The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-25
Many Participants n Former Society Circuses
 Now Drawing Large Salaries as Professionals

Had you ever stopped to think that the
 Society Circus given annually by the Bir-
 mingham Atheltic club has been a step
 ping stone to fame and fortune for not l few of its participants?
 1 We'll
 l It's true
 Birmingham can point with pride to sev-
 eral old time Society Circus participants who are vaudeville stars" today
 Amateur theatrieals are at all times | interesting but when the performances
 assume professional air as the so- ciety Circus has within the past few years, it is really a credit to a city to
 boast of such an institution and that ap-
 preciation is given is manifest by the cordial patronage each year that is re- ceiVed.
 Of the pioneers-those who arranged and participated in the first Society Circus ever given in Birmingham, there are still few who are interested in the work, prominent among whom is pr. James E. Dedman whose unfailing loyalty to the Birmingham Athletic club and whose fine spirit of citizenship in promoting healthy, wholesome sports, and amusements of all kinds has made him a notable figure in , the scheme of Birminghams advance ment.
 Dr. Dedman, who is chairman of the executive committee for the circus this year, talks interestingly of the old days the pioneer days as we call them-when the Athletic club was only small or ganization of jealous men determined upon promoting it's efficiency and making it factor in the city's growth, and in chatting about the coming Society Circus with me yesterday, he said, among other things
 "Reminscing bit it may be of interest to go over the ground from the initial circus given in December, 1899, 15 years ago, and enumerdte the first executive committee which consisted of Messrs. Harry Miles, Hill Ferguson and myself. l Some of the performers were Captain Led better and his cavaliers, Sam Cowan, Frank Norris Leslie Stollenwerck and Hill Ferguson. A superb quartet which consisted of Mrs. Solon Jacobs, Peanette Moore mow Mrsn Adams), Mir Charles Washburn, who today is famous as a singer and MT. Harry Lyons was one of the attractions. MT. Ed Miles, in a black face act, was another attraction. Asso- l cated with me in novelty musical act was J. NJ Bansden, now chief electrical 1 engineer with Thomas A. Edison Fred | Underwood and Ed Spencer, in classic l  Age-Herald, Walter Backman, in banjo | solos and songs and limitations, was one of the notable attractions of that circus. l Eddie Burger, who is now one of the highest salaried professional novelty l balancing acts in vaudeville, was in the original circus, and did some clever work Others who participated vera Sid B. Jones, William Blocker. Karl Ken | dall, Jack Riddle and Cary Thompson.
 Lots of them old married men now and their children are taking part in the So- ciety Circus" I suggested, while still actors still persist in remaining bachelors. playing the role to perfection"
 'Yes," said pr. Dedman and still | there are others who are notable profess | sionals For instance, Eddie McQuaid, ] who took part in the Society Circus of 1900 He is now on big time in the Lon don music halls and is drawing perhaps the largest salary of any juggler in the world. His comedy juggling act is &C., knowleged to be one of the cleverest ever given on the stage. For the 1900 circus, MT. Washburn organized the Athletic Glee club. The clown dance was also an innovation at the circus. In the latter act MT. Ed Chairsell, who by the way has taken part in every Society Circus since the first one, and is one of the cleverest of all our Athletic club members; Ed Warren, Ernest Redd, William Huey and others made a notable success.
 Tn the 1901 circus,' Dr. Dedman con tinued, MT. Walter Blackman and my self put on a novelty magical act which was produced for the first time on any stage. Later it has been used with fine effect by professionals such as Maxmil- Han and Martini and Harry Bouton and brother, all big Keith stars"
 "The sextet which has always been such a popular attraction, when did it make it's appearance on the programme?' asked. ''In the 1903 circus, Prof. J. c. Weisner trained the sextet, which included Misses Edna Snow, Anna Mae Phelan, Caroline Chisholm, Alabama King, Sarah Lucllie, and Ethel Clifford,' was the re- ply. "'To Mrs. Gray is due a great deal of the credit for the popularity of the sextette. Her splendid interest in the sextette and the zeal with which she has always worked for it's success has been a tremendous factor in the Society Circus and it's popularity"
 And the Society Circus of 1sl4?" I asked. 'Is going to be a wonderfi'' said pr. Dedman with great pride. "One thing that will be particularly emphasized will be the acrobatc work which will be of