Evening star., 1943-11-07
BY John Clagett Proctor,

oy oOIl11 S1dSSGI TIOCIOI.
This Is the season when, in bygone
days the many different social clubs and
soldier companies of the city began CIV
ing their autumn dances, and Just so
years ago, on November 5. 1883, the
IS. S. P. c." was giving a grand ball at
Abner's Music Hall, then on the south
side of E street between Seventh and
Eighth streets NV
Just what the IS. S. P. c." stood for
the dance program does not state, and
the writer confesses he does not know,
though 1t must have been quite an or
ganization, since some well-known
Washingtonians, then in their early
manhood, belonged to the club, which
included, among others, Edward w.
Koch Charles Kattelmann, jr; August
G. Hermann, Fred P Vogt, Hugo
LANCER, G.. Theo. Thomas, John Eder,
Florisn Hitz. Charles F. Mackin, Charles
Kaiser, Carlisle Jones, j. B. Holden,
Louis Keyser, John Jost, Fred. Hirsch,
Charles E. Engles, j. Fred Miller, Edison
Phillips, Albert Reesch, Jas Hagan,
William Eder, A. H. w. Wurdeman, Leo.
Griebel, Temple Belt, Herbert Harding.
The dances included the lancers,
waltz, quadrille, polka, racquet, schot-
tische and gallop. and Krugers orches-
ira furnished the music.
Soiree at Marini's
Later in the month, on November %,
the National Rifles Cadets gave COM
plimentary soiree at Marini's Hall. For
this affair Lee B. Mosher served as floor
director, and the Floor Committee in
cluded F. D. Merchant, R. H. johnson,
Walter Wallington, G.. H. Kennerly and
T. Arthur Tomlinson. Charles G. Ring
walt was chairman of the Executive
Committee, assisted by John J. King,
Fred l.. Siddons, later an outstanding
Judge in Washington; Frank A. Hop
kins, Charles S. Domer and Mr.. Tom
linson For this event the Marine Band
furnished the music. The dances listed
were the same
What the Musette Pleasure Club
called a dancing reception was held on
Thanksgiving evening, 1883, at the same
hall. The names of the members of the
club responsible for the dance were
Charles H. Bruhel, James j. Roche,
John ]. Fitzgerald, C. E. Wise, John J.
Venable, w Hendley, Frank w. Venable,
w. w. Turner, Henry Grass and j. D.
Donnelley. Here the program lists
among the dances not heretofore named
the mazourka, redoWa and Sicillan
circle.
The Golden Star Socials also gave
a dance this same month, and year
later the Excelsior Club gave compl-
mentary soiree. Fifty-nine years Is
going back quite distance, and yet
there is one persons name on this pro-
gram that the writer has known for
almost that length of time, and this is
James S. Goldsmith, retired superin-
tendent of the National Museum.
Early Dance Styles
OF course, the ballroom dances before
mentioned are not all that the young
folk enjoyed half century ago, and we
can correctly add to the list the Virginia
reel and the gavotte, and if We 60 back
to the Civil War period We will find "Old
Dan Tucker" one of the popular dances.
This, If anything, was little more
lively than our present Paul Jones'" 1t
was danced by the forming of circle
around the room, with one or more
fuckers in the center without partners.
When the music began, the call "All bal
ance to Tucker" was made followed by
"allemande left" grant right and left"
promenade all" all forward and back"
and all join hands-circle to the left"
The words to the music played for this
dance ran:
'I came to torn de udder night,
! heard de noise and sd1U de foht
De ,Datchmar WdS q runnin' round,
Cryin' Old Dan fuckers come to
totUn'
Chorus.
$50 get out de 1Day, Ole Dan Tucker,
Get out de lDdy, Ole Dan Tucker,
Get out de 1Day Ole Dan Tucker,
You're too late to come to supper"
George Washineton's Dances
Going back to George Washington's
time we find the minuet and the cotil-
lion the popular dances, and at the COM
plimentary ball rendered the first Presi-
dent following his Inauguration in New
York City on April 3d. 1889, the Chief
TT wv 4