"CELEBRATION OF MAY-DAY BY THE MADISON GIRLS' SCHOOL IN THE CITY PARK, NEW ORLEANS — CROWNING THE MAY QUEEN. FROM A SKETCH BY MR. J. R. HAMILTON."

Engraving in Harper's Weekly, 1863.

Text of accompanying article:

MAY-DAY.

I was present, on the first of May, at one of the most beautiful and interesting celebrations that ever occurred here—the festival of the Madison Girls' School. Pleasing as it was, it might not have been considered of sufficient public importance for mention here, if—in the present. condition of New Orleans—such gatherings did not bear a political significance, and a very deep one.

May-Day has been always a time of festive gatherings for the schools here, but their celebrations were, hitherto, held indoors. On this occasion the scene selected was the old City Park, some distance out of New Orleans, the grandest collection of old wide-spreading oaks that ever charmed the eye of painter.

Here the young ladies met, under the care of Miss Whitley, their accomplished Principal, crowned the "May Queen" with all due ceremony, and spent the whole day in dancing, music, swinging, and every species of innocent sport, in which they were joined by very many "children of a larger growth" from the city. Captain Walters, Commander of the gun-boat Kineo, had kindly sent there a large quantity of canvas to lay on the grass for dancing, with abundance of ropes for swings, and detailed two or three of his sailors to come and arrange matters for his young friends.

In spite of the beauty and gayety of the scene, as these graceful young creatures flitted over the green sward, in their light dresses, like a swarm of butterflies, I could not lose sight of the fact that this was a Union demonstration among the citizens of New Orleans, and that at least two-thirds of the children present were the offspring of enemies of the United States, either open or concealed. If such a scene appeared extraordinary to a stranger, how much more must it have done so to those old residents present, who could contrast it with the state of things existing as short a time ago!

The fact is that the school authorities here are making strenuous efforts to administer an antidote to the venomous poison of secession, too long corrupting the tender minds of the rising generation, and their efforts are being attended with the greatest success. In every public school it is now a specified regime, that the exercises shall daily commence and close with patriotic hymns, and that the selection of themes for recitations, etc., shall all have the same tendency. Union flags have been raised over every school-house in the first district—the Madison school having the honor of inaugurating the movement—and soon there will not be a single place of education in the city without its emblem of loyalty. By such efforts as these, and by getting these innocent young creatures to mingle frequently wills friends, whom they have been cruelly taught to look upon as mortal enemies, their minds become stamped with ideas of truth and genuine love of their country, which no amount of false teaching can hereafter erase.