By Katie Bergeron, OHS Torch reporter
On October 5th, in the Evergreen Cemetery the dead came alive because of the McLean County Museum of History and Illinois Voices Theatre; their goal was to entertain and inform viewers about past community members.
The performances were of select people buried in the cemetery. The people chosen to be portrayed were members of the community who made a contribution to McLean County history, but they weren’t always famous..
Senior Carson Goff said, “My favorite person was William O. Davis. It was really cool to hear about the Pantagraph when it was struggling to survive it’s competition and now it is the prominent newspaper for Bloomington.”
William O. Davis was an adventurer who eventually married Elizabeth Fell. Davis became the proprietor and publisher of the Pantagraph in its early years, The Pantagraph flourished under Davis’s watch and he is one of the main reasons it is still around today.
William O. Davis was portrayed by actor John D. Poling. This was Poling’s first appearance in the Cemetery walk, but it was not apparent, he stayed in character throughout the whole skit; and even remembered to not use his right arm and leg.
Bailey Hoerbert, senior, said, “The performance that stood out to me the most was Matilda. The actress seemed to actually be Matilda. She was also really funny.”
Matilda Calcote was a live-in maid for Helen Stevenson's daughter, Adlai Stevenson, for many years. Once the war started, Calcote became a ship welder in 1944. She was married several times and had one daughter. Later in her life, Calcote became an active member of the African American community.
Goff said, “It was a great experience. I love learning about history, especially since it was so close to home. Everyone should get the experience to go on this field trip.”
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