THE SHADOW OF THE BUILDER
By Mrs. Frances O. J. Gaither
Foreword
W. M. Forrest,
Chairman, Pageant Committee.
This pageant is the farthest possible remove from the historical pageant
that seeks to visualize the development of an institution by a series of
tableaux or floats reflecting various important episodes of its life. It has
also chosen another way to reflect the spiritual element of the University's
life than by the insertion in the pageant of allegorical interludes, or by an
accompanying masque. It is a narrative of the way that Thomas Jefferson
planned his University, both the body of it and the soul of it. About the
struggle to get nothing but the best builded into the material structure of
the University there is woven a simple but compelling drama. Nerving the
great dreamer to make no compromise with the people who wanted something
cheap and quickly put to work, nor with his own ardent desire to see
the University open and at its task, were his visions of the young life yet to
throng its colonnades.
So into the story of a single day in the University's opening history
the author of the pageant has packed all the hopes, and dreams, and struggles
leading up to that day, and all the fruition of those hopes and dreams and
struggles flowing down through a century of life. It was the day when
Lafayette was entertained at the unfinished University upon his return, in
old age, to the land to which in youth his sword had helped to give freedom.
It was also the day upon which the Father of the University was confronted
by the fact that his determination to have nothing but the best for his buildings
involved another long delay, a new struggle with popular opposition
and with the legislature to get more money. At every crisis of the debate
with himself and others over this matter during the long day, compromise
was made impossible to Jefferson by the visions he saw of youth—beautiful,
ardent, truth seeking, honor loving, joyous, sacrificial youth, as it yet should
live and be trained in the University. And so the decision to have his
capitals of Carrara marble ended his struggle, and forever determined that
his University would content itself with no less than the best, cost what it
may.
That the dreams of the old philosopher should be expressed in terms of
Greek life is fitting. From classical architecture he drew inspiration for his
buildings. The democracies of the Greek cities helped him in all his work
and hopes for a free people. The untrammeled soul of Socrates gave him an
ideal for the professors of his new temple of learning, and the beauty loving,
truth seeking youths of Athens were such men as he fain would see crowding
the colonnades and pavilions of his own athenæum.
As the alumni and friends of the University of Virginia watch the
unfolding of this pageant-drama they will not find its artistic harmony
marred by any intrusion of historical scenes, such as the meeting wherein
the honor system was inaugurated by faculty and students, nor the marching
away of the student soldiers of 1861 or 1917, nor yet of the athletic struggles
nor the Easter time festivities of their college days. Yet in looking upon the
scenes wherein Socrates and his pupils discourse of the ideals of youth, and
the young men, in solemn ceremonial before the altar, consecrate themselves
to honor and truth, there must stir anew in the heart of every beholder
that passion for truth and honor which has been the soul of the University
throughout its century of life. And in song and dance to the accompaniment
of martial music will be revived again the memories of those days
when the men of the University met the acid test of patriotism and went
forth to battle and to die upon the fields of Virginia and of France.
Likewise will the echoes of bygone athletic combats and the festal
strains of far-off Easter and Finals' revels resound in the corridors of memory
as the dream figures of the pageant strive for the mastery, and mingle in
their dances of youth and love. Nor will any fail to catch the vision into the
true heart of youth flashing out from those scenes where the lads, engaged
in high converse upon truth and the dedication of life to art and philosophy,
to toil and battle, are instantly diverted to dancing and revelry by the sight
of their "Helen of a thousand dreams."
It was a far cry from that scene a hundred years ago where Jefferson
struggled for the best for his University to the moment when that University
gave to the cause of world freedom its many valiant sons. But it all seems
shadowed forth amid the rising walls of a new temple of learning and freedom
when Jefferson and Lafayette met and the flags of America and France
mingled. None then could see when the khaki clad hosts of America would
speak through the lips of their commander to the spirit of the old Marquis
of France saying, "Lafayette, we are here." But a Jefferson could know that
his athenæum, for which nought but the true and the good would suffice,
would not fail to have ready, in every hour of the world's need, heroes of
peace and heroes of war whose service would be all the more whole-hearted
because they had whistled and danced and sung while pursuing truth and
honor amid the cloisters and colonnades of the University of Virginia.
Overture and Interludes composed by Mr. John Powell.
Music for Songs, composed by Mr. George Harris, Jr.
Solo and Duet Dances, composed by Mr. Alexander Oumansky.
Director of Pageant and Composer of Group Dances, Miss Emma Ody Pohl.
Assistant Director, Miss Grace Dorothy Massengale.
Dramatic Director, Mr. William Harrison Faulkner.
Musical Director, Mr. Arthur Fickenscher.
Music by the Washington Concert Orchestra. Conductor, Mr. Herman
Rakemann.
The Cast
| Jefferson |
Mr. William Mentzel Forrest |
| Cornelia, his granddaughter |
Miss Gladys Gunter |
| Lafayette |
Mr. William Hall Goodwin |
| Cabell |
Visitors of
the
University |
Mr. George Oscar Ferguson, Jr. |
Madison, ex-President of
the United States |
Mr. Robert Henning Webb |
Monroe, President of the
United States |
Mr. George Bordman Eager, Jr. |
| Raggi, an Italian stone-carver |
Mr. Francis Harris Abbot |
| Brockenbrough, the proctor |
Mr. Bruce Williams |
| Gorman, a workman |
Mr. Henning Cunningham Nelms |
| A Voter |
Mr. John Jennings Luck |
| Workmen |
Ladies and gentlemen of the community |
| People of Virginia |
| Local Dignitaries |
| Staff of Lafayette |
| Phædrus, a youth |
Mr. Staige Davis Blackford |
| Lysis, his comrade |
Mr. Dorsey Bland |
| Socrates |
Mr. Richard Heath Dabney |
| An Athenian Girl |
Miss Nina Weeden Oliver |
| A Priestess |
Mrs. Sylvia Faulkner |
| Dancers |
Miss Augusta Alexander |
Miss Emily Massengale |
| Miss Daphne Baggett |
Miss Katharine McGrath |
| Miss Frances Bahin |
Miss Hettie Newell |
| Miss Belle Bond |
Miss Rebecca Pegues |
| Miss Marguerite Briscoe |
Miss Edith Reid |
| Miss Josephine Campbell |
Miss Eola Williams |
| Miss Eugenia Howell |
Miss Frances Woodward |
| Maidens |
Young ladies of the community |
| Temple Attendants |
| Flute Players |
Students of the University |
| Men of Athens |
| A Host of Youths |
![illustration](https://iiif.lib.virginia.edu/iiif/uva-lib:180511/full/!1600,1600/0/default.jpg")
