The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-05-03
MAYDAY FESTIVAL.
The Grand Army Entertainment
in WOodWard's Gardens.
Growing the May Queen - Patriotic Songs
and Dances in the Presence Of Great
Multituds-Nayday in the Park.


terday morning and afternoon. and another
dense thrOng, composed mostly of adults.
flocked to the grounds in the evening. The
event that drew all these people together
was to celebrate the debut of tie merry
and charming month Of May. The Grand
Army posts of San Francisco having de-
termined to pick out day for mirth and
gladness as a set-off for the day of som Der
sadness which it has given to the country
selected Mayday for the celebration of
patriotic song and dance. The success Of
the holiday-making at WoodwaTd's Gardens
yesterday was a triumphant achievement Of
the veterans. Judged by the high charac-
ter of the entertainment yesterday and the
multitude of happy youngsters that took
part in it, either as actor or 81 ectator, the
May festival will hereafter be looked for
ward TO in San Francisco with the most
| joyful anticipations by young and old.
A few weeks ago a general executive conf
mittee made up of delegates from Lincoln,
Garfield, Meade, Cass aud Liberty G. a. K.
posts took charge of the arrangements for
the celebration. T. c. Masteler was
elected chairman. c. Mason Kline treas
urer and w. W. Stone superintendent.
Assisted by an enthusiastic body of aSsO-
ciates these gentlemen devised Grand
Army Mayday festival. which was at once
musical, picturesque. artistic and patriotic as
well as altogether satisfying to every one
that took part
At 10 o'clock in the morning the enter
tainmeBt in the pavilion began with the
maypOle dance. Sixteen girls. dressed in
white, tripped around the pole. keeIing
time with the music The circle was n
periphery of flowing tresSes, white skirts
and black stockings. Red ribbons. white
ribbons and blue ribbons were fastened TO
the top of the pole. There was pretty
little maid at the loose end of each ribbon.
As they tTipped around they plated the
lIbb0ns abOut the pole, until 1t resembled
the ancient symbol Of the shavng-ShO
SIX little misses next danced Castilian
taTantelia, which was followed by spleu-
did exhibition drill by the cadets from
Horace Mann Grammar School and
Highland fling by little Maggie Bassett.
There were other characteristic dances. and
then everybody began to feel hungry Be-
fore the crowd dispersed to attack tie
lunch-baskets all stood up and sang the
''StaT-spanged Banner"
At . O'clock there was not tiDtOe space in
the big building. The interior swarmed
With ladies and children, the few old Grand
Army veterans and police officers being
almost lost to sight in the sea Of youthful
faces and mass OF gay coiOrs which brighten
feminine apparel and EeadgeaT. 1t was
only by the exercise of the most constant
vigilance that space on the floor and the
stage was preserved for the pretty marches
and dances that made up the bulk Of the
programme.
After the grand march the May Queen,
! Miss Carrie Giraffe, an attractive girl OF Il
summers and pupil in the grammar grade
OF tie Lincoln Primary School, was
crowned. This beautiful ceremony at an
end. AL the children sang May Morning"
A wonderfully clever child, Irene Delaney,
only 8 years old and dressed in Castilian
style, next executed q Spanish ian dance.
The way she handled her ian and her grace
full motions OF limbs and body would have
done honor TO maius professionals. George
w. ATbuckle sang a stirring patriotic solo
and for an encore gave The Regular Army,
Oh" Madge and kittie Duebell danced
hornpipe together, and then the Excelsior
Brigade from the South san Francisco
school stood up for the admiration and
applause OF 1000 people. The Excelsior
Brigade was all girls. TAirty-two formed
the line. Each carried an American flag
a Z0uave red i1cket, red fez, white dress
with TWO broad rel stripes running around
the lower part OF the skirt, constituted the
|. Excelsior Brigade bill Of dress. When tile
band struck I'D the eXhilarating tune of
marching Though Georgia these thirty
two bTead-and- butter misses, thus gaViy
attired, unTeeled themselves out of their
seats like a tapeline out of a stock
exchange clicker. They marched il
single file, formed twOs, formed fogrs,
foImed Fights, formed crosses. p,yoted the
loNTS, el8ILS ana tEOSsFE, fiEcleu IN lWGS,
IN fOuTs and IN full strength. While they
formed these combinations they sang the
chorus From Atlanta TO the Sea, and the
applause was deafeuing.
Little Maggie Bassett afterward danced
the Highland ding and the Anvil Chorus
was sung by the bigger girls, who used
wooden dumbbelis for anvis, which effect
was disappointing. Next the Forum Quar-
tet song The Miuuet Trio, by Irene
Cook, Ida Wyatt and Ethel Hawkins was
danced with exquisite grace. The skirt
dance by six little girls, whose brilliant
eolored skirts Of red. black, yellow and blue
made them look Ike gorgeous butterflies,
was perhaps the mast picturesque dance Of
the day. These little girls were: Irene
RadoYch. 8; Maggie Bassett {; Kittie and
NJ. Dusbeli, 3 aud 7; Rosie knlghten, Z. and
Irene Delaney, 8. The Gipsy dance 10y
eight misses, followed by the STA
spangied Banner" closed the afternoons
entertainment.
In the evening the gardens were brilliant
IL Illuminated Judge Frederick Adams
delivered a patriotic address, Madame Nj.
l.. HalpruneT sang a cavatina which was
received in a manner that showed the high
appreciation Of TIE lady's effort. Her sweet
and sympathetic voice was under perfect
control during the most difficult passages In
Done Zetti's biTd-like Linda iii Cham0uUiX."
Upon a recall size sang Coming Thr0' the
Rye" Jordan Legion. Select knights OF
America, Captain William lrelan, gave
grand fancy drill. Great interest vas taken
In the tug Of war between the veteran
soldiers and a Ike num0eT of veteran
sailors of the war; in which neither proved
the victOrs. The soldiers had one cleat the
advantage when time was called. TIE
strain lasted nearly thre5-qHaTters of an
hour. The song America" concluded the
exercises. after which the floor was cleared
for dancing.
The main credit for the success Of the en-
tertainment belongs to Miss Cook OF the
dancing academy at Saratoga Hall, who not
only composed all the dances but trained
the girls, and TO Professor Stone of the South
San Francisco Public School, who had
entire management Of the stage.