The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-04-30
Preparations for the Big May
Day Celebration at Earl
ham, Held in Two Weeks,
Are Going On.
EVENT TO BE QUITE
A SPECTACULAR ONE
Milk Maids, testers, Morris
Dancers, Beggars, Robin
Hood Robbers and Others
Are to Take Part.

Standing In the quadrangle formed
BY the buildings in the center Of the
Earlham campus one can hear the
sound OF several pianos being player
at the same time In different parts OF
Lindley Hall and the gymnasium. to
the time Of which drills and dances
are being practiced for May Day. Ev.
cry afternoon from 4 until o'clock,
and every evening from until 9
some rehearsal Ia In full swing. For
the last two weeks the college stu.
dents and professors have realized
that the day for the spectacular May
Day celebration il not far of and
hard work must be done. Practice for
the plays to be given on the day and
evening OF the twelfth OF May has
been frequent. three big casts being
drilled three times week for the past
month until they have now almost
reached the stage OF perfection.
A Campus Rehearsal.
Yesterday afternoon, rehearsals for
the celebration were being held all
over the campus. The sheperhesses
with their long crooks were going
through their drill. In corner of the
quadrangle the milkmaids were exc
cutting their attractive dances. using
the cross arms and buckets of ancient
days and leading a thoroughly do.
mesticated cow decked with garlands.
through the procession. The fiddlers.
chimney sweeps and jacks-in.the-
green were performing their funny
capers from the porch Of Earlham hall.
and the peddlers and beggars. with
their doukeys and ponies. were origin
citing stunts on the west campus. The
gypsies. fortune tellers and egg WON.
en- who have been secretly planning
their maneuvers for several weeks.
created much merriment and were
loudly applauded by the students. The
May Pole dances yesterday were par.
ticularly attractive. To the accom-
paniment of two pianos and the gen.
eral Robin Hood chorus. the dancers
created q very favorable impression.
Inside the quadrangle. three of these
dances were In operation at the same
time. Robin Hood and his band have
been in evidence about the campus
and the testers are making up their
costumes AZ well as their jokes and
puns for the occasion. The bands of
rustics, lords and ladies, in the tragi.
cal interlude Of "Pryagus and Thisbe''
by Shakespeare. are constantly seen
on the west campus creating their
roles and trying their voices out with
the rear wall OF Lindley Hall as a
sounding board, while the students
representing the stroliing players in
the Old English play of st. George
and the Dragon. to be presented on
the east campus. have mastered their
parts and were out In their costumes
Saturday. The Morris men. quack
doctors. Friar Tuck. heralds. ladies of
the May. and hobby horses are also
in readiness and were seen yesterday
in the open air rehearsal of the com.
plete afternoons program.
Then for the first time was set in
motion the big procession which II is
expected will be witnessed by several
thousand people on the afternoon of
May II.
Costumes Completed.
The costumes for the event are al
most entirely completed. and with the
exception Of those of the May Queen
and attendants were in evidence at
yesterdays rehearsal. Thes animals
which are to be in the procession and
events of the day were introduced to
their parts and coaxed through their
duties by pleading goods and prodding
testers. The cows for the occasion
will be taken from the college farm
The sheep have been donated by a
friend to the college for the occasion
and are safely housed on the farm
awaiting their call.
The musical side OF the pageant ID
not being neglected. Under the direc.
tion Of Miss Laura CASTOR. the Choir.
M Of girls In Paul Bliss's beautiful
cantata Midsummer Night" is prac'
ticing daily. This cantata. which will
be given at night In the college chap
el, bids fair to be a splendid produc'
tion. not only from the musical stand
point, but because of the scenic ef
fects which are being carefully plan
ned with outside assistance. In con
junction with this event there will be
given Ben Johnson's famous "Masque
Of the Queens" which has q weird and
fantastic effect.
choruses Are Coached.
The general chorueses for the pro
cession which will sing the old May