Saturday, March 3, 2012

Rabindranth in America - Indianapolis, Indiana (contd-23)

Rabindranath reached Indiana Polis of Indiana State on 30th Oct. and read the essay "The World of Personality" in Riley Room of Claypool Hotel at 8.30 pm. The programme was organised by Fine Arts Association of Mrs. Ona B. Talbot. This was the first time he read this essay. But the situation was not favourable to this essay and Pearson wrote to Rathindranath ; "Last night we had the lecture in the ball room of the hotel and it was not at all a good place for speaking in. The result was that your father was very much exhausted by his effort. He is better today but not much rested. We go on to Chicago this afternoon taking Richmond and Terre Haute on the way." No record of these two places of Indiana State was available other than the accounts submitted by Mr. Pond. He delivered lecture  in Terre Haute on 31st Oct and in Richmond on 1st Nov.
He reached Chicago on 2nd Nov.
Rabindranath read the essay " The Cult of Nationalism" in Pabst Theater of Milwaukee City in Wisconsin State on 4th Nov at night. The residents of the city left no stone unturned to make the program successful. This program was organised by Little Theatre Group of Milwaukee, WI.  The local paper Sentinel wrote;
" He will be lionized by Milwaukee just as he is being lionized in other cities during his American trip.This is shown by the fact that club presidents, leaders of society and faculty members of prominent educational Institutions are preparing to receive Tagore in a manner that will not cause.Milwaukee to suffer in comparison with the hospitality accorded the oriental seer in other communities where he is appearing.
The directors of Little Theater Mrs. Arthur Gallun and Mrs. Edith Adams Stewart met Rabindranath on 24th Oct at Chicago. Having inaugurated the meeting by Mrs. Stewart, Superintendent of the Schools Mr. Milton C. Potter introduced Rabindranath before the audience.  One young student Richard Davies sung three songs from the collection of poems of Rabindranath before he read the essay. The local paper Sentinel  wrote on 5th Nov.;
" Tagore had for audiences one of the biggest lecture crowds that had been brought together in Milwaukee for several seasons.  Every seat in the main floor and the balcony of the Pabst Theater was filled ; about half of the gallery seats were sold. "
Mrs. Seymour attended the lecture. He wrote Rabindranath   on 8th Nov.;
" You have not thought it strange that we did not say more about the Milwaukee lecture. It silenced us all..Your coming is like the shining forth of the sun again in troubled time of storm and flood. You teach us, that revelation never ceases, and that, in time of need. God send his messanger of light and love."
 Milaukee Wisconsin published a historical interview on 8th Nov;
" Rabindranath Tagore ...received Mime. Montessori at the Hotel Pfister late in the afternoon and the interview between the two famous educators was full of interest, Others who were present were mrs. William Vaughn Moody, who came up from Chicago, M.C.Potter,...Mrs. James A. Stewart, ..Mrs.helen Haight and others. Dr. maria Montessory [1870-1952] wrote Rabindranath on 8th Jan 1926 remembering this incident;
" Having had the honour of knowing you personally, I had kept our meeting always fresh in my mind and in my heart and I have very often spoken about you."