El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-05-19

~ PRING would not be quite com
plete now in FL Paso without tn,
/ - touch of beauty that comes tn,
last of May with the commencement
pageant of the Ell Paso School fol
Girls, which not only the pupils o.
the school and their parents ant
friends enjoy. but many people each
year look forward to. Invitations are
going out this week for this CON-
mencement, which will be held out oil
I doors, as usual, at the school, on Mon
day evening May IS.
Last year, the tercentennary Of the
death of Shakspere, the pageant was
An Olde English Maye-daye of the
yeare 1900" Many people still re-
member the gayety and grace of the
children in the delightful old folk
dances and the village sports; and the
real excellence with which the older
girls presented scenes from AS You
Like It"
This seventh year Of the school,
with the country entering upon a war
whose course and outcome no one can
fOrSee. 1t seemed most fitting to turn
the thoughts Of the students during
these closing weeks of school life TO
the life and spirit of the girl who 500
years ago turned the course of the
Hundred Years war. and saved the
throne of France. So, for the past
weeks. Joan Of Arc, the Maid of Or
leans" has been living again. and in
this far off country of which she new
er dreamed, girls of the new world
have been following her, from her
quiet girlhood in Domremy. in the
fields now rayaged by q fiercer war
than ever the old world dreamed Of:
through her struggles in court and
camp and field, through her triumph
when Charles the Seventh. spite of all
plots against him and the Maid, was
crowned king of France at Rheims
and all the people hailed her as deliv-
erer and saint; down to the very edge
of the deepest shadow, wherein, be-
trayed and sold by her captOrS, she
was turned over to the plotters. who,
traitors to their own manhood an TO
the church they Drofessed TO serve.
burned her at last as a WITCH. and
knew only too late that they had
burned a saint.
In the play as presented by the girls
there is. OF course, no attempt to give
the tragedy at the end, which is only
foreshadowed- Indeed, it is not a play
at all that is being given, as that
would be far too great an undertake
ing for school girls to attempt. It is
rather, as the program says. Scenes
from the life of Jeanne dare set
forth BY students of Ell PasO School
for Girls. in the words Of Percy Mac
Kaye.
The school is Specially fortunate in
being able to make use of parts of the
text chosen Jeanne dare, a Trag-
edy,' by Percy Mackaye, is the play
given some years ago by MarloWe and
Sothern in New York and in a few
eastern cities 1t is strictly protect
ed by copyright: but a most cordial
personal letter from Mr.. MacKaye to
Miss Slater gives permission for the
school to use such scenes from the
play as they wish Mr.. MacKaye says,
Il am happy to have you do it d.
Perhaps you will send me a program
or some photographs. With best
wishes 10 your girls. and kind regards
TO yourself. believe me sincerely
yours, Percy MacKaye."
The play itself is far greater than
any group of scenes taken from il can
adequately present; but even in the
parts CHOSEN, the most indifferent
must be somewhat aware of the beau
" OF the dictiOn, and the high con-
ception Of the character Of Jeanne.
The cast follows:
Scene I-Domremy: The Ladies'
Tree by the Spring Of Clear Water;
Sprlngtlme- 1928
Scene 1.-THE Castle of King
Charles vi at Chinon; March 8. 1929.
Scene III-A meadow outside the
Walls of Orleans; May Z, 1923.
Scene IV-Jeanne's Camp outside
Troyes.
Scene Va street in Rheims; sun
day. July II, 1929.
Scene VI-Jeane's prison in Rouen;
May 80, 1881.
Domremy Folk - Jacques d Arc
father of Jeanne, Ruth Rawlings:
Pierre Arc. brother of Jeanne. court
ing AIengette. Margaret Stevens: Sig
neur Pierre de Bourlement. owner of
The Ladies' Tree" Charlotte Harris;
Colin, counting Jeanne, Alethea COT
fin; Gerard, home from the English
wars, betrothed to Hauviette, Mar
garet Neff; Gerardin, a Burgundian
VilIager counting TSabelIette Mary