The Washington times., 1929-04-11
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WINCHESTER, Va, April
11.-The greatest pageant ever
staged in Northern Virginia
will feature the, Sixth Apple
Blossom Festival, which will
be held at Winchester, April
is and 10.
The final draft of the pageant has
Just been issued by Mrs. Edna
Eighmey Petrescu, its director, and
the work of months of preparation
will come to close this week when
dress rehearsals will begin.
The Handley School building 8
stately portico and beautiful columns
will be used as the setting for the
spectacle, which promises to be the
most colorful production ever held
under the blue skies of northern Vir'
ginia.'
Navy Band Plays
The ear as well as the eve will be
charmed by 1.-THE Builders" for the
theme of the pageant is written in
songs and interpreted by dances. A
chorus of 80 voices, accompanied by
an orchestra from the United States
Navy Band, under the direction of
lieutenant Charles Benter, win sing.
Carefully placed microphones and
amplifiers will carry the words and
music, to the most distant spectator.
A cast of nearly 500 pupils, as
+. 81 med by patrons and faculty mem
bers OF the Handley schools, will take
part in the production. The costume
and property committees, under the
direction of Miss Eula Harris and
Miss Katherine Pannill, are sparing
no effort to provide a gorgeous dis
play.
Miss Elma Hancon, supervisor of
vocal mnsic in the Handley School,
IS training the chorus. The director
has the assistance of Miss Virginia
Boyd in teaching the many dances
used in this production. Miss Har-
riet Harris will be at the piano, and
Hugh Duffey at the microphone as
reader,
Building, the Theme
The development of the pageant
falls naturally into four divisions.
Z. The first devoted to builders OF ma
ture. the second to builders Of the
past. the third to builders of today.
and the last to Shenandoah's prom
Use of the future.
The builders Of nature are the
elements: such as the snow, winds
clouds, rain, sunbeams, flowers, In
Guiding the daffodils. tulips. pansles.
and violets; also the butterflies.
Interpreting tn past. the pageant
will give historical representations
of those characters peculiar to the
valley section of Virginia; the
KNIGHTS of the Golden Horseshoe,
the Indians, the Colonials, and those
Of our forefathers who fought both
the Revolutionary and Civil Wars.
TOday's Leaders
Many factors enter into the
Builders of Today, but those con-
gidered by the pageant are: The
contributions of education in its
various phases, the development of
better community spirit, and recent
deyelopments in transportation.
which have done so much to make
tha valley of Virginia known
throughout the world. In this acS,
through dances and tableaux, the
pageant attempts to depict the
shirt of modern Virginia.
Az indicated above, part four,
Shenandoah's Promise of the Flu
ture, takes as its central theme TIE
arpIs blossom, presenting in Soug
and dance and colorful tahleaux
the characteristics of the beautiful
bloom which means so much to this
Ioality.
Az nature went about her task
preparing the stage for the tes-
tiyal. 35 committees today were
called upon to speed the compile
ton of final plans.
The festival will be ruled over
BY Miss Mary ]. Matthews, Of Man
ming. w. Va. The queen of the
fete will have court of princesses
from Virginia, Maryland. Pennsyl-
yania, West Virginia and the Dis
trict of Columbia,
Experts Watch Trees
horticultural experts have been
keeping a careful watch on the
thousands of apple trees surround
ing the little town, and have agreed
that they will be in full bloom
during the third week in April.
Gov. w. F. Conley, of West Vir-
ginia. will ride at the head of the
States division in the festival
parade.
Miss Virginia Ann Huntsberry,
daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. Walter
Huntsberry, has been named Prin-
cess Winchester Senator john A.
Lesner of the second State senatorial
district, has appointed Miss Eleanor
Garnett, of Norfolk as princess rep
resenting that district.
Special trains will carry thousands
to attend the festival which is staged
in one Of the most beautiful natural
,rnAAirr &c IN fha Virginia Valley