The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1919-11-13
.P|ERCE'S BLACK FACE
ARTISTS MADE A HIT
Town Criers Stage Minstrel Show for
Armistice Night-Eighteen New
Members Initiated at Big
Banquet


Banquet
Feasting and merriment interspers-
ed with moments when serious con-
sideration was given the Importance
of the day marked the regular meet
ing of the Minot Town Criers Tues
day evening.
The ladies of Bethania Lutheran
church served the dinner which was
spread in the Odd Fellows hall ad-
joining the Association of Commerce
rooms and many complimentary ex-
pressions were heard for both the
dinner and the services. A class Of
10 candidates were initiated into the
mysteries and familiarized with the
duties obligatory upon the members
of the craft. Grand High Chief c.
B. Bach presided over these solemn
and impressive rites. President Jones
appointed Ward Newman, secretary
pro tenn and a short business session
was held at which a communication
was read wherein the Minot high
school pupils ask the support Of the
Criers in inducing the city admins
tration to provide skating ponds thru
out the city for the benefit of the pub
lie generally. This communication to-
gether with the proposition that the
Criers sponsor a basket ball team
which would be organized from among
the younger businessmen of the city
was tabled for future consideration.
At the conclusion of the business ses-
sion POSTMASTER L. M. Ellithorpe was
called to the chair. The POSTMASTER
in his address laid special emphasis
upon the Importance of the day and
the necessity of its proper observ-
ance on the part of the various en-
tente nations.
Major Crane was introduced and af-
ter paying a'tsplendid tribute to the
enterprise, enthusiasm and public spir-
it of the Town Criers he delivered
an address ringing with Americanism
that will be an inspiration to his hear
ers for years to come. He said that
these were days when constitutional
government and republican institu-
lions were trembling in the balance
and exhorted his hearers to place i'm
plicit reliance upon the stability of
our government and have faith that
the Constitution which our forefath-
ers so wisely provided for the guild
ance of this nation would prove ample
to cover any contingency and sur
mount every difficulty in the form of
bolshevistic spirit which at the pre-
sent time is seeking to sow the seeds
of discord and revolution among our
people. He predicted that eventually
the Ship of State would outride the
storm and finally anchor our country
in the harbor Of peace and safety
where capital and labor, producer and
consumer, should each receive a square
deal and comfort and contentment be
the lot of the American people. Pro-
fessor and Mrs. Howard then favored
the assemblage with a rendition Of
the airs which stirred the pulses of
the Boys in Blue during the dark per-
iod of the Civil War. B. E. Stewart
was then introduced as the poet laur-
eat Of the Town Criers club. Mr..
Stewart read an original poem on
Armistice Day which will appear in
succeeding issue of the Independent.
The signal was then given that Orrin
Pierce and his company of black face
comedians were prepared for the
minstrel show which was staged in
the Association of Commerce rooms
across the hall. Here with impro-
vised scenery and with but slight pre-
paration Manager Pierce and his COM
pany of black face artists RECALLED the
audience for over an hour with jokes
songs witticisms and antics that would
have DONE credit to professional &C
tors. Each member of the cast was
a star performer and nothing could be
added to their lustre by singing out
the various members for special men,
ton but we cannot forebear calling
attention to such numbers as claim
word of commentator.
The following program was render
ed, the accompanies being Miss Har-
riet Mitchell of Churchs Ferry, piano
and Prof. j. Howard, violin.
Carl and Maude, song HE Haw"
Carl Cox.
L. R. SWEET, song, "I'm going where
the weather fits my clothes"
Otto Ellison, song, "You cannot
shake that shimmy here.
G. d. Colcord, song, "Caroline".
! Carl Danielson, song Loves Ole
Sweet Song.
Henry Gay, song, "1ll take YOU
home again Kathleen.
F. L. Blume, song Kisses.
C. G. Hvamsbal, song "Dixie Eyes"
w. r. Holbein, the interlocutor, sang
"I'm Lonesome, That's ALL"
Every member was heartily encor.
ed and taken in connection with the
jokes that were sprung upon many Of
the members in the audience the en-.
tire program was Scream.
|, Ernest Dahlheim in the role of mai
carrier and James Smallwood in hi
impersonation Of . soap-box orato,
and F. Z. Blume, typifying the or
Southern darby singing "Old Blacl
joe are deserving Of special mer
tion also. AS the entire cast group
ed about the stage and sang "Americ;
I Love You" the Stars and Stripe
were unfurled, forming fitting clin
Ak 10 IN EVENINGS enjoyment whic'
will long live in the annals Of II
Clubs history Is perhaps the mos
delightful they have ever held. Pr
lessor and Mrs. Howard contrihnt
in ! great degree to the success