As I pointed out last weekend in
Music for Flag Day
Music for Flag Day
it's a general rule that
outdoor photos of town bands
come in two types –
bunches or lines.
Last week's unknown band was a line.
Last week's unknown band was a line.
Today I offer a brass band posed in a bunch.
or to use the technical term,
or to use the technical term,
a clump.
The photographer has taken care
to get good light,
placing the fifteen bandsmen
and one mascot,
on a shady slope in a grove of trees.
to get good light,
placing the fifteen bandsmen
and one mascot,
on a shady slope in a grove of trees.
As noted in a caption on the photo postcard
and on the bass drum
they are the Elizabeth Band
of Elizabeth, Illinois.
and on the bass drum
they are the Elizabeth Band
of Elizabeth, Illinois.
The card was sent to
Miss Olive Nash
of Stockton, Ill.
Miss Olive Nash
of Stockton, Ill.
Sun. Oct. 1, 1911.
Dear Olive Rec'id your
last card Thurs A.M.;
when I was waiting for
the excursion train,
You were mistaken about
me not having a hat
on, in that picture; I
am at the other side of
the picture with a black
hat on. On the other
side of this card is a
picture of the Elizabeth
Band ! ! The little darling
in the middle of the
picture, who has no hat or
uniform on, is myself. ↩
last card Thurs A.M.;
when I was waiting for
the excursion train,
You were mistaken about
me not having a hat
on, in that picture; I
am at the other side of
the picture with a black
hat on. On the other
side of this card is a
picture of the Elizabeth
Band ! ! The little darling
in the middle of the
picture, who has no hat or
uniform on, is myself. ↩
I have, also, four brothers in
in the picture, so you see, it
is well worth keeping! (?)
We intended to come up to that
ball game
today, but the immortal gods
have upset our plans. Maybe
there will be another to go to, soon. ↩
in the picture, so you see, it
is well worth keeping! (?)
We intended to come up to that
ball game
today, but the immortal gods
have upset our plans. Maybe
there will be another to go to, soon. ↩
We saw Clara, Naomi and a
Miss Cook at the Fair. You
should have been there and ↩
Miss Cook at the Fair. You
should have been there and ↩
got a Merry-Go-Round ride.
We may be up to leave some
candy at the schoolhouse
for you some sunday. What other
girls have you at school that Ross
or Bert could give candy to? ↩
Sherm W. ↩
candy at the schoolhouse
for you some sunday. What other
girls have you at school that Ross
or Bert could give candy to? ↩
Sherm W. ↩
This card is in
one of my
classy
envelopes
one of my
classy
envelopes
Elizabeth, Illinois is a village 150 miles west of Chicago on the way to Dubuque, Iowa, about 10 miles east of the Mississippi River. In 1910 it had a population of around 703 citizens, a bit more than its current population of 694. The village was the site of the Apple River Fort, a frontier fortification built by settlers during the 1832 Black Hawk War. During a fierce battle with warriors from the Sauk and Meskwaki tribes, a pioneer woman named Elizabeth Armstrong, rallied the other settlers to fight back. Afterwards the community decided to honor her bravery by naming the village Elizabeth.
Which four bandsmen were Sherm's brothers?
3 comments:
Sherm sure knew how to fit in every word he wanted to write! Nice looking fellow. I think the Souza phone (?) player in front of him to his right might be one of his brothers. Maybe the clarinet player behind his left shoulder. Not sure about the other two. Could be the trumpet players behind the clarinet? Whatever, the band was a good size for a town that small. Reminds me of when my brother and two sisters and I sang in our church choir of 18. We were laughingly but seriously asked never to all be gone at the same time. :)
Oops. I mean the clarinet player behind his right shoulder.
Hope you're enjoying your vacation! Elizabeth ended up being the name for many towns, cities and villages, so it's nice to know how this one came to be. Loved the message on the card, which certainly makes it more fun to look at the earnest faces of the musicians and muse as to who's related to whom.
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