The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-02-11
CAN YOU REMEMBER
WAY BACK WHEN
Dancing School Flourlshed In the
G. A. r. Hall in the Estes House
and the Picture of Andersonville
Prison Was a Work Of Art.

III u. a. X ttall IN tho Estes rouse
II and the Picture of AndersonviIIe |
II Prison Was Work Of Art.
Dancing school wasn't exactly the
most popular OF indoor sports way
back in the days when the &. A. r.
hall in the Estes house was the most
used hall in keokulr. And that wasn't
SO awfully many years ago. either;
not more than twenty-five. But there
was one compensation for the hours
you spent one, two, three-ing around
the hall to the click of the castenets
in the hands of Prof. Mahler and his
assistants. That was the picture OF
Andersonville prison, which occupied
the entire side wall where there
were no windows. 1t was so grue-
some that it was attractive, and 1t
proved an awfully interesting affair,
especially when you became too self
conscious, all dolled up in Lord
Fauntleroy collars, stiff shiny pumps
and white gloves. +
The study of history might have
fourished that winter had not the
dancing master insisted on more
strict observance Of etiquette. 1t was
enough, 1t seemed to you, to have to
bow when you entered the door.
But when it came to putting on white
gloves, and walking demurely to the
chairs reserved for you, 1t was really
too much. Really it was hard to
understand why there was the sud
den antipathy to history that the
dancing master showed. 1t seemed
to you that history would be far more
interesting than sliding, slipping over
the floor and making stiff little bow
to the girl of your choice, while she
gathered up her short skirts and
curtsied-meaning that she would
accept your mumbled invitation to
dance, or at least to hop around the
floor, both of your arms pumping up
and down, and both Of you audibly
counting zone, two. one, two" or
zone, two three, one two three" as
the case was.
/! The picture was really magnet
gathering its lodestone of boys.
Whenever possible there was con-
certed rush to gaze upon its outlines,
and to breathe curses upon the de-
tenders of the Andersonville walls.
There were frequent threats OF what
you'd do had you been there, yes
stree" and there would have been no
gaunt and emaciated figures lining
the edges Of the prison stockade had
you been there. The border Of the
frame contained a legend of the con-
tents of the picture and white gloved
fingers made streaked marks in the
dust frequently as the class In his
tory shrilly but satisfactorily dis
Icussed the south's most ignoble
prison as that old picture showed it.
But there were times when even
the picture failed to contain much
interest for the students Of the dane
ing class. These were when the
class INDUCED in German" A
week before the favors had been
purchased, and when the great day
came when they were to be bestowed
the gaunt skeletons arouni Anderson.
vile perforce went without any
avengers or champions. The favorE
were so many and so varied that he
most popular of the boys and girls
looked like walking toy shops when
they clattered down out Of the abode
of history and memories whenever
German had been held. Thee
were funny little stunts, sucn ss
potato races with the winners chcos-
ing their parners, Yavors besto7ed by
the fair sex on their favorite SWAT 3,
duu Olu ldSulOuCo oeaASCs LIS III Cd VIVA
knights and ladies in wigs and ruffles
and powder and hoop skirts.
Such a frolic usually marked the
end of the dancing class season, SO
perhaps this was one reason for the
popularity of the event.
The old hall which has been closed
these many years was a favorite
place for dancing schools, meeting
places and the like. For years red,
white and blue bunting hung over
the door, and pictures OF the heroes
of 81 and '65 adorned the walls, and
kept the Andersonville picture from
being lonesome. How some Of those
old generals must have wanted to
laugh had they been able, to have
seen the capers of the cakewalk as
they were cut by the dancing classes
which Mrs. Stanton had there, fol-
lowing those Of Prof. Mahler's. Hers
were held at the time when Georgia
camp meeting" music was echoing
all over the country. and everybody
was cake-walking just as everyone is
shimmying now.
Dancing school had lost some Of its
terrors, but it was still more in the
CASTOR oil class rather than the sugar
plum category. 1t was something
that had to be swallowed every SO
often, and there was really nothing
to do but grin and bear it.
/