Evening star., 1915-05-22
More Than 5000 Children
Take Part in Performance
at Base Ball Park.
SOMERSAULT RELAY RACE
PROVES TO BE A FEATURE
Affair Expected to Net at Least
$4,000 for Fairgrounds of
the District.

When children taking part in the field
day and festival of the Washington public
schools at the American League Ball Park
yesterday afternoon brought out their
balance boards and proceeded to go
through a number of stunts it appeared
as though a Juvenile circus were being
staged on the field. The balance board
is narrow board set edge up about a
foot from the ground. and which is used
as part of the physical culture training
apparatus
Tight-rope walking. turning about on
the narrow board. walking backward and
rope jumping were some of the feats
which the youngsters performed When
they first came on the field. in squads
representing the several divisions in the
school system, all of the youngsters ran
forward and performed comparatively
simple feats. Later individuals from the
groups performed more difficult tasks. In
addition to the ropejumping. for in
stance. one boz with his teeth picked up
two chairs. tied together with hand
kerchief Two other boys performed the
old wheelbarrow stunt and two little girls
play yed ball
Thousands of parents and friends of
the children witnessed the program
presented yesterday afternoon. More
than 5000 children took part in the
performance, being made happy by the
fact that the sun remained out during
the fete. Despite the fact that on the
previous day many of them had been
caught In the rain and had their cos
TUNES spoiled, no one could have told
1t by the appearance of the youngsters
yesterday. Teachers throughout the
city. and parents, too, had combined
their efforts to renovate the costumes.
Somersault Relay Feature.
Although several Of the numbers were
prettier. it is doubtful If any feature
of the program was received with
greater enthusiasm by the audience
than somersault relay race by the
boys of the fourth grade Each lap the
boys had to turn three somesaults on
small colored bags placed in the
course. The bags were placed there to
protect the heads when the boys turned
the somersaults, and while the young
sters valiantly strove to strike the
most of the time, that it Is likely
Washington today has number of
young sore heads" Girls of the same
grade ran figure s" relays.
One Of the most spectacular features
was a gymnastic Indian story Attired
as Indians, the kiddies of the third
grade depicted phases of Indian life "a
la pantomime. Accompanied by music
composed especially Tor the occasion by
Sol Minister, and with the drumming
being done on real Indian tom toms,
the young aborigines signaled their
friends to hunt hunted for game. shot
game with bow and arrow, stalked
their enemies. calmly tomahawked them
with pasteboard hatchets. then padded
home in their canoes and danced the
dance of victory.
Children of the first grade started
the program with little dances accom-
panying old nursery rhymes. such as
Ride a Cock Horse to Banbury Cross
and Hickory, Dickory, Dock" Folk
dances were given by the fifth and
sixth grades. thA first named present
ing 'RitchRatch,' Swedish. and the
the higher grade gave "Trallen." from
the Swedish. and "Snowstorm.'' Rus