For a moment, just for a moment, a car might whiz by, or a cell phone ring, breaking the spell that surrounded Northville this past Friday morning. But it wouldn't last long; the magic returned. Those modern intrusions were quickly stifled by the sounds of little boys in caps, short pants and suspenders, chasing each other and laughing; the wonderful sight of gentile and decorous ladies, resplendent in their finery, slowly strolling down the lane; and the lilting, soft music that spoke of finer days that wafted out from Genitti's Little Theatre onto Main Street. Northville's 2004 Victorian Festival was under way, led by Northville 3rd grade students, teachers, parents and volunteers. "Hazahh!"



On a bracingly cool morning, students gathered outside the Old Village School in preparation for the Historic District Tour. Chaperones kept the students on a brisk and orderly pace (the Victorian way, of course) through the various stops on the tour, where the students experienced dramatic recreations of Northville historical events, including a train wreck, a suffragette protest, a Victorian game of tag, and snake oil salesmen, plying their wares.  The dramatic recreations of Northville Historical events were performed by Northville High School ninth grade students from Mr. Corless and Mr. Gabry's classes.

Back at the Senior Center gym, teachers and volunteers readied their young charges for a rousing set of Victorian Games. While the girls skipped their way down the gym floor, the boys "crab-walked," causing a quite a few collisions. A spirited game of "Duck, Duck, Goose" and "The Hoop Game" gave the children an orderly outlet to playfully stretch the bounds of traditional Victorian decorum.

The spellbinding realm of dramatic interpretation awaiting the children at the Victorian Storytelling station in the Public Library. Girls and boys listened intently as Northville High School's Barbara Ibach and Kurt Kinde held sway with forceful readings from Victorian storyteller "Uncle Lumpy" and the John Henry legend, among others.



Genitti's Little Theatre's offered a welcome rest after an invigorating trot down Main Street from the Senior Center. Once inside the cozy venue, the students were treated to a charming selection of Victorian melodies. The singing group Backbeat, from Northville High School, provided plenty of laughs along with their barbershop harmonies, while the lovely singing group Treblemakers, also from Northville High, beguiled their young audience with sweet, pitch-perfect vocalizing.

Ambling down to the Bandshell offered up an old-fashioned Victorian treat for the 3rd Graders: a magic show. Master magician Eugene Clark kept his audience laughing while astounding them with feats of prestidigitation. Of particular amusement was Mr. Clark's engagement of a young helper from the audience; when giving instructions to the student on how to help in the trick, Mr. Clark summed up succinctly a viewpoint that more crusty Victorians held toward children: "Do what a child does best-agitate!" 



But certainly this wasn't the case with the well-behaved students from Northville's 3rd Grade class, who no doubt forged a lifelong appreciation of Northville's historic past, while having a marvelous time. And what better way to cap off their day's activities than with that most Victorian of celebrations: the picnic. Parents and children gathered at Mill Race Village to feast on a Victorian sack lunch, while enjoying together the last, few late summer breezes that graced that day. 

Pictures by Paul Mavis