Evening star., 1923-11-14
PAGEANT FEATURE
OF NATURE STUDY
Need of Forest Protection to
Be Depicted at Central
High School.

Need of forest protection and nature
In all her various phases will be
shown Friday night in the nature
study pageant at the Central High
school Auditorium, when 400 grade
school pupils take the part of birds,
trees, the spring, bugs. flowers and
plants. The pageant, under the di-
rection of Elizabeth K. Peoples of the
nature study department, is charac-
terized by the American Nature AS
sociation as of the utmost Importance
schools of the country just how the
Washington schools put on the show.
The proceeds are for the benefit of
the Junior Red Cross.
Pageant "Leads.,
In the pageant the '1eads" will be:
The Voice" by Donald Grove of the
Dennison School: The North Star"
Ruth Shaughnessy of the II. d. Cooke
School; Spring" by Natalie Norwood
Spirit" by Ruth Shaughnessy: ''Uncle
Sam" Ledger Smith of the Ludlow
School The Voice." which will in
terpret the action, represents a phase
of general science work taught by
the nature study teachers. Every
"a
action is based upon facts of agri-
culture. astronomy, bird protection
and forest. conservation.
\ choir from the II. d. Cooke School
will augment the voices on the stage
in the vocal music. Tickets and pro-
grams are the work of the boys at
the Lenox Print Shop. Cyril Flannery
is in charge of lighting,
Aided by Class Teachers.
The nature study department has
been greatly assisted by the class
teachers in training the children, the
drawing, music, penmanship, manual
training. physical training and do
mestic art departments.
In the first act, the friendly stars
will show the northern consultations
A song by the stars and star dance.
by "Polaris" Ruth Shaughnessy, will
be attractive features.
In act II school gardens are to be
represented by group of twenty
farmers and farmerettes from the
Wallach-Towers School. Their crop
vigorously defended from insects
Morgan SchooD and weeds (Jeffer-
son SchooD, after which the victori-
Gus gardeners dance for joy about
their harvest.
ures," tells the story of our fast
vanishing natural resources. the
white mans guilt and his responsible
ity.
Scene 1 shows the forest primeval
sehoois9, eH ais1' wiIdfiowers SsoiST John Eaton
SchooD and two small owls (John
Eaton Sch ~ are seen in the dusk.
Moths an iirefliss CPeabody-H Hilton
SchooD enter and fit among the
trees. The little owls search for
Spring (Natalie Norwood) appears
She beckons the birds and animals
into the wood, and at her touch Wlld
flowers (John Eaton SCHOOL, unfold.
Next water nymphs (Hubbard School)
appear and dance among the trees,
for streams can flow only where
watersheds are forested. Last come
the Indians tJohn Eaton SchooI, who
for SO many centuries lived IN the
midst of the forest, loving it, using II,
but never despoiiing it.
Scene discloses the same forest
scene. into which come lumbermen
Gudlow SchooD, who chop the trees
heedlessly and before whom BIRDS
and animals fee. There follow a
group of campers Ludlow SchooD,
forest, but go away leaving their
camp fire burning. The fire spreads.
Out from it leap flames" John
Eaton SchooD and the Fire Spirit
(Ruth .Shaughnessy). which consume
the trees. AS the flames die out the
forest is left a 'charred waste. There
enter a bird. a water nymph wild
flower, a dryad and a bunny, who
look about daZed and frightened;
then stand a symbol of grief Then
comes Uncle Sam" Though at first
grief stricken. he departs with de-
termined gesture.
Scene 3 shows the devastated forest
to which Uncle Sam" returns, bring
ing with him his armies of restora-
tion and preservation. The forest
service (ketcham SchooD chop the
burned trees still standing and plant
new trees The Wild Flower PreSer-
walton and Audubon Societies
(Ketcham School) call back the birds
and flowers. Little by little the for
est is restored; and into it come the
patriots of old and young (Ketcham
SchooD. who love and enjoy it and
pledge themselves to protect it.