1914-1950

• The May Day Carnival began in 1914. The previous photograph is from the 1915 Carnival that an exhibition of Physical Training. Both Literary Society Orchestras played and the young women from each class performed dances and drills. The Senior girls, dressed in red and blue, gave an exhibition of German tactics. The young women from the Junior class, dressed in red and black, danced a Valentine dance. The young women from the Sophomore class, dressed in black and blue, performed a Swedish weaving dance Vafva Vadmal. The young women from the Freshman class, dressed in green and white, performed a free hand drill. Approximately 75 students participated that ended with a dance around the may-pole.

Part I

• Music by Page and Normal Orchestras

• Grand March

• “Tarantetla” (Spanish Dance) …………………………. Juniors

• “Winifred’s Knot” (English Folk Dance) ….. Sophomores

• German Tactics ……………………………………………. Seniors

• Combination Drill

• Wands and Dumb Bells …………….. Combined Classes

•

Part II

• Music

• “Finnish Reel” (Folk Dance of Finland) ….. Model School Class

• Club Swinging ……………………………………………………….. Seniors

• “Ace of Diamonds” (Danish Fold Dance) ……………. Freshman

• “Irish Lilt” …………………………………………………………... Seniors

• Hoop Drill ………………………………………….. Combined Classes

Part I

Music by the Model School Orchestra

Grand March

Bohemian Folk Dance . . . . . . . . . . Model High School

English Ribbon Dance . . . . . . . . . . Freshmen

Bar Bell Drill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Seniors

Dance of the Poppies . . . . . . . . . . Juniors

Part II

Music by Orchestra

Balance Board Exercises . . . . . . . 6th, 7th and 8th Grades of Model School

Drill of Class of ‘21

Folk Dances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Seniors

Klapp dans (Swedish) Csehbogar (Hungarian)

Lilt (Irish) Tretur (Danish)

I See You (Swedish) Tarantella (Spanish)

Mountain March (Norwegian)

Flag Drill

Music

Part I

Music by the Model School Orchestra

Grand March

Sellenger’s Round (Old English Country Dance) . . . . . . . . Sophomores and Freshmen

A Short Lesson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6th, 7th and 8th Grades of the Model School

Holland Windmill Dance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Seniors

Six Hand Reel (Irish). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . High School Girls from the Model School

Part II

Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Orchestra

Tactics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Seniors

Clap Drill (an arrangement of some of the exercises used in regular class work)

Club Swinging. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Seniors

Vafva Vadmal (Swedish Weaving Dance). . . . . . . . . . . . Juniors

American Country Dances. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Seniors

The Circle

Pop Goes the Weasel

Portland Fancy

Virginia Reel

“The 1923 Gymnastic Exhibition was one of color and joyous spirit. Three of the dances

were in costume, and all pronounced in rhythm and happiness.

“The novelty was ‘The Dance of the Paper Dolls’ … They were all attired in paper

costumes, and were very realistic in their mechanical performances. …

“Twelve members of the aesthetic dancing class gave an interpretive dance, ‘The Shades

of Night.’ … The dancing was very pretty and testified to the work done in the class.

“Thirty-six senior girls in Old English costume and carrying baskets of flowers danced

around and wound the merry colored May Pole. …

“The Training School was represented by a Gymnastic Dance and game of End Ball by

the seventh, eighth, and ni9nth grades, and two Folk Dances and a Relay Race by the

fourth, fifth, and sixth grades.

The Grand March filled the floor to its capacity, the seniors and juniors marching

together for the first part, and the seniors finishing with combination marching and

free gymnastics.

“The School orchestra added much to the entertainment by several numbers under the

leadership of Miss Benner.” (1923 Touchstone)

“On the evenings of May 4 and 5, the gymnasium was the scene of one of the prettiest and cleverest gymnastic exhibitions that Millersville has every put on the floor. …

“There is a sound of gay music that sets your toes to tingling. The door flies open and in marches an array of merry school girls. … You can distinguish the Juniors from the Seniors because the former have red ties, while the latter have black ones. …

“Now comes a series of dances, demonstration drills and games. …

“It is thought that the teaching of folk dances to the younger generation will do much to overthrow King Jazz. ….”

(1924 Touchstone)

The 1925 Carnival featured the young

women in the gymnastics class and

according to the 1925 yearbook

demonstrated “the good old idiom

‘Cooperation of Mind and Body.’”

1926 was the final year of the Gym

Carnival and the beginning of the May

Day Fete. The Boys’ Gymnastic

Exhibition was held during the May

Day Fete.

The 1st May Day Fete was held 22 May

1926 and was planned to be held yearly

but when the Depression hit, it became bi-

annual and with the advent of World War II

was suspended. It resumed in 1947 but

with changes in the student body, was soon

replaced with Spring Fling.

Harriet Swan,

1st May Queen

May Queen

Elizabeth Brong

May Queen

Naomi Hess

May Queen

Dorothy Hess

Cancelled so that

each person

could volunteer

for the National

Defense Program.

The May Day Fetes

were replaced with

Spring Fling in 1955

and lasted until 1981.