The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1901-07-14
THE DAY OF THE BANJO.
DObsOn. the Veteran PInyer and
Teacher, Says 1t Is over.

Teacher, Says 1t Is Over.
In commenting upon filing Il petition
in bankruptcy recently George c. Dob
son. the veteran banjo teacher declar-
! ed that the day Of the banjo was done.
The bicycle. golf and the camera. he
| said had proved too strong a combina-
ton for the instrument whose PUNK
/ ETY. plunks have endured since the
pyramids and which has fiourished
wherever man has lived.
When ih 1913 at the BOwery theater
Joe Sweeney. the minstrel. introduced
it to the New York public. it aroused
but languid interest. 1t was "a niger
instrument" and the abOlitionists were
not in the majority at that time. 1t
was at this concert that Sweeney add
ed the little or L string, an idea of his
own. The next serious attempt to
bring it before the public was in 1858,
when the three DObsons gave a series
of concerts ut Barnum's museum.
The next forward step was in 1860,
when Charles f. Dobson, ST.. a Nom
Der of the orchestra in Wallacks thea
ter during the entractes performed
number of banjo solos. The fashion
ables were interested and amused. The
war added to its vogue with northern
sympathiZers, and no soldiers festival
or hospital fair was complete without
banjo Accomplishments.
After the war it languished until
1878, when the addition of frets by the
elder DObsOn gave to its musical capa-
bilities much wider range. Violinists
and pianists saw it's capabilities and
its danger to them professionally and.
as a concession to it, intersperSed their
own performances with limitations of
the banjo.
In 1888 the craze was at it's height
Tournaments were held throughout the
country, and the people seemed banjo
mad. Charles E. Dobson issued
challenge to any player In the world
to compete with him in picking for a
5000 gold medal" Steinway hall was
packed to its doors to see him defeat
eight candidates. with the redoubtable
Horace Weston at their head. and the
next day the papers gave the perform
ance columns.
With the original Spanish Students
who appeared at Booths theater came
the mandolin, and it's tremulous tinkle
marked the first jangle of the banjo's
deathknell. The Students made a
tour through the country. and the first
wedge to knock out the banjo had been
driven in. And, alas, where is the BAN
10 now?
The career of George Dobson as a
banjo player is full of pathos. for it is
the general history of the rise and fall
of very picturesque instrument, if not
delightful in itself delightful in its as
sociations " in its suggestion. Yet we
should expect to see golf and the cam
era and even the bicycle itself die out
utterly before the banjo. (
You couldn't pack 4 Broadwood half mile: /
You mustn't lezve a fiddle in the damp;
fou couldn't raft an organ up the Nile
And play II in an equatorial swamp.
1 travel with the cooking pots and pals; !
I'm sandwiched tween the coffee and the pork.
And when the dusty column checks and tails
You should hear spur the regiment to a
walkl
With my "Pilly-wlly -winky-winky popp!''
ooh, it's any tune that comes into my headDi
30 keep EN- moving forward till they drop;
SO play 'em up to water and to bed
Thus it speaks through Kipling.-
New York Sun.