The Oakes times. [volume] (Oakes, N.D.) 1906-current, 1917-06-07
IMMENSE THRONC
WITNESS PAGEANT
NEW AND ORIGINAL PRODUCTION
SUCCESSFULLY STAGED
Took on the Early History Of the
County in Its Settlement and
in Its Schools

as part of the Rally Day exercises
at Glendale last Friday, was witnessed
by an immense crowd covering the
front part of the MI campus. All of
Ellendale, old and young, and the
school children and old settlers from
all parts of the county were drawn
there from the fact that the produc-
tion was original and it took on some
of the early history of the Ellendale
schools as we'll as of the early settle
ment of the county.
The Pageant was written in collab-
oration by twenty members of the
community. It was dedicated to the.
pioneers of Dickey county. Its aim
to make historical Interpretation a
medium for the self-expression of
community life; "it becomes indeed a
patriotic embodiment of the life story
of the people, interpreting their own
stirring day, imaging forth their
dreams of yet fairer tomorrows."
The drama is divided into a pro-
logue and four parts In the pro-
logue and at the beginning of the first
three parts appeared the Pioneer Spir-
it, young girl in green robe, gar
landed with wheat, symbolizing an ag-
ricultural state. Her mission was to
eulogize the strength, valor and zest of
our men of the West.
The First Part represents the
Whitestone Battle in the Whitestone
Hills. Here on that eventful day of
September 3, 1863, the busy and popu-
lous Indian village was made desolate
by General Sully and his troops. The
defeated Indians abandoned their be-
loved hunting grounds and fled to the
west.
PARTY shows the canning Of the
pioneerg Children from Norway,
Germany and England, dressed in
their native costumes, appear in turn.
Each group danced its folk dances and
sang its national hymn which merges
into patriotic American songs.
The pioneer homes and life are seen
in Part Three. The Pioneer Spirit
glorified the spirit of youth, faith and
courage which inspired the pioneers to
dream and to conquer.
Part Four epitomizes the history of
the Dickey County schols. The Spirit
of Schools recites the prologue to each
of the three scenes in which are pic
tured the first school of 1882, the first
annual commencement of the Ellen
dale, High School in 1888, and history
of the Normal-1ndustrial School, illus
trated by important events and de-
partments' and played by symbolic
characters.
In the closing scene the Spirit of
Today is the dominating figure. Be.
fore her passed in review the Indians,
the immigrants and the pioneers,
chanting their pledges of loyalty to
the land Of Dacotah and to America
With prophetic vision the Spirit of
Today foretells the noble destiny
which our country is to fulfill in the
world history Of the future.
The Pageant was an inspiration OF
our county superintendent, picked uI
from a similar communal production
put on at the University of North Da
kota. In the preparation and produc
tion she had much, able help, the Nj
instructors showing much interest az
we'll as the earlier citizens Of Ellen
dale. Ss y. III s3sS y 5g,
Five loads of oakes people went
over, The Times family being among
the number, through the Kindness ot
Albert T. johnson and his father
Oakes was nicely represented in the
Pageant by Miss Mae Bowerman act
ing in splendid part 'eThe Pioneer Spir
it," while Miss Kathryn Guy took very
becomingly the spirit Of Today"
K RI 14. 5ssss tsziss5 u ~