New-York tribune., 1909-10-03
CHILDREN HAVE A DAY
KIDDIES ACT AND SING.
States History in Pretty Panto-
mime Before Delighted ThrOngs.

-Four thousand children. five hundred of them in
fantastic costume. ,coored Fifth avenue for two
hours yesterday afternoon and for a full hour held
full possession OF the avenue in front of the Court
Of Honor, where they gave terpsichOrean history
OF the city.
Two divisions only of the forty-odd into which
the chiidrens festival divided throughout the
greater city'were represented in the gathering at
the Court of Honor -Four others were going through
the same exercises in Madison avenue, opposite
the park there. and, in the outlying parks in all
the boroughs other thousands singing the
same songs, giving the salutes. taking the
same allegiance to the flag and producing their
dance tabeaus telling the story of the different
periods through which New York has passed since
Henry Hudson sailed up the river
Samuel Parsons headed the clildrens festival
committee of the Hudson Fulton Commission. and
| the pageants OF the children yesterday were pro-
duced by the joint work Of that committee and the
officials of the schools and chdren's organizations
public and private. Of the entire city.
In all close TO million youngsters took part
in the mammoth festival, and the scheme of divid-
ing them up into districts. though deprived sight
seers of seeing what would undoubtedly have been
the largest gathering Of children ever held was
necessary from every point view. Also it gave
the of the little paraders the best possible
opportunity TO their youngsters a sight which
would have been Impossible under any other
method
GREAT THRONG IN BROOKLYN
Two hundred thousand children participated in
the Brooklyn exercises, which were divided into
fourteen sections the largest of which. consist
ing OF seven thousand children, performed on the
steps OF the Martys' Monument at Fort Greene
Park.
Public school children for the most part acted
as escorts TO the costumed children from private
and 9arochial schools and children from clubs and
sunday schools. and the public school youngsters
also furnished the music for the occasion
Throughout the city the same general scheme of
festival was followed. though In some parks the
dances depicting the history of the CITY were given
in greater detail than in others
Parades formed at public schoolhouses. churches
cluDrooms and private schools, and from these DIFF
ferent places In each district children marched
to specified meeting point, and then TO the mark
appointed for the exercises of that district Then
the costumsd children took the spectators, seats
while the public school youngsters sang NV
Country. 'Tis OF Thee" and The star-SpangIed
Banner"
All the children then united in a salute and
pledge OF allegiance TO the flag. after which the
cillioien changed places, and those who had been
the performers took the spectators seats
Members of the cnildren's committee OF the com
mission were not over-enthusiastc concerning
the aid that had been rendered them bv the DA
partment OF Education, but the general success of
the entire affair smoothed over what difficulties
had previously arisen
In most of the parks the ordinary, dow assig,
ment Of police was sufficient TO handle the crowds
of children and spectators but in the festival given
in Fifth avenue at the Court of Honor and in
men was necessary. These police were a dis
gruntled lot before the children arrived they bad
been ordered out for the afternoon work when
they had counted resting - prepare for their
isbors at night with the carnival parade and
the sudden orders which for the afternoon
work necessitated their presence straight through
until the end of the night celebration.
POLICE GET ENTHUSIASTIC.
It noticeable however that even these DO
licemen. robbed Of their rest as they had beeD
in cheerful mood before the end Of the
afternoon pageantry.
It's the finest thing I've Yet in the whole
show said Inspector McCluskey who was i'm
charge at the Court of Honor and then he hustled
to the brass band and called them down for
not playing some Scotch air while the girls from
St Bartholomew Club dancing the highland /
fling.
had been ordered, and the inspector exploded
why, all you fellows have been able to DO was
To roll your drums little for the Indian kids
dances. You're a fine lot of musicansr'
Two little boys dressed in white flannel took the
eye of the crowd at the Madison Square exercises
one carried a banner announcing Il found it,
Cook while the other had: Il found IT, Peary,"
and behind them a. group of youngsters chanting
ITS ours, anyway" which sentiment the crowd
appauded wildly
The Colonial minuet, given by a crowd~of cos
TUNED youngsters under the direction OF Major
AIcVicker and Miss B. T. Smith. was the number
that drew the heartiest applause from the crowd
at the Fifth avenue festival and the little fifteen
year-Od girls. powdered the danes Of old
evidently enjoyed the applause their elders
Indian dances and Dutch clogs next in
the scale OF popularity, and Japanese dance ia
"A hch the little misses from the Abysslnian Bap-
list Church Topped down In the dust of Fifth ave
nue. for final courtesy brought such round OF
cheers that 1t repeated
SIxTv 0Avs FOR HOWARD NESBIT