Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-07-31
FEAST Of RED CORN"
IS GIVEN BY CHILDREN
Members Of Margaret Wilson Social
Center Present Pretty In
dian Operetta.
Sioux Costuming, Language, Music
and Customs Faithfully Presented
by Youngsters.

With a number or government ofh-
Gals Intimately connected with the
government service applauding vigor-
ously, the children of the Margaret
Wilson. Social Center of the Grover
Cleveland School presented a pretty
Indian operetta last night, in true imi-
tation Of the Sioux costuming. Ian
guage, music and customs.
That this operetta, The Feast of the
Red Corn might be historically cor
rect and give accurate Information re-
garding the life Of the Indians. those
| in charge Of the festival had the CO.
operation and advice of some of the
most noted entomologists in the coun
try, who are connected with the Smith
sonian Institution. Those included
Francis La Flesche, himself a son OF a
former chief of the Omaha tribe, who
has done as much as any man living
to preserve the history and traditions
of the Indian; John N. B. Hewitt and
James Mooney, who are active workers
in the Smithsonian Institution.
S. Feland, formerly of the geological
survey, who has spent many years
among the Indians and whose customs
and disposition has become as a sec
ond nature to him. assisted greatly in
visuaiizing the intimate life of the red
man. He taught the little actors to
make their stage picture more realistic
by doing things "as the spirit moves
you." just as the Indians do. He
taught them how to make their drum
sticks. how to hang their blankets in
| the tent scene, etc. And he loaned for
casins and other beadwork that had
been made for him by the daughter of
! the famous Sitting Bull.
E. B. Merritt Voices Praise.
SO well was the operetta staged that
Edgar B. Merritt, assistant commits
sioner Of Indian affairs who was
among the spectators, complimented
those in charge on the."splendid man
ner in which the play was gotten up
and presented" He said the details
were admirably worked out, and he
pledged to the Margaret Wilson Social
Center any assistance the Indian bu-
reau could give it at any time.
Another interested spectator was b.
W. Murch, superintendent Of the school
Fairgrounds, who commended highly
the work Of all those who were con-
nected in any capacity with the fes-
tival and said it should be a model Of
what social centers connected with the
District schools should do for the chill
dren in the summer time.
There was no war paint on the little
actors faces, for this was play Of
happiness and Thanksgiving to the
Great Spirit for bounteous harvests Of
as the most Impressive part of the pro-
gram.
One Of the prettiest Of the stage pic
lures was the Indian summer tent scene
! This tent, draped in oak leaves around
three poles, and hung with blankets and
| baskets, with a pile OF red corn in the
foreground and stacks of cornstalks in
the rear. was the contribution Of a COM
80 hpu, v1yhr ay,< into hA
woods, cut the boughs and spent an en-
tire day in building the tent scene This
| committee consisted Of Barnard Smith,
Walter scnbener. Gregory Wiedman and
with satisfaction when they heard the
applause from tho surprised audience as
tho curtain disclosed the pretty stage pic
ture
Indian Dances Are Features.
In this scene was given the Indian
sun dance, the characters prancing about
with eyes on the ground, looking for the
red corn that the sun god had showered
upon them. Another pretty Indian dance
was that Of the "Tortuous PATH" some
thing after the style of Follow my lead
err" save that the prancing youths each
grasped the one in front Of him by the
belt. Last night they called this. accord
ing to the true Indian vernacular-
"Oo-hae- ba-shon-shon."
| Carlisle Jackson was tho Indian
chief. who lighted the pipe of peace
and blew out the smoke while the
! thirty-f1ve others in the cast watched
solemnly as 1t foated out and disap-
peared.
Miss Cecil B. Norton. the chiefs
squaw. contributed one Of the solos,
''From the Land of the Sky-blue Wa
ter" and she received such enthusiastic
applause she was forced to repeat 1t.
The theme of this beautiful song has
been preserved through the efforts of
Miss Alice Cunningham Fletcher of
Washington. one Of the most indefa-
tigable workers for Indian rights. She
lived for years with the Indians, and
has been called their good angel" She