isa-normaladvance-1909-00204

Description:	204THE NORMAL ADVANCEliant kaleidoscope of human activity a crowdthat is boisterous, yet well behaved, frolicsome,yet courteous, bustling, yet good humored, thatfrom early morning to late in the evening, keepsthe sport and fun going, and would alone makeit worth while to cross the continent to see.Such, this promiscuous masking is one partof Mardi Gras that has always been, and, letus trust, always will be as long as the Carnivalendures, yet it is by no means any more thana minor accessory, for the chief features of thefestive season now centers upon the streetpageants, balls and tableaux given under theauspices of the four great Carnival organizations Rex, Comus, Mourns and Proteus. The Carnival parades are managed by bodiesof private citizens of the highest social standing, who form the Carnival organizations.These gentlemen spare no expense out of theirown private means to make these street page-ants as beautiful, as magnificent and as instructive as possible. The expense of a single dis^play ranges from $20,000 to $30,000. The peopleare not taxed anything. They have only tocome from their homes and enjoy it and sowith the thousands of visitors and strangerswho find a warm welcome in New Orleans.The work of the organizations in the preparation of their magnificent street pageants isshrouded in mystery. Besides exciting the public to the highest degree, the strictest secrecymaintained enables the organizations to begintheir preparations for the next parade almostas soon as one is off the street. Each association has its own floats, ladders, stables and disguises for torch bearers. An association consists generally of about two hundred andeighty members, mostly leading clubmen, andit may be remarked that many of them havegrown old in the service and are grandfafhers.In getting up the parades about one hundredgentlemen are selected to appear in the display the remainder are utilized for duties muchmore onerous than is generally supposed-.The Carnival of New Orleans is in spirit interesting, and practical in fact, and right hereis the strangeness of the thing. It is an heritage from the Latin Old World to its mostfaithful children of the New World. It cannotbe imitated or reproduced elsewhere any morethan can the blue skies which swing above theglare and brass of its masks and revels.The inspiration lies deep in the genius of the .people. Life is held sweet in New Orleans.Money is for life, not life for money.Therefore, the Carnival is not a commercialexpedient. If it were it would not escape thefate that befalls whatever is insincere.Let it be said that it is the expression of genuine emotion. It is the embodiment of carethrown to the winds. It is no more a hypocrisythan the glance of a maidens brown eye or theblush which mantles her cheek.The chief purposes of the carnival, it seemsto me, are social and educational. One has onlyto scan the names of the participants in thevarious parades, representatives of all that isbest in the city, to realize that the carnival isessentially a social function.But it is something more. That it also servesan educational purpose there can be no doubt.That which feeds and strengthens the imagination is indeed educational. If it did -harm itmight not endure it not only does no harm, buton the contrary, is productive of much good, soit is supported heartily, not only by those whoare impelled by the Carnival spirit, but also bythose, who from motives of philanthropy, orpublic spirit, perceive in its perpetuation abenefit to the city and its people.The parades and the tableaux of Momus,Proteus, Comus and Rex make a direct appealto the imagination. You might well call thempoetry personified. They quicken our sense ofthe beautiful and inspire us with a love for thehighest ideal in life. I am glad to know thatold New Orleans in her pursuit of commercialsupremacy, neglects not the beautiful in life.Indeed! I shall carry back to my Northernhome the belief that New Orleans society inculture and refinement, ranks second to none inthe country. Harry M. Smith,Soule College, New Orleans, La.March 9, 1909.
Source:	http://indstate.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/isuarchive/id/34234
Collection:	Indiana State University Archives

Further information on this record can be found at its source.