Sunday, August 12, 2012

Dramatic Send-Off, 1890s Style


What do you do to celebrate the graduation of a friend or family member from grade school to high school? At the gatherings I’ve attended lately, the focus is on getting the right time, the right location, the right guest list, and stocking up on plenty of food and refreshments.

Oh yeah. And there’s that long, tedious ceremony out in the June sunlight (or maybe in the poorly-ventilated multi-purpose room inside), waiting for the moment when the right name gets announced. Then lots of applause and cheers.

As we’ve already seen, the graduation events of bygone years—like 1895—weren’t always just that way. A program from Lily Tully’s closing exercises at Saint Anne’s School in Chicago shows a different scenario. Tucked away among her younger sister Agnes Tully Stevens’ belongings, the memento discloses proceedings that included many displays of musical talent—and a play. In three acts.

The drama featured in this 1895 production was drawn from a book of the same name—Coaina, the Rose of the Algonquins—written by Anna Hanson Dorsey in 1867. Thankfully, a copy of the original publication is currently available through Google Books, but it can also be accessed through several libraries in both Canada and the United States. Incredibly, a publishing house has recently released a reprint of the volume—making me wonder about pursuing the rabbit trail of seeking out the reasons for revival of interest in this story.

As I mentioned before, my intention in posting a copy of the school’s program is to make electronically accessible a bit of ephemera from a bygone era—the time when my husband’s Tully roots thrived in south Chicago. Though my sole purpose is to share such insignificant documents as these so others tracing their roots may stumble upon additional resources detailing a microscopic part of their ancestors’ lives, I find myself pulled in the direction of these strands of history, myself. Such stories of bygone eras are a sore temptation.

For once, I’ll resist following yet another rabbit trail—though consider yourself welcome to do so if you are so inclined.

But don’t claim you haven’t been forewarned.

Programme
(continued.)

Recitation,  …………..John Cleary
            …....…..John Fitzgerald

Duet, “Pills at Poughkeepsie”
Lilly Tully
 

COAINA, THE ROSE OF THE ALGONQUINS,
A Drama in three Acts.

Coaina—The Rose of the Algonquins…........Mary Sherlock
Armatha—Aunt of Coaina…………………Josephine Egan
Winona—Cousin of Coaina………………………Kitty Casey
Makee—The Old Indian……………………………Lulu Cottin
Kittie—Friend of Coaina………………………….Margaret Maher
Siouska—Chief of the Iroquois………………..Lilly Tully
Ahdeck—Friend of Siouska………………………Margaret Corrigan
Oramaika………………………………………………….Alvina Delaney
Eureka……………………………………………………..Florence O’Grady
Indian Children
            Marie……………………………………………Esther Edwards
            Toney……………………………………………Kittie Maher
            Piquet……………………………………………Isabel Croke
            Kawee……………………………………………Agnes Ruane
            Starbeam……………………………………….Mary Reynolds
Madame Deanville—Teacher of Children………Angela Kerwin


Programme
(continued.)

Duet…………………………..Malmene.
    Florence Shehan, Alice Shehan.

“Mammy’s Lil Baby Boy”
    Blanche Moore.

Drill “Delsarte”…………..Senior Boys.
    Acc’d by Lilly Archibald

Recitation
    Joseph Hallowed.

1 comment:

  1. PILLS AT POUGHKEEPSIE By Mrs Flndley Braden

    IT was on the New York Central not so many days ago.
    We were passing Spuyten Duyvil where we didnt stop you know.
    But I heard a voice say Mister come here for a minute please
    Tell me is this place Powkeepsy and there came an awful sneeze.
    My interrogator sat there just a woman sixty odd.
    With a grim old face all wrinkled and as green as summer sod.
    So I answered No no auntie we are only ten miles out.
    And I'll tell you when we reach it but I left her half in doubt.

    Five miles further on at Yonkers quick she beckoned me again.
    Hey is this Powkeepsy mister dont you try to fool Jane Dean.
    This is Yonkers I protested and Poughkeepsie's miles away.
    Now sit down and do be quiet we'll get there at ten today.
    All the passengers were smiling wondering what was coming next.
    But she kept still to Dobb's Ferry when again I heard her text.
    It's Powkeepsy loud she shouted aint it mister guess I know.
    Madam said I kindly firmly you have fifty miles to go.
    Ere you reach that Hudson haven. Just lean back and take a nap.
    Put your bonnet in the rack there you'll arrive without mishap....

    http://books.google.com/books?id=KMgcAQAAMAAJ&dq (page 221)

    I wonder if Lilly memorized it....

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