The Rockport Democrat, June 12, 1936

Professor Ross Lockridge, of Indianapolis, head of the Indiana Writers’ Project, will speak in the afternoon of July 4, at the Lincoln Country Summer Festival on the "Educational Values of Historic Markers." Professor Lockridge is the greatest national historical speaker and members of the Historical Society feel that they are very fortunate in securing his consent to make the address.

Raymond Springer, of Connersville, republican nominee for governor, will also make an address on the same afternoon.

On July 2, Paul Schmidt, prominent attorney of Evansville, will make the dedication speech, when the marker donated by L. F. Weiss is dedicated.

Spencer county people should be interested in the play written by Miss Alice Herbert of Evansville, who is a granddaughter of John Chewning, former editor of the Rockport Journal and a well-known citizen of Spencer county.

Miss Herbert was inspired to write a play in a contest sponsored by the Southwestern Indiana Civic association. Since it was a one-act play it was not eligible to enter the contest as a play of intrinsic value. The sponsors of the Summer Festival are most fortunate in having the privilege of producing the play, and fully realize Spencer county and Rockport citizens will appreciate that the author is well known in our county.

The play is entitled "Lincoln’s First Great Sorrow." It is an episode in the life of Lincoln when he lived in Indiana. The cast has already begun rehearsals. They are:

Miss Ruby Seay—Mrs. Josiah Crawford; Roy Bauman, Sam Crawford; Mrs. Marie Kramer, Mrs. William Jones; Mrs. Ida Snyder, Mrs. Grigsby; Esther Kessner, Sarah Lincoln; Carl Hassell, nine-year-old Lincoln; Claude Snyder, Rev. Elkins; G. W. Kochersperger, Thomas Lincoln; James Balderson, 16-year-old Lincoln; William Parsley, President Lincoln; Oscar Boultinghouse, Dennis Hanks, and Mrs. Grace Pattie, Mrs. Nancy Hanks Lincoln.

The play will be given Friday evening, July 3 in the school auditorium. With it is a colorful group of old-time dances in costumes of the different periods called the Evolution of the Dance. It begins with the stately minuet, followed by the Pioneer dance, the Rousters, Virginia Reel, Quadrille, Schottish, Polka, closing with the beautiful waltz.

Unusual musical numbers are interspersed throughout the program. The Colored Quartette of Rockport will sing the Kentucky state song and the Indiana state song.

Officers of various clubs will be on the reception committee at the door of the auditorium. Young ladies in colorful costumes of red, white and blue, will act as ushers. Admission is 25¢. The proceeds go to the Village fund.