The San Francisco call., 1908-05-14

ne GOlQcn OdIe PARK SIduluII ]
mile trotting track, which gives an
embankment yesterday. for almost the
entire circumference of the oval was
packed with these children and their
mothers, sisters and aunts. First Miss
Carpenters choral society, recruited
as it was from the 20 public schools in
the city, gave q program of songs that
included the Tannhauser- Pilgrims
chorus and a Beethoven selection as
well as Nancy Lee" a San Francisco
paean to the air Of "Boola Boola,' the
college song. and the usual heart
thrilling assortment of patriotic music.
There were 81 numbers.
Then in the field the California club
women served luncheon, in which pie
predominated, to the sailor guests, and
in the afternoon the inter-hfgh school
field day was held by the boys of san
Francisco.
All those who saw and heard those
10000 chiIdren's voices will ever re-
member IT. Crowds pressed against the
rope inclosed stadium, and as far back
as one could see the hills were black
with people And the bluejacketsi
They enjoyed il even more than the
children. As one broad shouldered
Texan expressed it, 1T reminds you Of
home to see the kids"
Getting the youngsters there was
quite an undertaking in itself. Special
cars left Eddy street and Van Ness ave
nue. as early as $50 o'clock in the
morning. some of them going as far.s2s
Ocean View and Glen park for their
loads. Others were driven through the
park in automobiles. buggies, wagons
OF all kinds, including the popular go
cart, and many little ones trudged all
the way. stopping to rest now and then
beside the purple lupin and the golden
poppies.
Shields with the names OF the differ
ent schools upon them had been placed
along the racetrack, and there the prin-
cipals. teachers and children met, TO
march later in double file to the places
arranged for them on the slope of the
stadium Those who sang bass were
placed to the right, the altos to the
left, and high on the slope above the
soprano voices could be heard.
BUGLER GIVES CALL
Then the bugler. John Barratt, of the
Sixty-seventh company, coast artillery.
stepped forward, raised his bugle and
gave one short call. And the effect was
almost mechanical, the way the 10000
children suddenly stopped their talking,
and 10000 eyes fastened themselves
upon Miss Carpenter. Leaning from
her bower OF flowers. she raised her
hands, and almost instantaneously the
sweet childish voices poured forth the
first strains Of when Johnny Comes
Marching Home" And the way the
youngsters opened their mouths and
sang with the enthusiasm that Jnly the
extremely young possess was a revela-
tion TO the boys in blue.
Three cheers for the San Francisco
school children" cried one of the sail
ors, and the hills resounded with the
yells from tarry throats.
The American Hymn" was the next
song, and after the cheers that the
sailors gave the children sang Sail
ing" Then came one Of the prettiest
sights Of the day. The school children
pelted the boys in blue with flowers.
The sky rained blossoms and the shriu
shrieks Of the youngsters, minglirK
with the deeper voices OF the blue
jackets, created an uproar worthy Of a
battle, with a meaning as sweet as the
music that poured from the young
throats.
When the noise had subsided. Miss
Carpenter gave the signal and the
strains OF Beethoven's The Heavens
Are Telling floated across the stadium.
The last note still filed the air. when
one OF the sailors jumped on the rail
in front of the music stand and cried
Three cheers for Miss Carpenterr'
Caps were flung in the air and the
voices OF the singers swelled the
shouts of the seamen-
After her appreciative audience had
yelled themselves hoarse, Miss Car
penter once more raised her hands, and
the tiny vocalists rendered Rocked In
the Cradle OF the Deep" with a depth
of feeling and q fineness of expression
that would seem impossible for chill
dren.
CHEERS ARE GIVEN
Three Cheers for the Red. White
and Blue" was the next song sched-
uled, and when those 10000 children
streaked the sky with streamers OF
the national colots the crowd went
wild, and for nearly 10 minutes the
little ones had TO stop their singing.
Nancy Lee" THE Girl Left Be
hind Me" and Gloria California" then
followed, punctuated by appreciative
cheers from the sailors.
sailors Bold and Free" the chorus
sung TO the accompaniment of clap
ping hands, was enjoyed by the little
ones as much as their listeners.
Pilgrims Chorus" and America"
sung standing with hats in hand,
brought the first part of the entertain
ment 10 q close.
An intermission Of FIVE minutes and
- ~t4