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FIRST EPISODE – Indian Days

JAMESTOWN SCHOOL

It is about eighty years ago that Rix Robinson came to Jamestown to trade with the Indians. He found the Indian life to be full of interesting events. The main crop which the Indians raised was corn. The Indians believed that the corn was a kind of divine grain, a special gift of the Great Spirit. This gift was so needful to man that every year when the harvest of corn was ripe a Thanksgiving Feast was held at which the tribe, headed by the mystery men held its Sacred Dance of the Corn.

Scene I – A Day in Camp

Scene II – An Evening in Camp

SECOND EPISODE – Coming of the White Man

ZUTPHEN SCHOOL

The coming of the white men brought both pleasures and disappointments to the Indians. They were delighted with the trinkets and flashy worthless articles exchanged by the white man for skins of surbearing animals. But the white man and civilization came to stay; so, slowly the Indian was driven westward. The result of this crowding meant that the Indian must give way to his pale-faced brother or go on the war path. He often chose the latter, and, to express their bitter hatred they used the war dance as a forerunner of hostilities.

Scene I – First White Men

Scene II – A Historical Incident

Scene III – Indian War Dance

THIRD EPISODE – Pioneer Days

GITCHEL SCHOOL STAR SCHOOL
BELL SCHOOL

When the early pioneers came to Jamestown they found nothing but a wilderness. The hardships they endured both in mind and body sometimes nearly overwhelmed them. However they were not to be discouraged. In spite of the fact that they were without modern conveniences they made life as pleasant as possible. The home, therefore, became the social center of all activities where the spirit of the "Golden Rule" was never forgotten. Even now we modern folk listen to the stories told by our father and mothers. The howling of the wolves and other wild animals, the felling of the trees, the spinning of the yarn, the old spelling matches, the dunce, the husking bees, and the finding of the redears are incidents of history to "grandpa" and "grandma" but to us are like fairy tales. Often as we see the generation of today rushing madly about to satisfy their desires and ambitions, we hear the cry, "Oh, for the good old days of yore!"

Scene I – The Pioneer Home

Scene II – Wedding Scene

Scene III – Social Life

Scene IV – Old Fashioned School

FOURTH EPISODE – Lumbering Days

MITCHEL SCHOOL

"Work for the Night is Coming" was a song in the hearts of every pioneer. As the huge trees were cut down one after the other to make way for the home and the raising of grains, the lumberman cheerfully hummed the tune. Practically everything was made of wood, so each settler had much to do. The sawing and cutting of logs for the home and barn, the making of wooden nails, and crude shingles were daily occupations. The result of it all we see today in the beautiful farms. We stand mute when we think of the transformation that has taken place and sigh, for no more shall we hear the music of the burnished ax; the echo of the falling pine as it crashes to the ground; or the songs that were sung around the shanty fire.

Scene – Two Days in Camp

FIFTH EPISODE – Modern Rural Life

MAPLE GROVE SCHOOL
WEST FOREST GROVE SCHOOL

The modern rural home shows up in marked contrast with that of the early pioneer. The one-room log cabins have been replaced by the fine homes we see in our township today. Many have every convenience of the palatial residences seen on the boulevards of our cities. The same spirit of progress and improvement is seen in the school room. The public school system demands that other subjects than the three R’s be taught; that the equipment be of a type to bring about the very best results in educating the children, and that the instructors be prepared for their work to a higher degree of efficiency. Co-operating with the teacher, the parents have organized the Parent-Teachers Associations where the problems of the school may be discussed and where a social time unifies the interest of the school and the home.

Scene I – Modern Rural Home

Scene II – The Modern School

Scene III – A Community Meeting

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ENSEMBLE – All Schools

PART I - Drill --------------------------------------- Mitchel School

PART II - Song "America, the Beautiful" ------------- Audience