BAR HARBOR V.I.A. HOSTS CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

CHILDREN'S  FESTIVAL


Bar Harbor Record
August 15, 1896

Successful Entertainment of the Village Improvement Association Wednesday

The children who attended the fete given for them by the Village Improvement Association at the Rodick House music room Wednesday afternoon from 3;00 to 6;30 o'clock will long remember the affair as one of the most delightful in their childhood's memory, and the older one's who saw the hundreds of little ones dressed like fairies or resembling the characters of Mother Goose's fables gleefully romping about the room with delight and ecstasy imprinted upon their faces, their eyes flashing with excitement or wonderingly wide opened at the tales told them, were glad that such an organization existed as the Village Improvement Association.  The scene in the music room resembled a room from an Egyptian Palace.  The walls were hung with a wealth of hangings from Egypt, kindly loaned for the occasion by Mrs. R. Hall McCormick.  Mrs. J.J. Emery and Mr. Frank Ellis decorated the walls.  At the further end of the room was a bower of evergreens and pine beneath which were Mrs. Randolph, Mrs. Wright and Miss McLane who presided over the raffles.  The principle object was a tiny pony which the Randolph children had reluctantly consented to offer to the Goddress of Fortune.  This little pony had been their pet for years till they had outgrown him and now that they were parting with him for the benefit of the Village Improvement fund, the loving way in which the boys of Mrs. Randolph tender-patted his head and soothes his spirit was pathetic.  This was the most interesting booth to watch, for the children flocked about dragging their parents after them to have them invest a chance on the pony.  Expressions of delight hailed a kick on the pony's part and the children screamed when he wagged his stubby tail.   One hundred and fifty tickets at $1 each were sold on the pet pony and when the result was announced the fortunate winner was Mr. J.J. Emery.  The Randolph children were delighted that their little pet should fall into such good hands.  The child's bicycle fell to Mr. William Lawrence Green, and the little puppy became the property of Master LeRoy.  The lovin cup was not drawn and Mrs. Randolph has a few chances left upon it.  Mrs. Dorr will sell tickets on the tea set which was also not drawn.  About $400 was raised on the raffles.
Another place where the children flocked was in the vicinity of the sand tubs where they dug for treasures.  These were in charge of Miss Alexander.  The flower table did a rushing business.  It was in charge of Miss Susie Stucgis and a number of young ladies assisted her.  Next to the door was the voluntary offering booth in charge of Mrs. S.M. Rodick.  This excellent idea was suggested by Mrs. S. Weir Mitchell and she proved a great assistant to the work.  Others on this committee were Mrs. Clara Norris, Mrs. Foster, Mrs. W.B. Rice, Miss. Jessie Foster, Mrs. C.C. Morrison, and Miss Addie Bunker.  The fund raised the sum of $200.
The refreshment tables were in charge of Mrs. Robert Amory, Mrs. Dimock, Mrs. Walley, Mrs. J. Madison Taylor, Mrs. Edward Wickes, Miss Christine Biddle, Mrs. C. Morton Smith and Mrs. Thorndike.  About the booth were scattered tabled where ice cream and cake were served abundantly.
The doll exhibit was the wonder and delight of the little ones and in fact the big ones too for a prettier collection was never seen here.  One handsome doll that looked as if it could act human and was dressed in elaborate finery was the gift of Mrs. J.J. Emery.  The booth was in charge of Mrs. W.W. Seely and Mrs. K. Hall McCormick and the misses Seely assisted.  A handsome sum was raised at this booth.  The fish pond was the center of interest and the little ones fished and fished till their little arms ached.  Mrs. A. Howard Hinkle was in charge and was assisted by her daughters.

Mrs. W.J. Schieffelin presented a beautiful tree heavy with pretty things for the little ones and when the fete closed it was empty of its burden.  The following young ladies assisted at the tree;  the misses Helen and Marguerite Rogers, Mattie Brown, Hattie Clement, Mary Moore, Olie Ash, Florunce Hadley.

MAY POLE

From booth to booth went the romping, happy children in search of new treasures which their parents bought for them with great liberality.  The dolls attracted their attention the most and this booth was surrounded all the afternoon with an open eyes throng.
When the children has satisfied their eyes they seated themselves in front of the temporary stage in front of the raffling booth where Mrs. Waldo Richards told them stories and recited from the child poems of the late Eugene Field - the children's poet.  The intense interest they expressed in the stories and poems was felt in their faces and at the close of each story or poem they attested their appreciation by applause or laughter.  Mrs. Richards, although under trying conditions, kept the children's attention with her wonderful tact and force of expressions.
The prettiest feature of the entertainment was the May Pole dance under direction of Miss Susie Sturgis.  The pole was erected in the middle of the room and at a signal Cheney's Orchestra played a quickstep and fifteen handsomely arrayed girls tripped into the room and each taking a ribbon began to circle about the pole.  This was repeated amidst applause.  The girls in the dance were;  Natalie de Castro, Vera Berry, Mabel Taylor, Edith and Constantine Pulitzer, Fanny foster, Florence Davis, Helen Sears, Gwendoline and Fannie Cary, Rosalie Coe Campbell, Ruth Lawrence, Lilly Potter, Francis Mears and Louise Newman.
During the afternoon a very large number of older persons dropped in and spent money liberally so that the whole affair was a great success.  Mr. A.H. Lyman acted as gate tender and took in about two hundred dollars at the gate.
It is likely that the affair netted nearly $1,000.