The Indianapolis journal., 1903-04-28
TURNER'S AT ENCLISh'S
UNIQUE GYMNASTIC ENTERTAIN
MENT ENJOYED BY MANY.
Intricate Drills and Beautiful Dances
Feature.

The most unique gymnastic entertain
ment ever given by the Independent Tur-
ners witnessed by a crowd last night
that filled English's Opera House to over
flowing. This organization is closing its
most successful year, and the programme
arranged for the annual event included
numbers by all the classes from the little
boys just big enough to master simple
drills and light calisthenic exercises to the
active members who are proficient in the
most intricate drills and the most difficult
gymnastic games, and from the little girls
who are just learning the proper pose of
the body to the young women in the fenc-
ing class who have become experts in drills
and the art of thrusting with foils.
1t required three hours to give the entire
programme last night, and there were no
tiresome waits between the numbers. At
the end of one number the members Of the
class to give the next number were ready
to march upon the stage. The patient
teaching of Oscar E. Ruther, instructor at
the Independent Turner's, was in evidence
in the work of every class.
The drill given by all the participants
as the first number of the programme was
imposing 1t was followed by exercises by
the smallest girls. The smallest boys fur
nished the next number. and the pole
climbing by some of the little fellows fur
nished much amusement. A few of them
climbed the poles to the border lights. The
tug of war with canes gave many of the
little fellows a chance to show their
prowess over their classmates.
BEAUTIFUL DRILLS.
The second boys class gave an interest
ing club-swinging drill. which was followed
by club-swinging solo by Frank Lchten-
berger, one of the experts of the Inde-
pendent Turner's. The junior class gave a
clever exhibition on parallel bars and horse.
The czarevitch dancing drill by the sec
ond girls class was one of the most inter-
esting numbers the programme and
demonstrated how graceful young girls can
become with proper exercise. In this drill
half of the girls were attired in their gym
nasium bloomer suits and the others in
white dresses. which gave a beautiful eff
feet to the dance. Many Of the poses and
movements used In fencing were embodied
in the single stick drill by the ladies' fenc-
ing class.
The second boys class formed an i'm
posing picture at the conclusion Of their
drill when they formed for the march
''The Return of the Troops" The seniors
| gave their most difficult exercises in their
dumbbell drill. There was hardly enough
room on the stage when the entire ladies'
| class went through the ring and fancy step
| exercises. The junior class in high-grade
wand exercises and the seniors in indi-
| vidual skill on horizontal parallel bars and
| horses furnished the numbers before the
| marching evolutions by the second girls
| class. This was one of the most interest
| ing numbers on the programme and at
tracted the most applause as the girls sang
| "Call to Wander as they went through
| their drill. Thirty-six members of the
| ladies' class gave flag drill, Columbia
and Germania,' and the entertainment con-
| cluded with pyramid building by members
| of the active and junior classes.