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Acknowledgements
Social entertainment following the American Civil War became a focal point within communities across America as people gathered on weekends and evenings to rebuild a social structure that suffered as a result of that war. Brass Bands flourished and were ripe for an evening's summertime outdoor entertainment. The sound of brass instruments could easily fill a park.
Company Brass Bands began to set a new tradition for the entertainment hungry post-war period. Not only did an evening summer concert become the staple of the weekend, but it afforded a valuable new addition in the role of advertising. The local company band would benefit from the community service of providing wholesome, family oriented entertainment.
Many railway companies siezed upon the idea of a company owned brass band. Brass bands lifted spirits and the music echoed of American patriotism. In addition to the valuable advertising comodity that resulted from a good band, it provided the railway company an asset that would help to herald every new addition to it's fleet of locomotives, extensions to it's rail line, and make every visiting dignatary who arrived by rail feel special as they stepped onto the platform to the sounds of the local brass band.
The Erie Railroad Brass Bands
Probably the most prolific provider of railway bands was the Erie Railroad Company. The E.R.C. had not one, but at least fourteen bands made up of men who worked the repair shops at each of the major divisions within the railroad. So far, the following railway shops have been identified as having a brass band through photos from a collection on file at the Pennsylvania Railway Museum in Strasburg, Pa. and the collection at the Syracuse University Library collection of glass plates. The names shown are taken from the emblem painted on the bass drum in the posed photos.
Another interesting feature of the band festival photo is inclusion of a banner proudly displayed by the band in the center of the group. Although difficult to discern detail, it may be the "Champions Banner" that the winning band will get to take home from that year's competition. A placard placed opposite of the banner displays the words "Kent Division".
But probably the most exciting aspect of this photo is the solitary figure of a conductor, his hand and baton raised high directing what may be the finale of the competition. As I look at this photo, I cannot help but to get a chill imagining the thundering sound of the twelve or more bands, each with an average of 20-30 members, collectively filling the air with the sound of brass! The crowd is dressed in their "Sunday Best" and the popular style of hat for a gentleman was the straw hat with a flat brim.
Music of the Bands
Probably one of the most difficult items to research is the actual music played by the bands. Programs for small community bands of the time are not well documented, and programs for any of the Erie Ralroad bands have not yet surfaced. The best source for music would have been the Brass Band Journal. This publication supported the brass bands with arrangements of what we now call 'classical' music, but designed for the brass band instrumentation. Because the original music was scored for European orchestras, the journal provided a valuable service in supporting the desire to hear the 'latest and greatest" of the music coming from across the seas. The journal also provided a valuable distribution network for the new breed of American composers who were starting to gain popularity.
One former musician by the name of B.F. Skinner has provided an interesting insight into the music and quality of one of the Erie Railroad bands. This excerpt from a biography in the archives of Lafayette College in Easton, PA; "B.F. SKINNER...AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY" gives us an idea of not only some of the music, but the ability of the amateur musicians who were in the bands.
While B.F. Skinner aludes to the amateaur quality of the musicians in his autobiography, this was not necessarily the case with all of the bands. The Meadeville Band for example was apparently quite good in their musical abilities as evidenced by a banner on display at the Lake Shore Railroad Museum in the town of North East, Pennsylvania This banner heralds the bands ability as champions of a competition. The banner is similar to the banner depicted above in style and size, but we can't discern any name on this photo to place it as the same banner. It is possible that the Meadeville, or any band that won a competition would later add thier name to the bottom of a trophy banner.
Instruments
Several antique instruments still exist that carry a variety of inscription styles showing ownership by the Erie Railroad Company. The engraved bell shown above is from an Eb Mellophone (right handed cousin to a French Horn). The bell engraving shown here -
is in a style much different than the mellophone. It is possible that the E.R.C. provided the funds to each of the local shops to go out on their own and purchase the instruments for each of the bands. The engraving on the cornet is deeper than the standard bell engravings produced by the manufacturer, which would indicate that the instrument had the ownership added after purchase. Probably by a local company. Other instruments that have been sighted within the recent past with Erie Railroad engravings include a trombone and a baritone.
The Erie Railroad Company originated the bands because the rousing brass music was a great attraction to the public. However, the bands moved into disfavor with the company during the labor disputes of 1919. Since the bands were filled with blue-collar shop employees, it must have seemed only natural for members of the band to support their union brothers during a strike, by seranading them with music on the picket lines. But this had another effect as the music of a Brass Band would quickly bring onlookers to the scene, and heighten the dispute in the eyes of the media. To say that the Erie Company officials were not amused would be an understatement. These impromptu concerts brought a quick end to many of the bands. Since the instruments were purchased by the company for the 'recreation' of its employees, it was only a short matter of time until all of the 'property' was rounded up and the bands dispatched.
The Erie Railroad Bands Today
Following the labor disputes that put the employee owned bands out of business, save one, the afternoon park concerts faded from the towns the bands called home. But there are other factors that contributed to the decline of local town bands all over the country. The timing of the labor disputes coincides with the problems the country was facing from a world war that was brewing. Sunday afternoon concerts started to fade also as radio was able to bring the entertainment into the home. Why go out to the park on a rainey afternoon when you can sit in the comfort of your own home?
But one band of the Erie Railroad Company did persist. Today, the Community Band of Huntington, Indiana is the legacy of the last of the Erie Shops employee bands. The Hungtington Shops band was the only band that did not participate in the picket lines during the labor disuptes in 1919. In fact, they were the recipients of the majority if not all of the instruments that the company could gather from the other 'offending' bands.
The first director of the Huntington Shops Band was J.L. Swihart. He eventually left Huntington to become the director of bands a Northwestern University. Elmer Rahn, an Erie employee, took over the band and led it until his death in 1976. Since 1976 the band has been directed by various local school teachers and is now sponsored by the Huntington Parks Department.
The Future of Railway Bands
This essay is just the beginning of trying to chronical and document the traditional Railway Band. Traditional Brass bands in America, those whose instrumentation consists solely of brasswind insturments, went into decline due to World Wars I and II. Like their ancestors before them who went off to the Civil War as musicians, many followed suit and joined military bands to support the cause with music.
Following WWII, the public school system began to expand their music programs and the modern 'Symphonic Band', one that now included woodwinds as a normal part of the instrumentation, began to flourish. The once Sunday afternoon concert had been replaced by the school marching bands and the entertainment became a staple of school sports. School spirit would soar on the strains of patriotic marches that were adopted as school 'fight songs'.
Meanwhile, cities now supported the arts through professional Orchestras. Formal concerts became the manner in which we tried to put the horrors of war behind us. Many community 'bands' didn't experience a revival until the school children of the 50's found the need to keep their talents alive by creating and participating in a community band.
The memory of Railway Bands can be kept alive in the same fashion that Civil War bands are kept alive. Through participation of enthusiasts who share a love of music with their passion for history. By discovering the past, we can build an archive that will allow us to preserve the great tradition of American Railway Bands.
Here are a few E-mails received about the Erie Railroad Shop Bands