Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1916-05-16
In Spite Of Unfayorable Weather
About Two Thousand People
Gathered to Witness
Affair.
WAS A BEAUTIFUL SPECTACLE
Parade Receives Much Applause
The Program on the School
Grounds.

In spite Of frowning skies and a
chilly wind, there were probably
two thousand people gathered Fri
day afternoon at 1870 o'clock in tho
school ground, the court house park
and the immediate vicinity to wit
ness the second annual May Fete Of
the children of the Webster City
public schools. With remembrance
OF a beautiful program of last year,
the assembled throng was in no way
disappointed Friday, for the
drills, songs and dances We're II any
thing more beautifully given than
those Of last May.
The afternoon festivities began
with feature which had never be
fore been given in this city and
which was one of the most signif-
cant and. touching parades that
could have been witnessed. The
children Of Webster City between
the ages Of five and sixteen or sew
enteen, numbering about 100,
marched by twos down through the
business section. Business was sus-
pended and employees Of the various
business houses were out on the
street. I, Frequent applause greeted
the children as they marched
through the business district and
the general public had an emporium
ity to see the number Of this city's
greatest asset-her children.
The procession. accompanied by
all the teachers, and headed by
Charles Mason in Colonial costume,
on horseback, had just reached the
Baptist. church corner on the return
march to the school grounds as the the
end Of the parade was disappearing
going north on Des Moines street at
the Division street corner making
processioa. of five Hlocks in length.
The Commerce. league band acted
as the Pied Piper Friday and all
the children followed. The teachers
and children Of the schools heartily
appreciate the courtesy Of the band
upon this occasion, the pleasure of
which was greatly heightened by
the music.
Following the band in order came
groups of Continental soldiers in
uniform of blue and yellow with
cooked hats, and British soldiers in
red With the high red hats of the
Revolutionary period. These were
represented by boys from the sew
enth and eighth grades. Next the
tiny tots Of the kindergarten by
whose side Supt. Kelly walked; lit
tie Quakey .boys and girls in somber
grey; the sexen year old boys with
high black hats; then little Dutch
girls in blue. and white with aprons
and caps; following them a section
of little eight and nine year old girls
in Swedish costume; then the Lawn
Hill children with appropriate ban
ner. Next came a group of South
erners. closely followed by Red
Cross nurses and the Fifth Ward
school; children OF the lower grades
not in costume and Of the north
building were followed by Indian
braves and squaws. Puritan maids
in white caps and collars, Scotch
lassies and Irish in green and white !;
a band of young Colonial girls with
powdered hair and rainbow hued
costumes preceded the little boys Of
the navy in sailor caps carrying
oars. Then came the decorated au-
tomobile in which rode the May
Queen--Miss Helen Alexander
took the part of Columbia in the
pageant. and Rex. Britson, who was
attired as Uncle Sam. The car was
attended by the queens six attend
ants, who were later her messengers
of peace, and was followed by the
girls and boys Of the high school.
The procession wound it's way to
the spacious green between the
school buildings and the court house
where bower decorated with the
national colors received Columbia
and Uncle Sam.
Two May poles were surrounded
by the kindergarteners for the first
number on the program, the tiny
white clad boys and girls romping
their way through the May dance
with charming infantile abandon.
The music for this and the other
dances was furnished by the high
school orchestra with a piano and a
small organ in addition. The ac-
companists were from the high
school as well as from the ranks OF