The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-03-18
1.-THE coon OLD TINES"
! ~ ' Z f-ilsltl tqf0i lf.tff4tfsl II 81 ~
A Change for the Worse In Public Dnnces


Areporttr Of the 1srELL,oxScrR had q long
talk with Mr.. g. J. Mayer In relation to the
the balls OF the prssent day compared with
those Of earlier years. Mr.. Mayer ha, taught
dancing for number Of years. and 10 ono Of
the best instructors In the city. He has re.
sumed TEACHING, after long rest, at the
earnest solicitation Of hla friends, and Is now
conducting large clas.es Of young gentlemen
and young ladieu. .is. ,l&5
1.-THE manner OF managing public balls Is
not what II used to be-" said Mr.. Mayer.
"TheIe 10 too much loosenes, In tho way Of
conducting them; such, for instance, rs The
former years the Committee on Invitation
was a very important one. The committee
divided their work, laying the town out In
three Districts. Ths names OF those who we're
10 DO Invited were put down, but no inylls.
.i0n8 were Issued until the entire Committee
met and scanned the list carefully, II tho
name Of any lady who was considered oh.
jeotionable was found It was Immediately
erased. Nowadays no such care is taken.
OF course, speak Of balls generally. There
bal been certain exctustvenees practiced on
soma occasions, I know" 's,t'.F, 31g,'T 3
Nowadays the blauk Of the invitation Is
filledou and the nlsavs mailed, and that Is
the end Of 1t. 1n former times the menibers
OF the committee used 10 deliver the Invita-
tions 10 person. Besides, they saw that the
ladies had company TO tho ball. II they
were not already provided with eacortu,
! lacks or buses called for them. Now 1t Is
something like every lady for herself. We
nj ~ nj Lad. ~ =
unless she had All Escort" ~ E
1.-THE manners In the bali room to-day are
somewhat different from old times, aren't
they?' inq lired the reporter. 't,,...-
| YES, believe they ere. 4 hayo ho(ic.d
one bad feature. When d gentleman dances
with lady, he should not Immediately bolt
away from her 1T the end OF the dance, and
leave her 10 ind teat IS beat she can. l
nave seen this done time ind time again,
Another abuss 10 that OF gentlemen dancing
with ladiesto whom they have not been In.
tIoduced. OF Course the ladies are some.
what to blame fer this. No true lady would
DO 1t, but the custom has become 20 strong
that they have 10 accept invitations from
s.facgeFs or Ia q measure he wall flowers ioi
the greater psrs o! the evericg. Then there
Ia the improper position In walzng. / take
great pa'ns 10 instruct my pupils ia this re,
gard. have seen couples Waiting who's;
positions were shocking. There should be {
ra icat reform in this" 7'} ag..s IA as !,
How about the music. theae daysg't
."Oh, 1t Is good. but the o.chsa.ras play en-.
tlrsly too fe1t. o. this account ,ncst Of tht
dancing Is Waiting, whic, is The result o.
fast playing; but no lime is given the dance!
to execute any steps. Slower music Is whs
Is wanted nov rs much RI anything alse."
Rsyersins to positions in walizlug, Mr
Mayer said in former days the mapage wert
very stric' in this regard, and any impro
priety netlctd was remedied at once. idc
Offending parties were warned, and II they
repeated the acs they were ejsctad from the
room. ~ 4,l-!a "a. 81 .t'r,, 3
Mr.. Mayer, In further conversation on the
subj ect, sad that he took pains 10 instruc,
his pupils III good manners. ~ not only do
that, said he, "but perhaps 20 beyond my
right and instruct them bow 10 dret1 prop.
er.y, aud in the, littls civilities ths. djstin
gnish the gentleman from the boor. Ihsve
noticed that many gentlemen In p-omeDad
Ing on the streets with Indies do not know
what Is good breeding. They allow lady tc
proceeds them in crossing muddy street. II
Is the place OF the gentleman to always pre-
csde the lady-:n crossing street or s.cand
ing a Stairway H"I1N " tt',o7,
This closed the informal talk Mr., Nave,
inviting the reporter 10 call around at Nc
Lama Hall some evening aud witness tho re-
heartals of his cla-s. 1,7.l' =@5 :. :.