Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-18
1900 PUPILS OPEN
BLOSSOMS FETE
10000 Visitors Throng Vim
chester-Queen to Be
Crowned This Evening.
By THOMAS r. HENRY,
stan Correspondent Of The star.

VIII CHESTER, Va. April 1S.-With
q pageant Of approximately 5000 school
children from Virginia, West Virginia
and Maryland through the principal
streets Of Winchester, the annual
Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival
opened here this morning.
There are nearly 10000 visitors, 1t
was estimated at festival headquarters,
despite the cold weather and the fact
that last weeks rains played havoc with
the beauty Of the orchards Free tours
of the orchards are being conducted
throughout the day.
Navy Band Leads.
The parade of blossoms, which started
at 10 am, was led by the United States
Navy Band, under command Of Lieut..
Charles Benter, and was accompanied
by 10 other bands from schools through
out this district, including the band of
the University Of Virginia and of
the Staunton and Augusta Military
Academies. The children, dressed In
pink and green costumes to represent
blossoms, were recruited from approx
mately 40 schools and included nearly
1000 from the public schools Of Win
chester. The paraders were preceded
by Gov: Harry Byrd Of Virginia and
his stan.
The various school delegations, rang
ing from kindergarten tots to high
school seniors, made an impressive pic
ture in their costumes, which were SYM
bolic Of the Spring season and Of the
principal industry Of the countryside
There were girls In green sunbonnets
and pink dresses; carrying baskets Of
flowers; boys In blue overalls and straw
hats, boys inclosed In apple barrels,
children carrying floral streamers, boys
In domino costumes, tiny tots In brown,
representing apple trees, and others In
appropriate costumes TO represent stages
in the apple industry. from planting to
final distribution to the consumer. One
group was dressed In the national cos
tune Of the various European countries
to which Shenandoah Valley apples are
shipped.
Immediately following the parade, q
pageant was presented In the audi
torium of the Winchester High School,
In which. more than 500 children took
part, This pageant represented the
history Of the Shenandoah Valley from
the days Of It's FIRST discovery by the
adventurous knights Of the Golden
Horseshoe from q peak In the Blue
Ridge Mountains. 1t was written espe-
C1AHy 4OI VIC OCNd64OI Wy 1t0AA0 III = Cb~
rescu, and the musical accompaniment
was furnished by the Navy Band Vari-
Gus scenes depicted the discovery. the
settlement by English, irish and Dutch
colonists, the part played by the citi-
1ens Of the Valley in the American
Revolution. the Civil War and ~ re-
building that followed 1t. and the pres
ent-day activities Of the citizens in
farming, industry, education. transpor-
tation and public welfare. The pageant
ended with several dances and choruses
symbolic Of the future.
Early this afternoon there will be
band contest by cadet bands from the
various military schools In the Shenar-
doah Valley, and at ( pm. there will be
Q special concert by the United States
Marine Band. s....
Queen TO Be Crowned.
The big event Of the day will come
at 5 pm, when Miss Mary 10 Matthews
Of Warrington, w. Va, q senior at the
University Of West Virginia, will be
crowned queen Of the Apple Blossom
Festival by Gov william q. Conley Of
West Virginia. She will have q court
Of approximately 500 persons, consist
ing Of princesses. maids Of honor. pages.
heralds, flower girls and other attend
ants.
There will be eS princesses, one from
each senatorial district Of Virginia and
the remainder from the Shenandoah
Valley counties and from West Virginia,
Maryland and the District of Columbia.
Throughout the coronation ceremony
there viii be music by the Navy Band
and by the Glee Club Of the Harrison
burg State Teachers College. Following
the coronation there will be minstrel
show by the Costello Post, American
Legion, Of Washington. This evening
there will be an old-fashioned torch
light parade by all the fire companies of
Winchester and other companies from
Maryland, Pennsylvania and West
Virginia.
Two apple blossom balls are SEIZED.
uled for this evening.