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Women dancing with sheaves of wheat

(c) Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, Deerfield MA. All rights reserved.
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The Deerfield Pageant of 1913 was the second pageant held in the town. In the 1910 pageant, the narrative ended with the Revolution and a "Call to Arms." The organizers of the 1913 Pageant wanted to speak of the present and future of Deerfield, Massachusetts, and they then added two segments at the Finale, "Deerfield of the Present: Symbolism" and "Deerfield of the Future: Symbolism." In these segments, dancers symbolized concepts. Here, the last of the "Present" dancers, "Education," holding the tall feather, is being closely followed by "Co-operation," "Friendliness," and "Prosperity," joined by a group carrying sheaves of wheat, the "Spirit of Plenty." Pageants were widespread in the early 20th century and towns worked for years in some cases to mount displays that would bring thousands of visitors.

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