The Washington times., 1922-05-02
To GUARD !.
FLAPPER FROM
Ev|LSOF DANCE
fredericksburg. Va. All Excited
When D. c. Shriners Arrive
In White Auto.

fhEDERlChSbUR Va, May
2.-Just when the good women OF
this staid old Virginia city thought
they had solved Fredericksburg's
flapper problem, the Ku Klux Klan
has stepped in.
Mothers here are very careful
about their daughters, throwing
every restriction around the young
flappers. There is no public dance
hall here, but every Monday night
a subscription dance, chaperoned by
some Of the best women of this
historic community, is held at the
armory with the consent of Mayor
j. Garnett King and the city council.
Five as Chaperonss.
The chaperones consists OF a
committee of five, the wife OF
Mayor King. the wife OF a bank
president. and three wives OF pro-
fessional men. At the subscription |
dance, the committee sit in a row
Of chairs at one end of the armory |
with an eagle eye" on the doings |
OF their own children, as well as
the young daughters OF other
mothers of the community.
=" lNU GIL ibiH htOtutIly
and safeguards thrown around the |
young women, mothers here feel |
their daughters are as safe at the !
Armory on subscription dance |
nights as they would be In the |
parlors OF their own homes.
But at last nights dance there |
was an intense atmosphere OF i'm.
pending danger. There was justifi. |
cation for this fear. IL was brought |
about by several letters being re.
oeived by the members OF the |
Wooding Bros Jazz band from the \
Ku Klux Khan. The letters warned |
the Wooding brothers that the sub.
scription DANCES must cease. Be
ware and take cognizance OF our
warning!' stated the letters.
Threats were made that members |
OF the Klan would swoop down on
die srmory last night il a dance
was held.
Mayor Takes Hand.
Mayor King took the situation
In hand. He placed a policeman,
heavily armed at the door of the
armory. Then he had the commit
tee of chaperones invite some of |
the marines from Qusntico to at
tend the dance, II members of the
Nibh HNaIl@t tfte fu"tintrs
Il was figured, would soon put an
end to the disturbance. Fathers of
the girls also were invited to attend
the dance.
When the dance opened, the young
folks were glad and happy and never
suspected what dark clouds" were
I'm the atmosphere. Later when the
evening wore on and the Dsddies
showed up, they were surprised.
What are you doing here. Ded7"
asked one of the girls.
Just looking on" he rejoined.
We'll, how do you like it?"
"'Tis all right" he commented.
There were fifty couples on the
floor, the majority of girls being
OF ages between fifteen and twenty.
Older couples also hEht'hsarted.
danced the light fantastic until late
in the evening. But nothing marred
the danoe--the members OF the khan
did not put in an appearance.
In commenting on the manner OF
dancing at the armory Mrs. King,
wife of Mayor King, declared:
Public dance halls are prohibited
in Fredericksburg" said Mrs. King.
I'VE think our system of holding
dances proper and In a measure is
great protection against misson-
duct. I would recommend that
other cities and communities Conduc.
dances, with a chaperone committee,
as we do. Mother should take more
interest in their daughter and there
would not be so much talk about the
nappors.
mo mother should hesitate to
become q member OF such a dance
chaperone committee. Any mother
Interested in the welfare OF her
daughter should give up at least
one night week to attend a dance
and place safeguards not only around
her own daughters, but those of
others. This In a mothers duty"
Just before the dance and when
the older folks and city officials were
discussing the possibilities OF IN
avalanche OF Klansmen on the ar.
mory dance, the big white motor
car carrying the Washington quota 4
OF the Trans-continental Shrine Car
svan on the way 10 San Francisco,
drove into town.
The White car has a ghostly ap.
pearance in the dark. and II vas
rumored that 1t was the bearer OF
the Ku kluI Klan raiders. Negroes
in this section were particular
"skeered" of the machine and it's oc-
cupants. But when Mayor King
learned the Identity OF the occupants
OF the car and their mission he gave
them a glad welcome.
Next Mondays dance is not TO he
called off because OF the threats OF
the Klansmen." said Mayor King.
We will guard against any Interrupt
ton as we did last night" When
the Rrmory was closed at l o'clock
this morning, and the flappers had
been safely tucked to bed. the city |
officials breathed sigh Of relief,