Evening star., 1931-05-24
PAGEANT
DESPITE CHILLY DAY
Nearly Thousand CoIorfuI
Costumes Add Beauty
to Presentation.

The chilly blasts Of an exceptionally
cold May afternoon swept across VIII
son Stadium at Central High School
yesterday afternoon as nearly 1000
colcrfully attired children from the
community centers of the District pre-
sented for their annual festival a spe-
cially adapted arrangement of Fern
Stevenson's Wizard Of o."
Approximately 5000 persons, include
ing children from the various orphan
ages of the District. who were guests at
the festival, braved the cold winds to
witness the gay spectacle. 1t was the
presentation that it was held outdoors.
Hurry Back TO Wraps.
AS each group of dancers and per-
formers concluded their numbers they
quickly retired to the background to
don wraps over their light costumes
Most of the children were stockingless
and shoes were abandoned also for some
of the acts.
The arrangement of the Stevenson
drs ma. presented under the auspices of
the Community Center Department
was prepared originally for the Depart
ment of Recreation of Detroit by Miss
Lottie A. McDermott, supervisor Of
Detroit's Fairgrounds.
A troup of Scouts from the local
chapter of the Boy Scouts Of America,
under the direction Of Col. E. L. Mattice,
acted as usherS for the festival. The
costumes worn by the participants,
which represented a gay variety OF col
ors, were provided by the children ap-
pearing in the cast.
Parade Leads Action.
A parade of the entire pageant led
the dramatic action in the presenta-
ton Immediately after came the dance
representing the Kansas cyclone which
carried Dorothy, the Juvenile heroine,
across the Desert of Burning Sands TO
the mythical Land of OF.
The transfer of the wicked witch of
the East who was carried off by the
same sprites Of the cyclone was de-
picted by dance of the Munchkins,
inhabitants of the east section of the
Land Of or. The Munchkins were rep
resented by students of Janney, Cor
don, Thomson and Force elementary
schools, led by HedWin WarmenhoVen,
in the role Of the witch Of the East.
The witch Of the Gillikens, northern
inhabitants Of the Land Of on, the part
played by Elizabeth j. Stieg, then
the wicked witch Of the East and in
yited her TO visit the Lavender house
of the Gillikens.
Following in fantastic sequence came
the encounters with the farmers and
the Scarecrow, played by Allan Schweitz-
er, John Chapman and Allan McCor-
mick, respectively, eliminating with the
dance Of the Corn and Crows, led by
children OF John Eaton, MuTch, Park
View. Cook and Chevy Chase COM
munity centers.
Ends with Poppy Dance.
After the dance the Tin Woodman
/ and the CoIardly Lion, played by
| Catherine Cronenberg and Wilbur
! Schafer made their appearance This
( scene closed with the dance Of the
| poppies, by children from Janney, Cor
! don. Thomson. Takoma and E. v. Brown
! schools. Led by AiIeen Dunbar, Queen
/ Mouse. there followed the dance OF the
/ mice, participated in by children from
| Oyster. Columbia Heights, Ben Murch
| Buchanan and Southeast centers.
There were altogether 81 units oi
the presentation concluding with the
J final march of the field The prin-
| cipal characters, in addition to those
| mentioned, were Toto, played by Lor-
| raine Radium: Wild Cat, by Thomas
| Collingwood, Patchwork Girl, by Shir-
| ley Schafter; Green Guard, by Richard
| wilson the Wizard OF or, played by
! Jane Elizabeth Hix; Gnome King, b.
| Marguerite Kluh, Polychrome, b.
| Martha Schoenfeidt: Monkey, by Les
lie Schafer: the Winkie Witch, by Jane
Fletcher, and the Quadling Witch, b.
Gertrude Warmenhoyen. Tight-rop'
walkers we're Airline Malone Ksthlcer
Lawrence and Dawn Louise Irving.
Marine Band Plays.
Music for the spectacle was presented
By the United States Marine Band
under the direction of Arthur S. Whit
comb. Costumes were designed unde
the direction of Miss Ethel Jones
Schools participating in the festival in
cluded the Barnard, Ben Murch, z. v
Brown, Columbia Heights, Henry u
Cooke, East Washington, John Eaton
Force, Georgetown. Grant, Janney
Langley. Macfarland. Oyster, Park View
Petworth. Southeast, Takoma ant
Thomson.