The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1923-06-11
INTEREST OF ENTIRE STATE
CENTERED ABOUT VAST UNIVER-
SITY OF IDAHO ENTERPRISE

In drama, dance and. song, the his
tory of Idaho, from the days when
Lewis and Clark were led across her
mountains and through her valleys
by Sacajawea, the Indian maid, until
the present time, was told in the great
historical pageant, The Light on the
Mountains presented by University
of Idaho students Saturday night.
The pageant attracted by far the lar
gest crowd ever seen on MacLean
field of the number of peo-
pie who filled the permanent
and improvised bleachers on this side
hill ranging from $500 to 10000.
Hundreds of people drove in from
Lewiston and other nearby cities, and
scores were here from the southern
part of the state. Perhaps the most
interesting group among the specta-
tors, was the pioneers who occupied
a section by themselves, as guests of
the university. Among these were not
a few men who were in Idaho before
the Nez Perce war, and who were per-
sonally familiar with many of the epi-
sodes depicted
The pageant reflected the greatest
credit upon the originators and direc-
tors, and attracted more attention to
the university and to Moscow than
anything previously attempted
Feature Fighting Effects
Features of the pageant were the
spectacular lighting effects, which
were carried out so effectively against
the background of hills surrounding
the field, and which included the re-
peated appearance on the hilltop of
the gigantic figure of an Indian horse
man, typifying E-dah-ho."
Two hundred and fifty people took
part in the pageant, and that the sue
cess is best demonstrated by the fact,
hat although an outdoor assemblage,
he crowd, instead of struggling away,
throughout, giving the
closest attention with eye and ear,
rom the time the first speaker ap-
,eared, until the grand finale, when
more than 500 students sang Behold
he Dawning Light Upon the Noun
aims"
Indians Contribute to Success
A factor contributing to the sue
ess of the pageant was the co-opera-
ion given by the Nez Perce Indians
rom Fort Lapwai Three Nez Perce
hiefs, James NIcConnvile, VIM White
ird, and Jas. Whitebear, all of them
ons Of chieftains who fought under
hief Joseph in the Nez Perce war,
anne to Moscow with Indian costumes
Or the use Of the actors taking Indian
arts. These costumes were perhaps
lie most beautiful Indian work now
btainable, for the Nez Perces have
le best Indian regalia in the North
est. The Indian chiefs painted the
hite Indian actors, and took part in
le Indian fighting in the pageant.
hey also lead the procession and
leir own regalia excited especial
from the crowd, particularly
lie war bonnet worn by Whitebird,
hich is one of the finest in the United
.ates. Arrangements with the In
ans were made for the university
rough Mr.. Roy Lane of Lapwai, who
'ntributed his time and services to
e pageant.
Opens With Masque.
The pageant opened with a symbol
masque, introduced by the appear
ice of Earl Witteborg Of Caldwell,
ho took the part of The Univers-
Y" heralding the approach of
Hiss Idaho" represented by Miss
AN Rowlands of Standpoint, who
ID been elected by the students to
is honor.
Significance of the pageant title,
he Light on the Mountains" is ex
aimed by "The University" in po-
ic version of the fact that the Sfo
oni Indians used to cry 'E-dah-ho"
the morning when they saw the
sing sun throwing a lustrous rim
light about the mountain tops,
ove the timber line This was the
igin of the name, idaho" and
cant, Behold, the sun coming down
e mountains"
AS a light shone suddenly on the
lltop adjoining MacLean field, the
iversity athletic field, where the
geant was staged, typical characters