That recent photo from Warren Haake shook loose another Hay-Edwards memory, this time from Janet Bailey Kerner. Above you see the cast of "Caddie Woodlawn," the 8th grade play for Hay-Edwards in early 1954: from left to right, Beverly Blue, Sue Jacobs, Dana Furry, Ruth Lance, Janet Bailey, and Suzanne Lee. (click on the picture to enlarge it)Ruth played Caddie and Janet was Minnie, Caddie's younger sister. The play was adapted from a 1935 novel by Caroline Woodhouse, depicting the girlhood of her grandmother, Carol Ryrie Brink. The Brinks moved from Boston to Dunn County, Wisconsin, in 1857. Their farmhouse is still open to the public, spring through fall, at Caddie Woodlawn Historical Park.
According to Janet, this picture is moments after Ruth was dancing and lost her light blonde wig. "Miss Mullett was furious, so she took Ruth to the back of the stage and actually 'glued' the wiglet back on to Ruth's hair."
Janet recalls that everyone helped to paint the set, and in that process her head got doused by a bucket of red paint. Mr. Morris, the principal, became agitated and raved about the kids "pulling antics and not getting the job done."
Janet ran home to her mother, who first thought her child had a serious head wound! She cleaned her up and sent her back to school. Janet still can't remember who spilled that paint, but suspects it may have been Bob DeFrates or Robert Wright. (Fess up, guys.)
2 comments:
There were two casts for "Caddie Woodlawn." In the other cast Margaret Stanford played the role of Caddie. I think I may have mentioned before that Phyllis Rising and I had bit parts, but the worst cases of stage fright. I had one line, "Hush, she's coming!," which I have remembered ever since but could not for the life of me remember during our performance. That was the end of my life on the stage, for which everyone should be very grateful.
Note to Will: I'll look for my pictures to send.
Barbara Edmiston Mitchell
I well remember the story of Caddie Woodlawn. Our Dubois teacher, Florence Davis, read the story to us in sixth grade and it was the first time I knew that the Battle Hymn of the Republic had more than two verses. In part of the story, Caddie is coming home from a Fourth of July celebration
and is going over in her mind the words of a song that had been sung at the celebration; "In the beauty of the lillies Christ was born across the sea, etc, etc." and it was identified as the third verse of the Battle Hymn. Everytime I sing those words now, or hear them being sung, I remember where I first learned of them.
Judy Vicars Van Hagen
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