and the girls did the cutting out of the costumes, with the help of the teachers, and the sewing required in making them up and preparing and putting on the ornaments, during the periods assigned for domestic science work.
It was found that when the scholars were told that they were to have a real May festival at the normal school and that they were to give their songs, marches and dances at this festival, their interest was greatly increased and the work was carried out with pleasure and enthusiasm. It was planned that every pupil in the eight rooms of the model department should have his or her specific part in the festival and that all should share in some part of the preparatory work in making the things to be used.
This was all done under the regular teachers and the heads of the departments of the normal school, Miss Ramsdell having charge of the drills and choruses and the general supervision, Miss Blair having charge of the making of the costumes and everything done by the domestic science department and Mr. Dudley having charge of the work in the manual training department, besides assisting with the music and playing for the exercises at the festival.
The schools taking part were as follows: Elliot street, grade 1, Helen F. Moulton, teacher; grade 2, Dorothy Bankart, teacher; grade 3, Lillian M. Hapgood, teacher; grades 4 and 5, Jennie M. Furguson, teacher. Lincoln street, grades 1 and 2, Jane A. Bond, teacher; grades 3 and 4, Alice E. Ramsdell, teacher; grades 5 and 6, Millury J. Shaw, teacher; grades 7 and 8 Harriet C. MacDuff, teacher. The exercises of the afternoon were as follows:
GRAND MARCH. MODEL SCHOOLS
Chorus, “Tomorrow is May Day.”
Song, “:Suppose It Should Rain.” Grades 2 and 3. Elliot Chorus
Response.
MAY DAY
(Enter full chorus.)
Song., “Kind People. Your Attention.” Herald. George Rossman and chorus
Song, “Old Glory.” Color Bearer, Harold Cabalane and
chorus
Song, “Scatter the Flowers.” Flower Girls, Grade 1 Elliot
(enter queen and her attendants.)
Song, “We Have Brought Thee Dainty Lady.” Seraphine LaBlanc, Grade 2, Elliot
Song, “Because Thou Art So Fair.: Elnora Poulin, Grade 3, Lincoln
Response, “No Words Have I.” Madelyn Aldrich, Grade 4, Lincoln
SONGS AND GAMES BY CHILDREN
(Reviewed by queen and attendants from throne.)
Rubinstein’s Spring Song Chorus
German Folk Dance Grade 1, Elliot
Folk Dance, “Chimes of Dunkirk.” Grades 1 and 2, Elliot
Flower Basket Drill Grade 4, Lincoln
Song, “New Life.” Grade 5, Elliot
Folk Dance, “Hopp Mother Auika” Grades 1 and 2, Lincoln
Folk Dance, English May Dance. Grades 5 and 6, Lincoln
Wreath Drill Grades 3 and 4, Elliot
May Pole Dance Grades 1, 2, 3, 4, Lincoln; 1, 2, 3, 5, Elliot
Dance of the Gypsies.
(A child who has wandered away finds a band of gypsies in the woods
and invites them to attend the festival.)
The throne for the May queen was arranged on the porch of the normal school building and was decorated in pink and green. The May pole was on the lawn in front and beyond this the seats for spectators. The chairs and settees provided for the audience proved insufficient and many stood during the exercises others sitting in carriages and automobiles that gathered in front of the lawn in quite large numbers.
The grand march at the opening was a very pretty one. The children approached the campus from their different schools and marched to the front of the building in groups differently costumed. The gypsies were the most striking perhaps, the girls wearing bright red bodices and other strong, contrasting colors and the boys sashes and hats in gorgeous hues. Then there were the May Day dancers in pink dresses and green dresses and the differently costumed groups who took part in various dances and exercises on the program. The May queen and her followers, the herald, the flag bearer, who carried “Old Glory,” the German folk dancers and many other groups were distinctive, and with the banners, caps, sashes and garlands of flowers which they had prepared were a pretty sight. The marches and dances done were many of them difficult and all very perfectly executed. The singing was another excellent feature and the spoken parts were carried through without hesitation. The entrance of all the romping children from one side of the building for their May party was a pretty scene and the appearance of the gay band of gypsies when their turn came was another. The rain was not sufficient to interfere with anything except a final musical number which had been prepared. At the close Principal Rhodes invited the children and all the spectators into the normal school where lemonade was served, everyone being invited to go in and drink to the health of the children.