Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1907-08-21

1ASeanCltlS Is prevalent In the Brit
lsh Isles at the present time, and it
would not be at all surprising if the
craze for the brilliant shows, illus
trative of historic incidents, would
spread to this country. In fact among
the spectators Of these spectacular
celebrations there are none more en-
thusiastic than the American visitors
to England, and they go away asking
the question:: why should not Ameri-
ca have it's historic pageants, too?"
10 be sure, Americas history does not
go so far back as England's, but what
there Is of it Is extremely picturesque
and by no means lacking in thrilling
scenes There are no armor-clad
nights concerned in it, but the red
skins in their war paint, from a spec
tacular view, would be just as effect
i've.
Historical pageants have become 80
popular in England that though the
first OF them was held only two years
ago, no less than a dozen have been
given this summer in as many differ
ent towns of John Bulls tight little
island. Next year there probably will
be twice as many. Before many years
have elapsed it is likely that every
town In England with any claim to
historic renown will have held it's opeS
air theatricals, depicting memorable
scenes in it's annals
The secret of the popularity of this
form of entertainment, is not far to
seek. They afford realistic glimpses
OF the past such as can be obtained
in no other way. They present les.
sons in history in the most attractive
form. They encourage civic pride
and local research into the manners
and customs of old times. They are
far more interesting than ordinary
"exhibitions" with their monotonous
repetitions of things most of us have
seen before.
The matter of fairs and expositions
has been rather overdone in America
and it is certain that any new form
of popular entertainment would meet
hearty approval, and why not the his
toric pageant. AS we have said
America has not the long line of his
toric incidents from which to choose
material for such spectacular shows
but surely the early settlements or
American soil, the Indian fights, the
colonial wars, the revolution, the wal
of 1912. afford a wealth of material fol
vivid tableaux of fascinating interest
which would present an epitome Of
progress and development we'll worth
seeing.
The making Of the necessary cos
tunes for American pageants would
be much simpler and less costly I'm
dertAking than making them for Eng
lish pageants, because the folk who
have made American history were MOI
given to putting on style. At the
same time their costumes were by ne
means lacking in picturesqueness:
+ 1t is estimated that the IL pageant'
which make up this years program
will cost $1,250,000. The Bury st. Ed
munds pageant continued through 81,
days. The ancient town is so chocl
full of history that it could provid,
far more episodes than the sever
treated by Mr.. Louis Napoleon Parke
the dramatic author, and the origi
nator of the historic pageant idea
They begin with scene representing
the villa Faustini and the revolt o
Boadicea. They continue through tn
story of the martydom of King Ed
mund, the tale of the great monas
terry and the negligent secular priest
in whose keeping the body of tn
sainted monarch was intrusted Her
it Is shown how Canute comes t
Bury, dispossesses the secular priests
Introduces the Benedictine monks
and POUNDS the monastery, with Uviu
as first abbot. Later is Intervene
the story Of the famous Abbot San
son, deslt with by Carlyle in pas
and Present" After the meeting @
the baroas at Bury, where they swea
to force King John to ratify tt
charter Of Henry l., comes the mul
der of Humphrey, duke of Gloucester
The las. episode, entitled The Daw
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