Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-05-22
FIELD FESTIVALS
ARTISTIC TRIUMPH
Many See for the First Time
Physical Culture Work of
Public School Pupils.
AMERICAN LEAGUE PARK
FILLED TO CAPACITY
Every Grade From the First to the
Eighth Represented in Dances,
Plays, Races and Drills.

Dancing and playing, running and drill
ing, six thousand or more children of the
District public schools held the attention
of capacity audience at the American
League Base Ball Park for three hours
yesterday afternoon. The festival, the
largest event of it's kind ever held here.
probably was one of the most spectacu-
lar sights ever displayed by school chill
dren of the capital city.
Many people saw for the first time yes
terday the kind of things that are taught
in the physical culture classes of the Dis
triet schools Every grade from the first
to the eighth was represented on the neld
and went through a performance that
was typical of the work of that particu-
lar grade.
The program ranged from the old ring
games by the first grade kiddies
through folk dancing by children OF hign-
er grades, and then into mass drills oy
others of still higher grades. NO event
probably in the entire program was more
spectacular than the mass drills In which
900 BOYS and girls went through grace
full maneuverS.
Music ACCOMPANIED most of the num-
bers and in practically all OF them the
children were adorned with brilliant
sashes and bows Every scene was an
artistic triumph as we'll as presenting 10
public gaze the work of certain grades.
II was lust about , o'clock when nun
dreds of little first graders came on the
field under the leadership OF group OF
teachers. and joining hands proceeoeo
with the old singing games Ihese IN
cluded the Hansei and Gretel dances,
"oats peas, beans games ana the ever
popular mulberry bush.
AS soon as these youngsters had mace
their exit 800 second graders trooped OH
the field attired in paper soldier caps
topped with red. Each child carried
red bean bag, with which various DAINTY
exercises were done.
Then came the third grade youngsters
for the folk dances. Each girl wore
brilliantly colored apron: The shoe
makers Dance" In which the cnlluren
mended imaginary boots and shoes. was
grade.
Shuttle Race Exciting.
Teams of boys and teams of girls rep
resenting the several divisions comprising
the white schools came out to represent
the fourth grades. The shuttle race CT
the girls IN this event VAS u most eAcit-
ing one Each team was divided into
two parts and the race was run quite
similar to a relay. The girls bearing the
red banner-Signifying them TO be MEM
| hers OF the eighth ooosA
ahead and kept their position until the
last.
In the leap-frog race OF the boys or
this grade the eighth division was again
victorious. while the boys OF the third and
seventh divisions scored in the order
named. -
Children of the fifth grade played re-
cess games. such as switch, donSe
BALI and .'cat and mouse All OF THESE
games were interesting and exciting, nu,
when one little girl who was mouse
on the left side of the field led the BOY
cat, who was chasing her far from the
circle to which she belonged and started
around the bases OF the base pan uia,
mond. and then in her efforts to lose
the cat. started straight across the ne,a,
excitement was boundless. Before the
mouse" reached the left field fence she
was caught and brought back by the
"cat"
Sixth graders had two numbers. one
showing representative exercises. such
as the archery movement" hosting a
sail'' and golf drive" while the other
number consisted OF pretty little folk
dances. The Swiss May dance. in which
garlands of pink flowers were used.
| seemed most appreciated.
cuted wand drills. Eighth graders gave
two pretty folk dances, and later held a
dumbbell drill.
Other Athletic Events.
4 series of athletic events, in which
both seventh and eighth grade pupils
| took part. were exciting. In the relay
race the team representing the northeast
section of the city was first, the north
west team second and the southwest was
third.
In the straddle ball race the first divl-
sion was victorious with the team from
the fourth division second and the team
| from the seventh division third. The sew
| eral teams in the relay race were COM
prised OF the following boys: Northeast,
| Roy Slater. Louis Naples. Gurden Higlein
and Robert Van Every; northwest. How
ard Derrick. Michael Arson. Clinton Al
| len and Dopald Chamberlain: southwest
Frank Gerald. Phillip LuskiRe, Daniel
| McFadden and Joseph Boswell. and the
/ southeast Milton Boswell. Samuel Line,
| Ennis Hedian and Charles Reynolds.
/ Henry Weinstein of the Gales School
won the sixty-yard dash. while Baxter
Davidson of the Curtis was second and
William P. Grady third.
| Members of the board of education and
practically every official Of the school
system were present. DIR. Rebecca Stone
rod s.~e .cr - .,Ars'~G! $3.50. 80 II