May 1916
Readers I need your help. All the information we have on this one is “Students meet at Mitchell Park in 1916 for a dance festival.” I am guessing this is a maypole and they are celebrating May Day on May 1st.
Any ideas?
I’ll see if the May 1, 1916 microfilm has anything about this on Friday afternoon and update the post if I find anything.
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UPDATE
In the May 1, 1916 edition of the Daily Telegram in fine print of page 5 under the heading Upcoming Events
May 5, May Day festival by city schools, afternoon
I could not find any event coverage in the editions on the 5th or 6th. The Daily Telegram was a tabloid that prided itself on being a quick read. You can’t edit much tighter than that.
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Well, the guys appear to dressed up as Russian Peasants. The grass appears dry and brown. The ladies in the background are not wearing coats. The shadows would indicate that the sun is somewhere over Madonna Mtn (forgive me, I can’t remember its real name) meaning that the dance is taking place closer to evening than to noon. You could trace the angle of those shadows in relation to the angle of the city streets and then pinpoint where the sun would have set and from that found out when that date of 1916 was. Also, that creek line up in the hills looks pretty dark and lush, indicating that it must be running a bit still. So, sure, I’d say that this took place on May 1st, 1916 at around 4 PM in the afternoon. And that they are dancing to some sort of Russian or Czech dance tune.
And look how small the pine tree is!
The park is ringed with many others, but there is no mistaking that one as it is one of the largest in the park now.
I agree with Steve time guess, as it would be after school after all
A further update. This appears to be last published in the May 14, 1956 Centurama special edition. The then Telegram-Tribune published several special 8 page sections to celebrate county history and the 100th anniversary of the incorporation of San Luis Obispo. The caption reads:
AROUND THE MAY POLE… A good sized crowd gathered in Mitchell Park on May Day 1916 to watch this May Pole Dance. Picture is from Mrs. Alice Nicholson.