The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-05-17
elttr WINTHROP PlcEln1.
DAYS OF GOOD QUEEN BEsS RE.
ENACTED by COLLEGE
GIRLS.
Afternoon and Night Performance
Attended by Large Audience -
Pageant is Biggest Affair of Its
kihd seen In This state and Is
Great Success.


ting Of winthrop college as the fore.
ground. and with the hustling goth
century business town as a back
ground. Rock Hin has seen rolled
back the diaphanous curtains of the
years--has seen the personages Of the
pregnant 10th century. when the
blood and nerve of the old world
was expending itself in carving the
new land OF freedom from the un-
touched realm OF the West. Today
Queen Elizabeth. the courtly Leicester.
the disappointed varney, the scholar
courtier Raleigh, the soldier Blount,
tho master dramatist shakespere. the
poet spencer. with a host of lesser
personages. have walked their way
from the painted tombstone" as 1t
~ere; nave made their way through
the countryside and debouched on the
beautiful back campus OF Winthrop
college. there to greet the arrayed and
admirins gaze OF everybody who has
been able to desert his ordinary voca-
ton Mt the call OF old romance. The
progress. teeming with color and
latent energy. Of Elizabeth. by the
grace OF God Queen OF England, Ire
land and scotland and suzerain OF her
majesty's dominion beyond the seas
moved into the confines OF wlnthrop's
back campus-for the nonce the
iordly estate Of the Earl Of Leicester.
suitor-subject Of the queen. Greeted
there by the spectators--but for their
dress fair imitation OF the interest
ed throngs that gathered at Kenil-
worth castle to view the show--the
procession has made regal entry. then
disbanded. the troops of mobiles,
courtiers and yeomen--an Winthrop
girls too--to wait for the high reyeis
tonight, when under the glow of O.
sibbous moon. the queen and her
court held high reveiry.
The day was one OF reaching back
after the old things. OF striving TO
graps the real historical Significance
OK this representation. Elaborate In
costume. finished In every detail,
staged under the spotlight of the
white IRE laden maid OF the skies. the
pageant has been more than q mere
spect0ole. Possessing as II did every
possible element OF attraction--the
romance OF the subject. the beauty of
the scenery. above all the freshness
and naiyety OF the performers--the
pageant has had more than all this
to commend it. For IL has given a
sort OF visual insight into the red
hopes" of the period: into the adven-
turcus exaltation which enabled the
court Of couched leopard and lion to
plant a firm scion OF the old English
tree In the new soil OF the West. This
was the eliminating point in the out
ward progress OF England: this the
period when her mighty mariners had
gained for her the nucleus Of that
power over the swan road which has
later entitled her to be known as the
mistress OF the seas
And IL was In this blood red f1ush
OF the Orient sun Of the new day that
Queen Elizabeth and her court went
down to Kenilworth. there to be the
guests OF the ever generous Leicester
Wei did the mimic figures OF this
great pageant portray not only the
letter but the spirit OF the occasion
Ably coached In their every duty. the
7'o girls participating have given am
pie evidence Of the adaptabillty OF the
American school girl Every part
from those OF Queen Elizabeth and
Lord Leicester In the main action and
OF Queen Elinor and Prince John.
Robin Hood and fair Maid Marian
I'm the play which followed the en-
trance to those OF the Morice dancers,
the cavaliers and the peasantry-
was taken by a Winthrop girl. Few
women's colleges In this country could
have supplied the number needed; !;
fewer still the hlstrionc and athletic
quality. That the whole AFFAIR is one
OF which students. faculty and the
people of Rock HIN. ever generous TO
this. their favored institution OF learn
Ing. may be proud II is scarcely nee
eae0Fy IN aav luftica It IN NOT. th.,
Comment. without exception. has been
In the highest degree favorable. Never
mas anything just like this pageant
oeen seen here--or anywhere else In
south Carolina for that matter. The
size the completeness. the historic
grasp dispiayed--aii these have COM
"ineo To make II "a spectacle OF un-
raraileled magnitude and compelling