The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-08-03
PROMOTERSOF THE
PAGEANT MAKING
FINAL PLANS
Fiehearsals OF Big Scenes in
Full Swing
ALL READY BUT WEATHER
Great Throngs Expected to Crowd
Bennington During Week of
celebraton-Many Attractions

celebration-Many Attractions
Bennington's great historical pageant /
is now less than two weeks away. But |
the moving spirits of the celebration
feel confident that the dress rehear-
sal on the evening of Friday, August !
II, will find everything in complete /
readiness for the largest and most
elaborate historical celebration ever
held in New England. Everything is
progressing so satisfactorily and the
arrangements have been gone into so
carefully that the only source of anx-
iety to the committee, and for that
matter, the entire town, is that the
Weather Man might not provide the
proper brand OF weather However.
the committee is optimistic on this
score and is combining its efforts to
the work at hand, feeling assured
that, should the weather prove to be
unfayorable, suitable provisions will
be made. 1t is certain, however, that
the weather reports in the newspap-
|ers will be eagerly sought, and that
lilo lnltl00l III ON llldllltolNu llbHA
up to the minute the gates are thrown
open to the public.
For a number OF weeks rehearsals
of the various scenes have been in
progress. 1t always requires time
and effort to convert the raw mater
ial into the finished product These
two factors are being utilized to a
large extent in the rehearsals of the
pageant Those who will participate
| in some of the 20 or more scenes
have been diligently and earnestly
practicing, and under the direction
tof Miss Margaret Eager have attain
ed high degree of efficiency. Miss
Eager, after having directed the
rehearsal Of the spring training scene
in the Y NJ c. A. last evening, said
that the progress made, not only in
this scene, but in all of them, was
quite surprising, and that she feels
certain that the scenes in Benning
tons pageant will be acted unusually
well. Great interest and enthusiasm
have been displayed by the 600 or
more participants in their respective
parts and the way in which they go
about the somewhat monotonous re-
hearsals is most highly commendable.
At Morgan Park large number of
men and boys are actively engaged
in learning the ways of the Red man,
of the British soldiers, and of the
continental soldiers for depicting
one of the most difficult and elabor-
ate scenes of the pageant, the battle
of Bennington. In addition to the
honor due the participants in the
other scenes, those who take part in
this scene will have the distinction
of being a participant in the first re-
enactment of a battle in o historical
pageant. In the gymnasium OF the
IT, NJ. c. A. young men and women
are being taught the stately minuet;
children are learning the folk dan
ces; Governor Bennlng Went
worth is being married to Martha
Hilton; Joseph Rudd and Sarah Stor-
ey are also submitting to the same
ceremony; the first settlers are com
ing to Bennington; Samuel Robinson
is starting for England and numerous
other interesting events are happen
ing. The musical rehearsals are not
being overlooked and it is likely that
a large chorus will be secured.
Much speculation is being made In
regard to the number of visitors that
will be here for the celebration. This
matter is purely one of conjecture
Those In charge of the advertising
like every other committee, are doing
all in their power to inject publicity
into the celebration. Large attrac-
tive posters, bills, newspaper
notices, automobile pennants and
lmany other devices are being used to
call attention to Bennington's anniv-
ersary celebration. The people have
taken hold remarkably well and on
many of the letters and postal cards
leaving the local postofiice appear the
small but effective "sticker," one Of
the official labels of the occasion. All
these devices are bidding for the pub
lies attention, while stories of the
celebration are appearing in many of
the newspapers OF this and other
states.
That this extensive advertising
campaign is producing results, and
very gratifying results at that, Is
shown by the many inquiries and or
ders for seats and automobile spaces
that are being received from all over
New England and other parts OF the
country.
one member of the committee
whose duty It is to receive and care
for these inquiries asserted that, In his
opinion, the number of visitors that
will be here for the pageant will total
10000, lie appeared very earnest
and also very enthusiastic when max
ing this estimate. and because OF this
enthusiasm Il Is not unlikely that the
figures are somewhat large. II Is
certain, however, that many persons
will be In town for the celebration.
In all probability the railroads Will
offer special excursion rates during
the celebration. and II Is supposed
that many persons will take advant'
lage OF the low fare to Bennington.
Extra trains will be added to care for
the heavy traffic, and as the railway
company Is TO put on additional cars
} between here and North Adams the
facilities of access TO Bennington viii
be amply provided for. Arrange
ments have been made whereby the
. trolley cars will run from North AID
ans to n point near Clark's woods
the scene of the pageant From the
, end OF the spur track which is now
being laid for this purpose to the en-
trance to the pageant grounds Il
only a few steps. Extra cars will al