The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-04-16
MAY DAY WILL
Be OBSERVED
Earlham College Plans Festi-
vities Fashioned After the
Ancients.
THE HISTORY OF MAY DAY.
THE ORIGIN DATES BACK TO THE
ROMAN FLORALiA AND THE
DRUiDIE FEASTS - INTEREST.
ING ABSENANcE.

Is IN interesting feature 10 LOOK INTO
the history Of May day, especially 50
its history in England, as the festiv-
tiles held at Ear.ham this year will
be patterned after the old English
mode of procedure This year May
day at Earlham will be an event that
will arouse more interest among thu
students and the friends of the coli
lege than any celebration Of the kind
ever given, at the Quaker institution
Throughout Great Britain and to a
less extent France and Germany, the
first of May was formerly widely cell
ebrated These festivities are the dill
rect descendants of the Roman Flo1
ralia and of the Druidie feasts in hon1
or of the God Bel. the Apollo of othe1
mythologles and the Baal of the scrip
lures.
DRuiDS' CELEBRATION.
The Druids celebrated the first of
May by lighting immense fires in hon1
or of their God. Even to this day simI
liar customs survive among the Irish
and Scotch Highlanders. But the cust
toms which survived most in tho
English festivities we're those of ROM
an origin where 1t has been the oci
casion of a celebration Of the feast OF
flowers. 1t is "Reminiscences of Flord
rather than CT Baal.,
The exact date of the institution
of the May games in England during
the middle ages, cannot be traced
14th century. The King and Queen
mingled with their subjects in these
fine old English customs. The cusf
tom seems to have been for the people
to go into the woods in the night
gather branches of trees and flowers
and return with them at sunrise, t4
decorate their houses. Other obseTt
vances were added. The May Queen
was crowned and held one days sway
over her court consisting of, Morris
dancers, of Robin Hood and his band
and generally of the villagers OF
towns people. A hobby horse was
sent around among the spectators to
collect contributions in a ladle stuck
in his mouth. Everybody who wished
to might dance around the May pole
The May pole was of birch and was
adorned with flowers and ribbons
In the villages it was generally set up
on May day eve. but in London and
other large cities there were poles
permanently standing in the streets.
May Day ReveIs.
Some of the revels of May day are
as follows: The Milk Maids dressed
themselves in their best and called ON
their customers for some trif1ing gift
A group of dairy women led COW
all garlanded with flowers. Their
heads were wreathed in flowers and
l. ey would dance around the animal,
to the sound of the violin or claro-
net.
Young men were seen clothed in
jenkins of leather and appeared LIKE
woodmen, with their heads garlandeh
with ivy leaves. Then comes Robin
Hood attired in grass green tunie
His hood and hosen were parti-color-
ed blue and white. He had large
garland Of rose buds on his head, a
bent bow in his hand, a shief of ar
rows at his gurdle, and also carrying
bugle. Ten other of the outlaw men
follow him, habited in green garments,
also carrying bows and arrows.
Then came two maidens in orange
colored kirtles with white countpies
strewing flowers along their path.
Following these was Friar Tuck carry
ing his quarter stick on his shoulder,
the May pole drawn by oxen and dec
Grated with scarfs, ribbons and flow
ers. then the hobby horse and dragon.
The May Pole.
When the May pole was drawn in,
to the square, the foresters sounded
their bugles and the rustlcs danced
around and wound the pole in their
crude fashion.
Then came the revels of the Nor
ris dancers. AS far as known the
Morris dance came from the Moors in
Spain and its name from Spanish
Morisco, A Moor was transferred &c
England and introduced into the May
day customs in the sixteenth century
In this dance are two principal char
acters, Robin-Hood and the Maid Ma.
rian. To these were added, Friar
Tuck. the Hobby Horse, the Fool, a
musician, sometimes a fiddler, at 9th
ers a piper, at others a taborer
The chimney sweeps and Jack-in
the green were prominent characters
of the day. The chimney sweeps pa,
raded the streets tricked out in finefy
enriched with strips of gilt and vati
Gus colored papers. With their faces
chalked and their shovels and brushes
in hand, they capered the chimney
sweeps dance" to a well known tune
The observation-disclosures was man en-
closed in bower made in the shape
of pyramid about ten feet high out oil
which he peers at the people, The
chimney sweeps in company with the
clown and various other attendants
danced around this bush singing:
THE first of May is garland day.
And chimney sweeps dancing day
"Curl your locks as do mine
Zone before and one behind" H,
The People Rejoicsd. NJ
These yagaries We're highly anus
ing to the people. VINO announced their
delight by repeated plaudits aud loud
bursts OF laughter. For this reason
the dances We're continued for con
siderable length of time. Then the
Archers set up their target and made
A. ~ . -. r.sII D.xlxf