Evening star., 1934-05-13
PAGEANT FEATURE
! OF TERCENTENARY
First 60 Years in Maryland
to Be Depicted at ST..
Marys City.


LEONARDTOWN, Md, May l2-
Details Of the eight episodes COM
prising the historical pageant which
will be the principal feature Of Mary
lands official Tercentenary celebra-
ton at st. Marys City. June Is and
Is, were announced here today as the
st. Marys County Housing Commit
tee began a survey of facilities for the
accommodation of thousands Of visi-
tors.
At the same time r. Bennett Dar-
nell, chairman of the Executive Com
mittee of the State Tercentenary
Commission, who visited Southern
Maryland to inspect the work on the
reproduction Of the original State
House being built at st. Marys City.
proposed that a beauty contest be
held in connection with the Tercen-
tenary. Bellies from all of the South
ern Maryland Counties could compete.
he said.
Originally 1t was planned to give the
historical pageant only on the second
day of the official celebration, but
Tercentenary Commission officials in
Baltimore decided this week to stage
1t on both days so every one could
see 1t.
1000 Persons to Participate.
The pageant, In which 1000 per-
sons will participate, will be presented
on a grass stage IS feet wide. IS feet
deep and feet above the ground.
Loud-speakers will carry the voices Of
the actors to the far corners Of the
stands and fields.
Events during the first 60 years of
Maryland's history after the landing
of the Calverts are depicted in the
pageant, which was written and will
be directed by Mrs Kathleen Read
Coontz of Washington. Saint Maries,
Mother of Maryland" is its title.
Landing of the colonists and their
initial meetings with the Indians are
shown in the opening episode. Repro
ductions Of the Ark and the Dove will
arrive at St. Marys City hearing
those who are to enact the roles Of
the original colonists. At least 400
boats, carrying Tercentenary visitors.
are expected to form a lane in the
harbor through which the Ark and
the Dove will sail.
Indians to Greet Colonists.
Indians will greet the settlers and
accompany them to the stage. where
barter scenes will be enacted. The cpl
sode concludes with a benediction by
Father White. the Jesuit priest who
accompanied the Calverts and served
as the chronicler of the expedition.
In an interlude. Father White
reads from his famous journal and
the Indian rite Of publication by
smoke Is staged.
Friendly Indians" is the topic Of
the second episode, with Father White
again essaying the role Of chief actor.
1t includes the marriage and christen-
Ing of an Indian chief and his bride.
Margaret Brent first appears in epi-
sode three, which includes q quit
rent" scene, an English fete dance
by children and q church professional.
Hostile Indians stage q raid in the
fourth episode. and the emergency
caused by this surprise results In an
alliance between the colonists and
friendly Redmen against the common
enemy.
Mistress Brent comes to the fore
again in the fifth episode as the exec
utrix Of Leonard Calvert's will and
defies the Assembly by declaring she
will resist all its proceedings unless
given the right IN vote
Happiness and Peace" are the
themes Of the sixth episode. which
opens with the marriage festivities of
Gov. Charles Calvert. Succeeding
scenes show the gathering Of Indian
tribes to their native music and the
signing of peace treaties.
The various religious faiths that
have found refuge in Maryland as
semble before Gov. Charles Calvert
in the seventh episode.
Pack horses laden with documents
and followed by the settlers leave the
original capital at the conclusion OF
the last episode. which represents the
final days of official life in the first
capital of the State.
Harry M. Jones, chairman Of the
Housing Committee Of the st. Marys
County Tercentenary Commission. an
nounced that he has distributed blanks
through subcommittee in each of
the nine districts on which data on
housing facilities available for visitors
are to be compiled. Prices for room
and board range from 81 to IS per
day per person. it was said.