Back in the Day

Whatever happened to:

Bowery dances? Have you ever heard of one? Well, “bowery” is a Dutch word for farm. In New York City, the Bowery was a street, and then a neighborhood. The dances were often outside - under trees, on the streets. At some park dances, the band would start up and park employees would go out into the crowd and get a dance partner. From 1870 thru 1930’s the Wright County Monitored mentioned “bowery” dances held at irregular intervals. They appeared to be especially designed for the young people. This also reminds us of barn dances, which used to be common when a new barn was built!

Box socials? 1900-1930 saw many box socials (or suppers) listed in the Wright Co. Monitor. These were usually fundraisers for a group. A supper was prepared by a woman (often a single lady), and put in a box, or basket, perhaps decorated. These lovely items were then auctioned off and the highest bidder got the supper and the company of the lady who prepared the supper! Now, bright young ladies with a beau would sneak some information to her young man about what her box looked like, so the young man could win the bid. Needless to say, a woman who could make a delicious meal, widely known in the community, had very active bidding!

Chautauqua assemblies? “Chautauqua” is an Iroquois word with multiple meanings, one is “two moccasins tied together.” The word also describes the shape of Chautauqua Lake, located in southwest New York, which became the setting for Chautauqua Institution, the first educational assembly in what became a significant movement at the turn of the 20th Century. What started as a summer school for Sunday school teachers, broadened into adult education of all kinds. Assemblies were held close by from 1890-1920’s.