Considering and Concerning the Children

It is a saying, trite and true, that if you can catch the women you can draw the men. Charles White, in establishing located-minstrelsy at his Melodeon in the Bowery, New York, laid the foundation of public favor by getting the fair sex to attend upon invitation, until going to the minstrels came to be looked upon as a very proper caper. At a late date, Tony Pastor, in the same Bowery, admitted of a Friday night for a considerable time, free of charge, all ladies accompanied by paying escorts. Women were rather shy of the vaudeville, and Antonio, like White, was educating a new class of patrons and removing the prejudices that existed against the varieties in the minds of a great number of people who had put one of the most entertaining forms of amusement under the ban. (33)

To be sure, under the missionary plan of Messrs. White and Pastor, it frequently required two ladies to guide one gentleman to the performance. The shrewd inciters of public appreciation were not aggrieved thereat - only the more rejoiced.

The American newspaper humorists have made lots of fun for themselves, the show folks, and the general reader by dwelling on the number of adults it required to guide a child to and from the circus with safety. On the average, from a large front door experience, I should say three to one. Now, as the child seems both the magnet and an advertiser, it stands [that] the tent show manager, even if he has a menagerie, [needs] to reach the young folks and interest them in his coming. The child is not a hypocrite like many of the elders. [He] loves the show with a full heart and does not sneak out to the show grounds like a culprit with a mouthful of silly and untruthful excuses: “I didn’t care to come myself but the children insisted.” “If it hadn’t been for the zoological collection, I shouldn’t have been here.” “Of course they are all alike and I have seen everything but the youngsters must be satisfied.” And so on and so on.

The pictorial on the billboards bring the children around as thickly as flies gather at the bung of a molasses hogshead on a wharf. Facing the many-colored display, no feature is lost to view or discussion. It has been noted and the fact commented on that the most incorrigible children begin a period of good behavior and model conduct upon the billing of a circus and extending up to the show’s performance. In many households, the hair brush and the slipper entirely disappear as weapons of correction and castigation. The only warning being needed on a rising infraction [is], “If you don’t behave, you can’t go to the circus.” What boy or girl ever failed to come to time, facing so terrible an alternative?

Also, please to observe the great moral influence of the circus. Still, Sunday school superintendents and pastors of flocks have been known to get up picnics on circus day and have lured the youth away from the sawdust, the clowns and the elephant to the woods, cold victuals and the stomach ache.

All bright children of the present day read the newspapers and are thoroughly posted as to the important local details of the circus advertisement - the date of appearance, location of lot, scale of prices, opening of performances, hour of parade and route of procession. Even the smallest boy never bothers the ticket seller at the red wagon with a string of questions. He has received all the necessary information from the press or the small bills.

The child being an advertiser as well as an attendant, the youth’s influence should be counted. I was of that opinion at my start in the circus line. Murray had a series of small cards in colors, advertising features of the show; and these were put in the hands of the little men and women at the coming out hours at the schoolhouses. These cards were issued with great care and, the work being faithfully done, it counted to advantage along with the other media of publicity. To be sure, there was nothing new in the idea but the picture cards were attractive. All were carried home and none were destroyed or wasted and each bore a well worded announcement of the show.

One season I prepared for the show a small four-page affair especially for the juveniles and called it “The Sunbeam.” It contained a single story that incorporated in the narrative the grand glories of the show. I also planned the insertion of single column stories for boys and girls in the newspapers, running them in regular reading matter, at small expense, in connection with the regular display advertising. Whether that last scheme paid I had no means of knowing but I believe that it did.

After a while it became impossible to distribute any printed or pictured matter at or in the vicinity of the schoolhouses, under the orders of the boards of education and the penalty of arrest. In spite of this, it was found to be an easy matter to reach the children promptly and efficiently.

For two seasons at least and perhaps more I prepared a special boys’ and girls’ publication for Adam Forepaugh; and the distribution was made from the first advertising car under the supervision of Mike Coyle, who described it a most excellent advertising medium and perhaps the best used by the show. From the moment the advertising car reached town and was sidetracked, genial Mike saw that every youthful visitor got a copy of the Boys and Girls. And the more he gave away the more they came, until the local edition was exhausted. Being sought for instead of distributed, they were all the more valuable as an advertisement and ever so much more appreciated. The procession, as “an exhibition of the resources of the establishment,” has a powerful pull and determines many as to their attendance; but the little ones have known their fate and arrived at their conclusions before the fixed date.

The circus is an institution for the family, for young and old. And it is a clean amusement and that is more than can be said of some kinds of stage performances (I will not say entertainments.). Being conducted decently, the managers of American tent shows have been and are being patronized by the best people; whereas, in some of the first-class theatres, it is quite the necessary thing for a man to explore in advance, to learn for himself whether or not it would be the proper thing to invite a woman - wife, sweetheart, or sister - to the “reigning sensation of three capitals.”

To return to our mutton, in one instance at least I know that my circus literature for juveniles was perused by an adult. Charles A. Potter, many years a circus agent and postmaster of Danielson, Conn., was distributing “The Sunbeam” in advance of the Murray show when he was accosted by a clerical individual with the inquiry:

“Is the gentleman who wrote that charming little story connected with the circus?”

“He is our director of publications - that is, newspaper man and writer,” responded Potter. Then the good man threw up both hands and exclaimed

“What a wicked waste of talent!”

“Guess he thought you ought to be writing tracts,” remarked Potter on reporting the conversation to me.

I am not the only person who has, perhaps, missed his calling; but as wicked an old wretch as I ever knew wrote yellow matter for publication with the same hands that he dashed off pious and goody-goody tracts. It is my belief that the writer who induces persons to enjoy themselves has a commendable mission and has the credit of creating happiness.

I have spoken of the value of pictorial advertising cards as a means of reaching children and that recalls the fact that the Sells Brothers got out the best, most elaborate and expensive series that I ever saw used in advance of a show. Like a certain cigar, “they were generously” large, and artistic as well. On the reverse [side was a place for] reliable information [about] zoology. The set was enclosed in a stout manila envelope and labeled as issued by the educational department of Sells Brothers’ Shows. These really desirable pictures were given away in sets and not singly and were much sought after.

Sam Joseph and this writer went into Chicago to boom the show under the personal direction of that master of the advance, Peter Sells. While I gave particular attention to the newspapers, Samuel took to the educational department and proceeded to arrange for the distribution of the extra fine picture cards. Sam Joseph always was and is an enthusiast and he spread himself on the preliminaries. And I was only too willing to have the literary bureau push along the educational department.

Sam had arranged that the free-for-all gift distribution should begin at the music store of Lyon & Healy at a certain hour on a certain day. And Sam was on hand at the appointed time to do the giving. Agreeable to the request, I had announced the presentations in all the newspapers; and, although I did not see the rush, I take Sam’s word for it, supported by Peter Sells’ statement, that all of Cook County surrounded and invaded Lyon & Healy’s, overwhelming and overrunning Sam and the entire establishment of proprietors and clerks. The mob rioted in their struggles to secure the publications of the educational department of Sells Bros.‘ Shows and it was not until the police came to rescue in force and fought their way in that anything like order was secured.

Luckily, the police rescued Sam before he was torn to pieces or trampled under foot. [They] locked all the doors except an exit escape, which they controlled by force of arms. During the hubbub, pickpockets plied their fingers and the wails of the losers were added to the tumult and a good many musical instruments got out of tune or suffered material damage. Altogether, it was the most exciting day ever experienced by the educational department of Sells Bros.’ Shows.

When the “free distribution of the works of art” was over, Sam, limp and weary, reached the Continental Hotel and dropped into a chair in my room. The eyes of Joseph always were a prominent feature of his face but on this occasion they protruded beyond all previous precedent and he talked so fast that he did not have time to lisp. As Joseph related his thrilling adventure and narrow escape from annihilation, he forgot his fatigue and soared in graphic language, although sore in body. Sam’s eloquence was amazing and his language alarming and still I don’t think he exaggerated the scenes at Lyon & Healy’s a little bit. After all, Sam declared that the educational department of Sells Bros.’ Shows was an unqualified success.

I was much interested in the attracting of the children to the circus but I did not think it was judicious to go around to Lyon & Healy’s and learn their views. The musical firm was quite too busy straightening up things in the store, while a force of men were putting in new glass in the doors and windows. Peter Sells agreed with me that the time was highly inopportune. So neither of us pursued our investigations in that direction. Perhaps if any circus advertiser is in need of a branch of the educational department in Chicago, it would be as well not to invite the musical firm mentioned to interest themselves in the movement.

Footnotes

33. Charles T. White (1821-1891) opened the Melodeon at 53 Bowery, 1846. He was burned out twice, but each time he rebuilt. After a third fire, he moved to 585 Broadway. Pastor’s New York management career began in 1865 when he opened the Opera House at 201 Bowery. He remained there for ten years.


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William L. Slout and Circus Historical Society, Inc.