Everyone loves a parade, particularly if it has a band in it. For
the better part of a century municipal festival parades have been a
tradition in some of the large cities of our country from New York to
California.
But one of the most fantastic is the Mummers’ Parade in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, on New Years Day. It is said to have originated in
the early 1800’s, when it was led by Eph Horn, the famous minstrel.
However, the only records available tell of the first, an individual
organization with three musicians--two fiddlers and one artist on the
triangle. The first formal parade was held January 1, 1901, after the
Council had decided to make it a city function.
Now the colorful parade is miles long and is made up of three
units--fancy, comic and string bands. King Momus, god of ridicule, is
the leader of the parade. The Police, Firemen and PTC Bands at the
beginning of the line start the procession rolling. But the swinging
groups all march down Broad Street to the tinkling music of the string
bands.
Some years there are as many as fifty string bands, spaced a block
apart. In them from fifty to one hundred musicians play guitars,
banjos, violins, saxophones, accordions, percussion instruments, and
cymbals. Their theme song, _Oh Dem Golden Slippers_, is in keeping with
the gold painted rubbers which the gay marchers always wear.
Their fancy costumes “as splendiferous as a parade of peacocks” cost
thousands of dollars. In most clubs or units, the captain wears the
showiest costume with a flowing satin or velvet cape a block long
and requiring sixty or more page boys to support it. One headdress
contained 300 plumes while another stood ten feet high and had 700
plumes with lights blinking on and off among them.
Philadelphia and the surrounding country is proud of its parades, and
in fair weather more than a million people jam both sides of Broad
Street to see Quakertown’s traditional pilgrimage.
[Illustration]
_Industrial Bands_
“Wanted! FIRST-CLASS BANDSMAN who has $500 or more to invest in an
up-to-date job printing office; the business will invoice at $1,600.
Party must be reliable and a first-class printer. Good opportunity for
the right party.”
Advertisements like this were common in the early band days. Employers
wanted workers who could also play a band instrument or “double in
brass.” And such was the popularity of bands that often the job
appealed to the worker only because he would be able to play in
the town band. At first the bandsmen were not paid, even for their
expenses; but later some communities donated money to help them.
In time the industries began to support their bands for they had found
these organizations wonderful allies in spreading good will among their
employees, communities and customers. Some companies gave band concert
parties to their workers and their families. These were welcome events
in the days of few social entertainments.
One of the oldest industrial bands, the Altoona Works Band of the
Pennsylvania Railroad, was organized in 1853 under the leadership
of William Boyden. This group was always noted for its striking
appearance. In 1885 twenty-six uniforms were purchased at a cost
of $2,200, “the trimmings and buttons of which were gold-plated of
the best quality.” The band played at the inauguration of President
Harrison and at several of the inaugural celebrations and is still in
existence with Albert Sincer of Altoona, Pennsylvania, as leader.
Outstanding among the smaller railroad bands was the Missouri-Kansas
and Texas or “Katy” Band of Parsons, Kansas. The company employed a
full-time music supervisor and in the 1920’s boasted five bands of
white workers, one Mexican band and one Negro band. These popular
groups played over the country at such functions as state fairs and in
many places where a parade band was needed.
A great impetus had been given to the band movement when Charles G.
Conn of Elkhart, Indiana, began turning out popular-priced horns. And
incidentally, the band instrument industry began quite by accident.
When Charles who had received a lip injury during the Civil War came
home, he made an elastic rim on the metal mouthpiece of his own trumpet
to protect his lip. Then his friends wanted the rims on theirs, and
soon there was so much demand for them that he started making them,
using a small shed for a factory. He went on to make the mouthpiece and
finally the instrument itself. Thus began the great C. G. Conn Ltd.,
business of today.
Soon other companies were organized and followed suit in a rush to
make instruments; organize bands and help the musicians to buy the
instruments. The movement spread and in 1898 it is said that there were
1,000 industrial bands marching in the streets of the United States and
playing popular music of the Spanish-American War days.
Workers of all nationalities and occasionally executives of the
companies played in these business organizations over the country.
One millionaire industrialist, Felix Dupont, played baritone with
the Wilmington, Delaware Police Band. Fifty-five musicians, employed
in various departments of the Ford Motor Company in Detroit,
Michigan, formed a typically American group. They represented eight
nationalities--four English, ten Italians, fifteen Germans, ten
Canadians, one French, one Scotch, two Polish and twelve Americans.
In 1914 the Willy-Overland Automobile Company of Toledo, Ohio,
organized a similar fifty-piece band from various departments. Its
personnel of molders, machinists, blacksmiths, coremakers, office
workers, auto testers and common laborers all played the works of the
old masters under the leadership of Gustav Koehler.
John Wanamaker Company in New York City had a famous band with fine
leaders which it maintained in connection with the school work of its
junior employees until the New York Educational Law made it necessary
to discontinue.
The American Rolling Mill Company (Armco) Band of Middletown, Ohio, was
organized in 1921 by Frank Simon. For years it was a well-known company
and community band, touring Ohio and adjacent states. Then the company
sponsored Frank Simon and His Famous Band on the Armco NBC program for
ten years. This band is no longer in existence as the American Rolling
Mill Company changed its advertising policy at the close of the ten
years, and dropped the band.
During depression years most of the industrial bands disappeared;
but some companies, still feeling that they are a valuable asset,
have organized new ones. The Caterpillar Tractor Company at Peoria,
Illinois, is one of the several firms that keep up a concert band and a
dance band for plant members and their families.