Norwich bulletin., 1918-06-19
THE STORY OF wINDHAm.
Beautiful Pageant Presented by Wind- ham Girls Club at Recreation Park.

THE STORY OF WINDHAM. Beautiful Pageant Presented by Wind ham Girls Club at Recreation Park.
 One of the most beautiful pageants l ever given in this city was presented at Recreation park Tuesday evening bv the Windham Girls club, with the aid of several other local societies. The pageant was titled The Story of Windham and showed the history from the time of the purchase of the land up to the forces at home at the present time.
 The weather was ideal for such an event, and although it was half an hour late in starting. the light was strong enough to witness it to the finish. Preceding the starting of the pageant, Wheelers American band of this city gave band concert.
 The exhibition was staged on the infield of the baseball diamond. Screen3 containing brush had been erected and dry grass was scattered over the dirt. The setting sun over the hills formed a fine background against the brilliant costumes.
 About 2,O00 people attended the pageant, crowding the grandstand and oyerflowing on to the bleachers, and several hundred standing up. Two of ficers were present to keep order, but were not needed. as everybody was impressed with the spectacle. in which about 500 took part Each episode was announced by the four pages with bugles.
 At 7.45 the processional started. Headed by four young ladies, attired in yellow flowing gowns, with trum- pets at their lips, the mistress of cere- monies, Miss Alice Jones, who rode on small pony. was escorted to her throne. She was preceded by flower girls who were clothed in dresses of yellow and green. and they strewed flowers in her path. There were also several pages and attendants. This part of the ceremony was undertaken by the children of St Joseph's school under the direction of Mrs. A. w. Turner.
 The first episode was an allegorical representation of the invitations of the woods, fields and rivers extended to the pioneer settlers. Children of Natchaug and Windham street schools, clothed in white performed intricate dance steps and turns. Eight teachers also took part. This episode was di- rected by Dennis Clifford.
 Ten young ladies, barefoot, and clothed in brilliant flowing robes danced in the grass, giving the ale gorical representation of the invitation given the settlers by nature.
 The second episode showed the In- dians selling the land. The Indians entered first and after making fire as officers in the Continental army | accompanied by two privates and sev- eral colored attendants, then entered and bargained for land. Gifts of cloth were given to the Indians, who 1 promptly wound it about them and hao a dance. The sale vas solemnized by smoking the peace pipe. Those taking part in this part were from the Willi- | mantle Y. NJ. C. A.
 1 The third episode showed the life { on Windham Green in 1750. About 2( girls from the office and Inspecting de i partment of the American Thread : company. who were dressed in tht ; fashion of that time with powdered i hair took part. They performed par of old fashioned dances, etc. MT i Clifford directed this part. 1 The great thread industry, whici has made Willimantic famous, was ths 1 title of the fourth episode. About 4 young ladies who are employed in tht Thread company took part. They wore white dresses and gay colored sweaters Each held one end of a colored thread
 which was attached to a large Wheee
 and performed several fancy steps
 The fifth episode was the most pic Eturesaue and was entitled Willimanti 1 and It's Wars. The first part showet
 the Spirit of '76, with two drummeri
 and a ffer, clothed in tatters of uni ! forms of the time. In the center O
 the stage they played Yankee Doodle 1 The second part portrayed the Civi
 war. Several members of the Hom,
 guard, wearing blue overcoats, pitch
 ed dog tent in the center of th4
 stage and, after stacking their guns lay in the grass and sang Tentin: Tonight At this time it was jus commencing to become dusk and tn picture was impressed on all, as at tested by the silence. Undoubtedl,
 many thought of friends now in Franc in similar conditions. The last par of this episode showed the spirit o today, entering a new struggle Mis-
 Frances Farrell, who wore whit T, flowing gown, with the American fla
 thrown over her shoulders and woun
 about her, carried service flag. af she was accompanied by a soldier an
 a sailor. They stood at attention il
 the center of the stage while the ban played There's a Long, Long Trail.
 The sixth and last episode shove
 the forces at work at home now an
 was given under the direction of Mis-
 Dorothy Larrabee. The Windhar
 Girls Club. "Willimantic's Bat talion of Death" gave an exhihi
 ton drill and received ovations on tn
 conclusion of special military drill.
 After they had performed all of tn
 military movements they drew up a
 the back of the stage, two deep, an
 some of the local Red Cross, attire
 in pure white. formed on their righ
 and the Y. M. c. A. delegation on thei
 left. The latter formed into a tri
 angle. with a red border, making
 red triangle, and showed the letter
 Y. M. c. A.
 The Boy Scouts and Girl Pioneer
 then took places in front of these or
 ganizations and after settees had bee
 placed in the center members of tn
 Red Cross, some in white and other
 in red, marched on the stage. The sat on the settees in such a way as t form Red Cross, surrounded b . white. The band then struck up Tn Battle Hymn of the Republic and tn audience joined in on the chorus. Thi
 concluded the pageant.
 The pageant was written by Mis-
 Ruth Myra Smith. secretary of tn Girls club, and produced under he direction.