The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1923-05-25
PUBLIC SCHOOL LAWNS WERE
TRANSFORMED INTO FARMLAND

An exquisite story in dance, a
dance of the Poetry of Love- Is the
way to describe the May Fete which
was put on last evening by, the chill
dren of the Franklin school. 1t was
wholly of the fairy world and the
green lawn, with it's, boughs of
blooming lilacs were converted into
an enchanted Fairyland. On the
open greensward were groups of
nymphs. dancing gayly, some run
ming and tripping with butterfly wings
in fleeting moments OF passing fancy
as fairies frolicing over meadows.
All of these sprites and elves of the
ethereal world were. dressed to re-
present flowers, and dancing girls
with wreaths of flowers and skip
ping ropes. And from behind this
scene of lovliness and masses of
foliage, floated sweet strains of
music like Pan playing upon his
pipes. Adorned and entwined was
the balcony of blooming thorn apple.
flowers and vines, English ivy grow
ing up on the building, and a gorge
Gus evening sunset combined formed
exquisite setting for these chubby
cherubs as they tripped about with
their elfin- like movements. Dressed
as Herald of Spring in costume of
black and yellow, black hat with
yellow, lengthy plume, was NARROW
Ihling. who stood on the balcony and
in clear tones addressed the audi
ence in a prelude to Spring, and the
follow. The kindergarten band open
ed the program with group of
songs, Spring. Spring is Here and
Springs Arrival, and the little direc
for welded the baton like a profess
sional. A Tree Top duet and a group
of other songs were beautifully sung
by the primary and intermediate
grades. The dances given by the
first three grades of the kindergar-
ten, supplemented by a chorus of up
per grade girls, showed careful
training on the part of those in
charge. "Narcissus," charming
dance, interpreted by group of in
termediate girls danced the "Awak-
ening Of the Flowers" and complete
ly won the hearts of their audience.
They were Bernice Johnson, Lorine
German, Marjory Smith. Alice Mil
Ter, Mary Engel and Leoba Schlieck-
er. They responded with an encore.
During the arrival of the Flowers"
the boys chorus from the Interme-
date grades with Miss Dorothy
Smith at the piano and Miss Julia
Hub, the violin, gave number OF
musical selections. THE Bubble
Dance" with twenty-four girls in
white. vari- colored sashes, carrying
balloons of the same solors, the lilac
shades and green's of the decora-
tons formed most harmonious
blending, making it a perfect picture
of Corots Wood nymphs". The au-
dience was most enthusiastic over
this dance. And then came the darl-
ing little Butterflies" in their gauzy
dresses of gold and wings of purple.
danced barefoot SO gracefully, nit
ting among the Mowers and "bIith-
some and gay, slipping the flower
sweets over the way. They were
Alice Date, Dorothy Gustafson, Clar-
ice Wigen and Boneta Jones. mo
dest little Violets coming In the
Spring" were dressed in deep purple,
with petals for dresses and little
caps with green stems protruding
from the top, danced so cleverly that
the audience was eager to take each
into their arms to love, for they were
modest" as they were pretty. But
the Peoples" were not to be out
done, even IL they were sleepy.
Pretty rep caps and dresses to
match, were their costumes. Frilled
caps and petals Of yellow and white
were the daisies, who nodded greet
ings, "so-and so," to their friends.
Gold and crimson tulips, lift your
bright heads up" and the little tulips
dressed In. scarlet caps and gowns
did well their part. Nothing was
more beautiful than the little pink
and lavender sweet peas, pupils of
the first grade, in dainty costumes.
They were so happy that their JOY
radiated to the audience creating a