SERVING HENDRICKS COUNTY SINCE 1847
Page A-2
The Republican
Delving Into Yester~Year
Local historian and writer Paul Miner uses items from The Republican’s YesterYear column to develop an interesting, informative and often humorous article.
To the Editor: The Plainfield M.E. church pastor watched a Friday night dance Feb. 14, 1896, “to observe how dangerous is the enticing waltz and the seductive quadrille.” Come Sunday, he preached about it. Imagine if he’d seen the Twist or perhaps break dancing, twerking or peeked in at a rave. What if he saw Marilyn Manson there? Someone would be delivering a sermon over him. He was unaware of The Republican’s published dance etiquette. The gentleman never laid his bare hand on a lady’s waist at the waltz. If he had no gloves, then “carry a handkerchief in the hand.” But what if he mistakenly packed a big ole wadded-up red paisley nose-blowing bandanna? The gentleman’s arm never was to encircle the lady’s waist before the waltz music started, and once it was over, then hands to yourself. Ladies never were to brag about how many dances they had lined up. If he reeked of liquor or tobacco, the gentleman should not enter “the presence of ladies” in the ballroom. The Republican gave no advice on bathing. If the dance was on a Friday and Saturday was bath night, and you raised hogs, well . . . A jealous husband fired through a ballroom window when he saw his wife dancing with another man in Austin, Texas, in 1879, but the couple was waltzing so fast that he accidentally pistol shot his wife. It was only a shoulder wound. In a fit of primness, The Republican denounced Thanksgiving 1881 entertainments, including dancing, mirth, wrestling, dog fights and turkey shoots. The Republican described some complicated German dancing rituals in January 1882. For one dance, all the women stand behind a nearly closed door and poke their little fingers out. Gentlemen choose a finger and dance with whoever is attached to it. Or, a lady sits in the middle of the room with a high hat at her feet. A handkerchief is atop that. The gentleman stoops down balanced on one leg and snags the handkerchief with his teeth. I guess they dance after that, and I know what he does with that handkerchief. In yet another, the lady stands on a chair holding a lighted candle aloft. Gentlemen take turns jumping in the air and trying to blow out the candle. The winner gets to dance with the lady. I’ve mentioned that September 1883 Brownsburg party where a fight over dance numbers led to a fatal shooting and a lengthy prison sentence. After the victim was shot, slashed and kicked, “It is hardly necessary to state that this episode spoiled the enjoyment of the occasion and broke up the dance.” A mere wounding, I gather, would not have ended the party. Crowd surfing or a mosh pit would have been considered tame in those tough times. Someone told Lizton girls in June 1884 that a dance was “a preparatory step to something worse.” Two correspondents declared dancing led to failure in life. Parlor balls were especially bad. New York City’s police chief in January 1882 claimed three-fourths of abandoned girls were “ruined by dancing.” During dancing, male partners took liberties. Parlor dancing led to “ungodly balls.” A young bully from a neighboring county barged in on a dance in northeastern Kentucky in 1882. The bully and his posse danced with the girls and wouldn’t allow any local boys a chance. A local hero, “the best pugilist,” was summoned, he started dancing a Virginia reel with a girl, and before long pistols replaced fists, the bully was dead and the other was wounded. Whether the fracas broke up the dance was not reported. A willful young wife and mother, against her husband’s wishes, attends a stately ball, has regrets, leaves early and returns home to discover her baby, Herbert, at death’s door. Repentant, she begs her husband’s forgiveness, which he grants, and Herbert recovers. No more dissipation, pursuit of pleasure, willfulness and waywardness in that 1882 short story in the paper. It was a close call. Late one April 1883 night in Reno, residents were roused by bottles “jingling on the sawdust pile” and some good-looking girls displaying their “captivating” dancing skills. “Old folks say that such performances might do after night, but look bad in daytime.” Paul Miner Lizton ______________________________________________________________________
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If you have local news to share, our deadline for news items is noon on Monday for inclusion in Thursday’s edition. Send your local news items to us by e-mail to therepublican@ sbcglobal.net. Call 317745-2777 or send by fax to 317-647-4341. After hours, news items may be slipped in the mail slot in the front door at 6 E. Main, Danville. __________ Your friend is that man who knows all about you, and still likes you. Elbert Hubbard
Thursday, March 4,
Yester~Year
The Republican has published local news weekly since 1847. We offer this column as a look back at events from our archives and to help connect today’s readers to the people and events in our ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO Issue of March 5, 1896 Amo: Addison Coffin returned Saturday morning from a trip to southern Mexico and Yucatan. The object of his ravels was to compare the ruins in that section with those of Egypt and Syria, which he visited three years ago. Phil Kreigh, “the biggest Democrat in the state,” weighs 420 pounds, is the Democratic committee for North Franklin township. The record and evidence on appeal in the Rev. Hinshaw murder case was filed with the clerk of the Supreme court Saturday morning. It is all nicely bound and makes an immense book, 1,967 pages. Along with the record and evidence are submitted the bloody shirt, night gown and bullet. It is asked that the judgment be reversed. With the advent of spring, a new platform will be laid at the depot. It will be of concrete with stone curbing. The station may be moved east of his present location and better arrangements made for the ‘bus men. McCurdy Bros. have greatly improved their barn by extensive repairs in the office, putting in a new floor, ceiling the sides and then varnishing the wood-work until it shines like glass. Convenient hooks have been placed along the wall for the hats and coats of the “statesmen” who meet daily in this popular place to settle all the issues of the day and decide who will be nominated on the 27th. Pittsboro: Houses are in demand here now. There is considerable stir among the March movers. Hadley: A very pleasant surprise party was given at the Industrial building Saturday night in honor of Orien Hadley, who for the past year has had charge of the farm work there. He was presented a very beautiful bible by the Superintendent and girls as a token of appreciation of his kindness while there. ______ ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO Issue of March 3, 1921 Young men interested in radio work met at the home of Robert Pogue, Friday evening and organized the Hendricks County Radio club by electing Pogue, president; Fuller vice president Armstrong secretary and Crawley, treasurer. It is the plan to hold code practice for one hour each meeting night. Danville’s fire truck has been remodeled and enlarged so that it now carries all the hose, ladders, tools and chemicals on one bed instead of two as heretofore. The equipment is now the best for firefighting the town has ever had. Sheriff Clark and Prosecutor Hume were called to Plainfield, Saturday night, and with the assistance of the Plainfield marshal, they raided the office on the site of the saw mill that burned. Five men and a woman were captured. Amo was refused a watchman at the Vandalia crossing by the Public Service Commission. The railroad company was ordered to put in a better signaling device at the crossing. Amo: The Home Economic Club has arranged to have something hot for lunch served at the school for the children three days in each week. They began last week with hot chocolate. Ed Pennington was made happy last week, when the Pension department notified him that a pension has been allowed him as a Spanish-American Soldier, at $12.00 per month. He will draw between $2,000 and $3,000 back pay, as his application has been in for 20 years. On February 22nd, the sons of North Salem were royally entertained at a banquet by the fathers of the community Covers were laid for 224 guests. A two-course dinner was prepared and served by the Ladies’ Aid Society of the Christian church. ______ SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO Issue of March 7, 1946 Danville had its first picket line in history this Monday, but it was short lived. A picket line at the local office of the Indiana Bell Telephone Co. on West Main street came to an abrupt end at 7 o’clock this morning when world came an agreement had been reached and the proposed strike canceled. The frozen food locker east of Danville has been opened, Gene Ross announced this week. The capacity of the plant is 700 lockers and practically all the boxes have been rented. “Oh, for a place to hang my hat,” has become the theme song for many veterans planning to enroll at Central Normal Col-
lege for the spring term. Rooms and apartments for approximately fifty students are being sought by the Veterans club of the college. Construction of a four apartment house by William Gill and his father, Brewer Gill, will begin within the next few weeks, on a lot which they recently purchased on West Main street. Plans for two new buildings in Danville were submitted at the monthly meeting of the Danville town board. Charles Porter presented plans for a new structure to be built on the north side of the square in Danville. The building will be 15 feet wide and 100 feet long and will be two stories high. Ed Crawley presented plans for the Crawley Motors building which he will erect on the old high school site on the corner of Clinton and Cross streets. ______ FIFTY YEARS AGO Issue of March 4, 1971 Lawson Brothers, local auctioneers, have a slogan, “We Cry for You.” The Jack Lawsons have a new “crier,” Brandon Kirk Lawson, born February 24 at Coleman hospital, Indianapolis. The new “crier” tipped the scales at 7 lb. 8 ½ oz. and offers terms of a lifetime of love, but at present is “not responsible in case of accidents.” Robert (“Bob”) Snyder, former Danville resident and well-known musician, will leave tomorrow for a State Department tour, featured with the Lionel Hampton Orchestra. The host Brownsburg Bulldogs won their 7th sectional championship in rather convincing fashion by thumping defending champion Plainfield, 76-59 in the final game Saturday night. The engagement of Miss Alice Jeanne Cox and Stephen Pipher is announced by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Henry N. Cox, of Danville. Guests of the Frank Leavitt family during the week-end included their two grandsons, Robbie and Brett Porter of Arlington Heights, Ill. Only 22 percent of the parking meter tickets issued in January and February have been paid, according to a report from Mrs. Martha Lee Harvey, meter maid for the Town of Danville. This week the Danville Jaycees launched a Community Building Fund with the building to be owned and operated by the organization. _____ TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO Issue of February 29, 1996 Indianapolis Attorney Lance Wittry has filed for Appointment of a Special Prosecutor in the death of Kimberly McAulty, who was incarcerated in the Hendricks County Jail March 22-15, 1984. A plaque from Steel Plate Fabricators was presented to the Water Commissioner, Paul Barnett, recognizing Danville’s standpipe as one of 20 nationwide members of the Century Club. Exclusive of President and Governor, Hendricks County will have 126 names on the Primary ballots, including both parties. “Boomer,” mascot of the Indiana Pacers, signed autographed pictures of himself at the Danville Junior Basketball League Banquet, Thursday night. Two Danville boys have been awarded football scholarships to play Division 1 Football. Cory Himsel and Matt Payne were co-captains of Danville’s football team this season. Payne will be attending Miami University; Himsel will play at Western Kentucky. _____ TEN YEARS AGO Issue of March 3, 2011 The Town of Amo will be applying for a grant from the Indiana Office of Commerce and Rural Affairs for the renovation of he Amo Community Building. The Danville Chamber of Commerce hosted a Ribbon Cutting ceremony on Monday, February28, at Liberty Tax Service, located at 52 E. Main St., Danville. Members of St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church will hot their 63rd Annual Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper, from 5 – 7 p.m., on March 8. Congratulations to Bill Eddy for his first appearance in the “Fifty Years Ago” column. The Danville Middle School 8th grade girls’ basketball team took the title of Sagamore Conference Champs in the annual competition between schools in Clinton, Boone, Hendricks, and Montgomery counties. Enjoy a tribute to Dr. Seuss by the comedian-magician Don Miller at the Brownsburg Public Library on Thursday, March 10. __________
