Fergus County argus., 1906-05-15
MINSTRELSY IN
FORMER YEARS
Originator Of Old Time Favorites Telis
Of Some o. His Exper-
periences.
THINGS ARE DIFFERENT NOW
Half a Century Ago it Was Not Un
usual to, Find the Opera House
Full Of Hay.

One of the oldest living originators
OF minstrelsy today is Samuel A. Brock
OF Rutland, VT.
He was a member of the first wagon
show that ever started out in the
United States, in 1856.
In the latter part of that year, says
the Boston Globe, Brooks Broadway
Minstrels were organized, with the
following glaring announcement, in
wood type, on their handbills, which
were distributed to the eager populace
OF rural towns in days preceding the
civil war:
''This troupe comprises the following
talented artists long and favOrably
known to patrons of Ethiopian min
strelsy and individually recognized as
stars of the profession: George M.
Clark, ballad singer and bones; A.
White (familiarly known as Hank
White) tambourist and prince of comic
vocalists; S. A. Brock champion banjo
player of the world; Billy McGarrett.
clog dancer, late of CampbelPs Euro
pean minstrels; o. A. Whitmore of
Boston, the unrivaled clarinet solo
Essence Of Old Virginny' and Dixie's
Land
Minstrel Shows Were It.
Mr.. Brock, speaking reminiscently
said:
"Those were the days when min
strel shows were it, and there were
no stirring melodramas about No we'd
homeding Bells for Her. why Girls
Leave Home and that stuff. You
could not give the public such stuff
in those days and make your bread
and butter.
Il remember well the first wagon
show that ever started out and the
manner in which we billed the towns
anead, filling in the blank date lines
by the use of pen and ink. Maybe We
would show in the town hall, the front
room of tavern, or any place we
could get that seemed best adapted to
our limited requirements.
''Our repertoire consisted of such Sc
lections as Lemuel,' opening chorus
with Hunters Life Meet Me Tonight
Love- She Sleeps in Her Grave,
Louisiana Lowlands,' plantation Choir
us and so forth. Then, for the second
part, We used to give the people
double violin trick playing and Clark
or somebody else would give them
The Essence of Old Virginny' and
'DiXie's Land
Sometimes, in fact quite frequent
ly, we would give an open air concert
on the village green and collect the
curious in that way.
This, you remember, was half cen
tury ago, and there were no such things
then as the trust, vaudeville houses
or theatrical circuits. If the opera
house had been full of hay for couple
of years, owing to lack OF talent
coming that way, we found it up to us
to remove the hay and get busy for the
evenings performance.
The Contrast Now.
When l run down to Boston or New
York now and contrast the present
magnitude and glittering splendor o.
stage productions with the days wher
our stage dress was the same as We
were in the wagon from town to town
the growth and development of tht
theatrical business astonishes me. Mer
have put their lives into the work an(
realized the possibilities of the bust
ness.
Years ago l used to say that thu
people, Tom, Dick and Harry, fount
the ever increasing demand was to b.
amused or entertained. 1t is perfectl!
natural and to be expected, especial.
from the American people, who try t.
accomplish so much in a day or al
hour. The inevitable result when ev
ening comes is the desire and deman'
for relaxation and enjoyment.
IF had persisted in my belief hal
a century ago that the great American
public wanted to be amused more an
more l would have been a rich mai
today, for should have taken advan
tage of the time and the opportunitie
to have reached out in the bushes