Evening star., 1927-04-17

occasion OF the Cherry Blossom Festi-
citation of such a celebration being held
since it comedies with our own SINH
lar festivals. This celebration estab.
fishes one more cooperative effort for
increased friendly relations between
our two countries
"And lastely, the message from Wis
count Shibusawa reads: Delighted 70
hear of Cherry Blossom Festival in
Potomac Park on April 16, and sin
cerely hope that the occasion viii he
attended with complete success. Am
sure it win be considered by our peo.
pie as an expression of warm friend
ship toward Japan not only of your
foundation, but of the American peo.
ple.''
Spirit of Storm Driven Of.
Gen. Helnick thanked the Ambas-
sador on behalf of the National Me-
mortal Foundation, which staged the
pageant, and read the replies of Mrs.
James Brattle Burbank, president of
the association, to the telegrams OF
felicitation.
The second act represented Amer
ica's part in the story of the cherry
blossoms Children of Washington
opened the scene. with Cherry Bios
som in their midst. While the chill,
dren admired the trees, which We're
represented by dancers from Column
bia Junior High School, boys from the
same school representing the spirit of
the storm came whooping on the
scene bent on destruction of the trees.
Before this could be accomplished the
Japanese lord who appeared in the
first act. and who by this time had
grown to heroic proportions, appeared
and drove them all off.
In the finale Miss Alice Louise
Hunter, as the Spirit of America, APP
peared, followed by the Children Of
the American Revolution, Girl and
Boy Scouts and children. of the EN-
bassies All nations share with
America in the JOY and beauty of the
flowers. The pageant ended with the
singing of the Goodnight Song" to
the trees to the tune of America the
Beautiful"
Dances Are Feature.
Outstanding features of the pageant
were the dances of Miss. katherine
Slaughter in the first act and those
of Miss Frances Rand and Miss Nancy
| Thompson and Jack Gendron in the
| second. Miss Slaughter, who had not
previously rehearsed her dance, gave
| the dance of Spring in the worst fury
of the storm and never faltered in
| spite Of wind and rain, which made
| it difficult for her to keep her footing
or the slippery grass. Miss Rand
another new addition to the program
gave the dance of the morning mist
and 5-year-old Miss Thompson and
| Master Gandron, who is 6, executed
| a colonial dance in the final scene.
Mrs. Elsie Marsteller Mulliken, who
| directed the pageant, earned most OF
| the credit for It's smoothness and eff
| fectiveness by her cooness in tht
face of unforeseen obstacles. She was
drenched by the rain and kneeled or
the ground throughout the perform
ance, directing the actors through &
megaphone. II never had such Z
good time" she said afterward.
She insisted that most OF the credi
| belonged to Misses Evelyn Davis
Mary Schultz and Dorothy Collins
who gave up their Easter vacations t.
train the school children for thei
parts in the pageant.
Mrs. Hager Is Author.
The pageant was written by Mrs
Alice Rogers Hager. Its continuanc
was assured by an announcement b,
the National Memorial Foundation
that it would be given annually il
the future The honorary chairme
of the foundation committee were Mrs
Dwight +. Davis, Mrs. John B. Her
derson and Mrs. Burbank. Anon
the guests were the Secretary Of Stat
and Mrs. Kellogg and diplomatic rel
resentatives from most of the nation
represented here.
: Embassy and legation children VIII
, | A. ~
+ Sutemi Murayakia. Brazil. Maria Jc
+ seph Aquino, Halcyone Aquino; Swif
} zerland. Mabel Faesch: Dominican RI
E HH gs4 E%& sQsny Ta8&a49 IS 70
~, tEs4A 4S&re III. .sXE ~