New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-01
GIRLS ATHLETIC MEET
Dances and Games at p. S. IO4-
Three Leagues Compete.

The first athletic meet held by public school
girls IN New York under the management of their
teachers took place last night in Public School loi
at No 4l3 East 18th street (AIrs Isabella r Wright
principal, replacing the usual udyear graduating
exercises Interest centred in the folk dancing
contest for the possession OF silver trophy cup
fered by the Junior League through the Girls
Branch OF the Public Schools Athletic League. IN
Ger whose auspices the meet held.
Between five and six hundred spectators were
present. the events taking place in the great
concrete hoored playground which had been beau
TRULY decorated with American flags by Il big de-
partment store. Overhead waved the pennants Of
the three competing leagues-the blue and whito OF
the Agatha Grubers the red and white Of the Mary
Leavitts and the orange and black Of tie Jennie
B. Stitts.
AT one end sat the judges, Dr. Luther II Gulick
director 0; physical training IN the public schools:
DR.. c. Ward Champion and Miss Elizabeth Rurch-
email. assistant secretary OF the girls branch Dr.
Edward ". Slit district superintendent, presided
First On the programme came a wand drill fol-
lowed by "sli UP. hustle ball" an Indian club race
q dumbbell orll. flag shuttle relay and free
hand gymnastics. But :he storm centres excite
meut the folk dances, for they alone were
entered in competition for the cup. There were
three OF them-the German hopping dance, by the
Mary Leayitts; the Swedish dance. by the Jen-
ME St!tts. and the Swedish mountain march, by
the Agatha Grubers. Then they wound up With a
grand medley, the three leagues dancing simulta-
neously the ring dance and the shoenakeIs' dance
That was the crucial test, for ptted against each
other. the slightest lapse In memory. spirit in
dancing and execution-the three points on which
the dancing was tudged-stood out in high relief
The leagues by the way, named after women
patrons OF the school Agatha Gruber is the daugn-
ter OF Abraham GruDer and is now student at
Smith College. Mr.. Gruber annually gives two
prizes OF 8 in gold to Public School lot In her
name Mary Leayitt Is Mrs, John Brooks Lea
t{ IHsm9eE Of the 9 }I board and Jennie
There are 400 girls in No 1o4 but only ninety
took part in the folk dancng competition. they
uIar gym work prescribed by the Board Of EdG-
cation, but only A girls are allowed 20 take The
It's reward OF merit, you see" said Miss
-Qr t MeII5tL me te9Gher In charge hrty
three teams are the envy q the unelect so much
slip in and play till she is turned out Half Of
league goes out on February :, with the graduating
class when the other girls come up from the lower
The, ambition Of those honor girls Of Public
since the middle of October. yet they felt strong
for Il How pretty they ioaKed in heIr gsS oSs
tulnes-olue skirts, white peaked caps and yellow
aprons and great red Alsauan bows for the little
German !aaidens In between there We're numbers
violinsts, ana vocal numbers by the Merritt
Gee Giqp OF ted y0ang ere "4sn me 5naLt olive
who managed {fe f{ents 4aG oSea given to the
leaped out Of bounds
Wen. ! guess!
Yes: Yes, Yes'
rang the shout, only be answered from the other
end Of the room with
RIckcrty pit
Come along
AND work for IT,
from the Mary Leavitts, while the Agatha C;rub4rs
sung out a vainglorious challenge ending
Rah! rah!
Don't stoP.
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