USA > Wisconsin > Milwaukee County > Milwaukee > History of Milwaukee, city and county, Volume I > Part 64
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Salaries-janitorial service
15,931.04
Insurance branch libraries
163.80
Total maintenance and
Rent-branch libraries. .
3,135.15
operation $206,703.06
Ileat and fuel
7,325.27
Equipment 5,478.78
Lighting
11,220.73
Supplies
7,835.78
Grand Total $212.181.84
TRUST FUNDS.
George H. D. Johnson Text-Book Fund .- On February 14, 1917, Mrs. Geo. H. D. Johnson gave $1,000 to establish an endowment fund in memory of her husband, Geo. II. D. Johnson, the interest to be used for purchasing textbooks for special students.
Principal: Gimbel first mortgage $1,000.00
Balance in bank January 1, 1918
31.25
Interest, 1918-1920 150.00
Balance, December 31, 1920. $1,181.25
George H. D. Johnson Endowment Fund .- In April, 1917, in her will, Mrs. Geo. II. D. Johnson left $5,000, the income of which is to be used for the pur- ehase of standard editions of the English classies.
Principal : U. S. Government Bonds
$5,000.00
Interest, 1918-1920 377.05
Balance, December 31, 1920. $5,377.05
Matthew Keenan Fund .- The Matthew Keenan fund of $10,000 was the gift of Antoinette A. Keenan, April 30, 1901, for the purchase of books. Principal: City Bonds .. $ 9,000.00
Baltimore & Ohio R. R. Bonds. 1,000.00
Balance in bank January 1, 1918 1,036.72
Interest, 1918-1920 1,263.32
$12,300.04
Expenditures, 1918.
$1.132.75
1919 366.47
1920. 168,78
1,668.00
Balance, December 31, 1920. $10,632.04
Julius Klauser Fund .- On June 29, 1908, the Julius Klauser fund was given by the pupils of Julius Klauser, the interest to be expended for the purchase of works on musie and musical composition.
Telephone 820.14
Fees for county service . .
2.716.53
670
HISTORY OF MILWAUKEE
Principal: Milwaukee Light. Heat and Traction Bond $ 1,000.00
Balance in bank Jammary 1, 1918 187.61
Interest, 1918-1920 150.00
$ 1,337.61
Expenditures, 1919.
262.61
Balance, December 31, 1920 $ 1.075.00
James Sidney Peck Fund .- The James Sidney Peek Fund of $1,000 was given July 18, 1909, by Ellen M. Hayes Peck, for the purpose of establishing a fund in the history department to be known as the James Sidney Peck Fund.
Principal : Baltimore & Ohio R. R. Bonds. $ 1,000.00
Balance in bank January 1. 1918 52.36
Interest, 1918-1920 150.00
$1,202.36
Expenditures, 1919.
$ 105.00
1920. 35.00
140.00
Balance, December 31, 1920. $ 1,062.36
Julius Wagner Fund. Julius G. Wagner bequeathed to the Milwaukee Public Library, $5.000, in December, 1909, for the purpose of purchasing mechanical, technical, and scientific books.
Principal: Wiederwald Mortgage $ 4,000.00
City of Milwaukee Bond. 1,000.00
Balance in bank January 1. 1918. 1,230.73
Interest, 1918-1920 713.89
$ 6,944.62
Expenditures, 1918
65.72
1919
543.26
1920
539.62
1.148.60
Balance, December 31, 1920. $ 5.796.02
Field of Work .- The Public Library has a large number of distributing agencies in the city and county, including eleven city branches and 118 small libraries in schools, Factories, social centers and telephone exchanges. The library also maintains a well-equipped Municipal Reference Library in the City Hall, the primary purpose of which is to collect and classify information on all sorts of municipal subjects and problems which members of the com- mon council, city officials or others may be led in the course of their duties or interest to investigate.
Supplementing the various agencies emnerated there are 450 sets of textbooks for special use in the class rooms of the public and parochial schools of the city and county, the main library, of course, containing an ample equip-
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THE PUBLIC LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
ment of reference books in every department of instruction, information and learning.
The Milwaukee Public Museum .- The beginning of the Milwaukee Public Museum occurred in 1882 when the Legislature authorized the Wisconsin Natural History Society to present its collection to the city and empowered the city to accept the gift. A tax for the maintenance and increase of the museum was provided for. On the 20th of February, 1883, the museum took over the collections of the Wisconsin Natural History Society which con- sisted approximately of 19,000 specimens and 270 books, maps and charts.
Since that time the collections have largely increased through the generous cooperation of the citizens of Milwaukee in donating specimens and collections to the museum, by purchase and by expeditions sent out by the museum for the purpose of obtaining additional specimens, especially among the different tribes of Indians; until now the number of these has grown to be by far the largest and most important within the state.
In September, 1906, by aet of the common council of the city, under author- ity of the Legislature previously granted, a historical museum was established as a department of the publie museum. In this department have been collected such collections as exhibit the works of man, so that in their seope they cover, in a broad way, the history of the human race. Special emphasis has been placed on those departments having more immediately to do with the history of the nation, state and eity. The museum and public library jointly occupy the same building which was completed in 1898, at the corner of Grand Avenue and Ninth Street.
The new building with its valuable contents has made it necessary to ex- tend the arrangement of the exhibits which are now made along more ambitious lines than before, and with the growth of the institution varions means have been found to increase its usefulness to the community. "The collections of the museum are characterized," says Henry L. Ward, in his chapter describing the museum in Usher's "History of Wisconsin, " "by the number and quality of their realistic groups, partienlarly of those of birds, mammals and peoples. These are among the finest in the United States."
Cooperation with the Schools .- Besides the educational value of the exhibits to visitors the museum carries on courses of lectures for the benefit of the pupils in the schools, who frequently assemble in a convenient spot for the pur- pose. The institution further cooperates with the scientific and educational associations, the State University at Madison affording facilities for their meet- ings and classes. Weekly instruction is given to the teachers along various lines of natural history which are intended to be of direct use to them in their classroom work. Also classes designed for the grown-up members of the com- munity in botanical and zoological studies are of frequent occurrence.
In Usher's history, published in 1914, it is stated that the administration of the museum is under a board of nine trustees, four of whom are citizen members appointed by the mayor, each for a four years' term of office ; three aldermanie members appointed each for a two years' term; the president of the school board and the superintendent of the schools, acting in an ex officio capacity. "The museum staff has greatly increased in numbers and improved
THE OLD DAM AT NORTH AVENUE AND THE UPPER MILWAUKEE RIVER
C
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THE PUBLIC LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
in professional training, until now it consists of forty-nine employees, including those of the janitor and power departments, and among its members are four holding the degree of doctor of philosophy, two of whom are college pro- fessors."
Leading Place of the Museum .- In a contribution to Conard's "History of Milwaukee," Mr. Melville Cushing thus wrote of the museum: "The Public Museum of Milwaukee is entitled to a leading place among her splendid public institutions. Beginning in a small way as a private enterprise on the part of a public-spirited citizen and practical educator, it gradually outgrew the limits of its inception and took its proper place among the important public institu- tions of the city. As early as the year 1851, Professor Peter Engelmann began to make collections with which to illustrate the lectures and teachings in the German-English Academy of which he was the founder, and for more than twenty years its director. He was an inspiring teacher, and with his pupils made frequent tours gathering his specimens, which at the first consisted prin- cipally of herbaria, but which gradually extended into other branches of natural history, mineralogy, zoology, ethnology, etc. Professor Engelmann continued his work in a quiet way for several years; but in 1857, with twenty- one other public-spirited citizens, he established what became popularly known as the Engelmann Museum of Natural History, with his private collections as a nucleus. The various officers and members of the society entered with en- thusiasm upon the work of gathering specimens and collecting books for a library, which were placed on exhibition in a specially arranged hall in the German-English Academy.
"In order to increase the usefulness of the museum and bring it into closer touch with the general public, those closely identified with it in 1881, inaugu- rated a movement the purpose of which was to transfer it to the City of Mil- waukee, to be held in trust and supported by a general tax, and placed in a central location where it could best serve as a means of education and enter- tainment. Through the efficient work of Mr. August Stirn, then a member of the common council from the Second Ward, a unanimously-signed petition ask- ing for the transfer was presented to the eouneil, and a joint committee from that body and the Natural History Society, was appointed to take the matter in charge."
The writer of the article in the pamphlet issued by the anniversary com- mittee, in June, 1921, says: "Milwaukee has one of the most wonderful museums in the world. The Publie Museum of the City of Milwaukee was founded in 1883. It is, therefore, thirty-seven years old and has made remark- able progress in this relatively short time. Founded with an appropriation of only $6,000 per annum, its mill tax rate now gives it an appropriation of ap- proximately $140,000 per annum. It occupies over three-quarters of the Mu- seum and Library Building at Eighth Street and Grand Avenue and it is the largest strictly municipal museum in the United States.
"Its collections number over a half million objects, covering all of the various branches of science, and are housed in glass cases and in other suit- able manners on the three exhibition floors of the institution. Its series of life-size environmental groups of ethnology, history, mammalogy, ornithology Vol. 1-43
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HISTORY OF MILWAUKEE
and invertebrate zoology are very extensive and comprise one of the most im- portant features of the entire institution.
"Its leeture work is very extensive, lectures being given to school children in large numbers and also special courses for adults, particularly the Sunday afternoon course of public lectures. All told, during the year 1920 about eighty thousand people attended lectures at the museum. The attendance at the museum numbers abont six hundred thousand visitors per year."
Promotion of the Milwaukee Public Museum .- The pamphlet issued by the Milwaukee Herold on its sixtieth anniversary in 1921, comments at length upon the need that existed in its earlier years for the use of the German language and of the cultural activities of the German element in giving its sympathy and support to movements designed to promote them. "The found- ing of the Public Museum, as is well known, was due principally to the gen- erosity and the efforts of citizens of German affiliations, some of whom long ago banded themselves together for the purpose of promoting an interest in the natural sciences, and finally concluded to make the collections they had brought together a mueleus of larger collections to be supported by public funds and to serve the educational interest of the entire public. In this move- ment, the publicity and encouragement given by the Herold was an important factor. The collections of the Wisconsin Natural History Society, before they were turned over to the city, had been housed in the building of what was then known as . Engelmann's School,' later the German and English Academy, and now the University School. This school, at present the sole survivor of a considerable number of private schools at one time flourishing in Milwaukee, was for a long time the center about which the affeetions as well as the edu- cational interest of the so-called liberal element among Milwaukee German- Americans clustered. Many of them had received their early education in this institution. Later it rose to national importanee through its connection with the National German-American Teachers' Seminary, and the training school for gymnasium instructors, maintained in connection with the latter by the 'Turner' societies of the country. At all times it was neither a commercial enterprise, nor endowed by the generosity of some rich benefactor. Its finances were managed by an association of citizens, and consequently the publicity given it by the German press and especially the Herold, was of the highest im- portanee to it. The IFerold never hesitated to give to all its affairs very ample space, even giving the proceedings of the association in full, although that might detract considerably from the space left for matters which are generally considered of much greater news value by the ordinary editor. Similarly, any other movement, calculated to promote the best interests of any portion of the German-American part of our population, could and can at all times eonnt upon the support which it will derive from the ample publicity the Herold will afford it. All of which is in recognition of the principle, that a newspaper should not be considered exclusively, or even principally, a money-making busi- ness enterprise, but as an instrument for promoting the welfare of the com- munity from which it draws its readers."
CHAPTER XXXIX
MILWAUKEE'S MUSICAL HISTORY
The story of Milwaukee presents no stirring battle scenes, no heroic figures or epoch making event in the affairs of man. It is a story of peaceful con- quest, of tranquil evolution, of constructive achievement. It is here where man grappled with the elements of nature and subjected them to his uses, where mind triumphed over matter. Thus, a great city was reared. Marvelous industrial, commercial and eivie undertakings were created, and on every hand we note the spirit of enterprise, of energy, of industry. Blazing factory chimneys and skyscrapers rising mountain high, public buildings and private habitations, fine churches and schools-all give evidence of growth, of progress, of civilization.
But, behind these physical evidences of achievement we must seek the heart and soul of the city. We may well ask, have the eultural aspirations of the community kept pace with its material advancement ? Hlas it Fostered the higher and nobler impulses of man? Has it nurtured the great art of music ?
The answer is in the affirmative. In the evolution from an Indian village to an important population center it also cultivated the higher arts. From the moment that the white man found relief from the hardships of a pioneer life he responded to the finer privileges of a modern civilization.
The earliest settlers gave expression to their religious fervor through the medium of church songs. The immigrants who, beginning with the middle of the last century, flowed in such large numbers to our state, eame with musie in their souls. They all sang the folksongs of their native lands and many of them had an appreciation for classie compositions.
The musical era of the community opened with the beginning of the Ger- man immigration in 1839. Singing quartettes grew into singing societies. Gradually they developed the art of mass song until Milwaukee achieved a national reputation in the field of music. Some of the great national Saenger- fests were held in its midst. Milwaukee has always enjoyed a good reputation as a musical center. Her contribution to the great art is noted in the many musical societies which have flourished here during the past seventy-five years.
The growth and development of musie in Milwaukee assumed more definite form about three years before the future metropolis of Wisconsin was in- corporated as a city, January 31, 1846, and here it is worthy of note to state that the musical activities were practically confined to the center of the
675
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HISTORY OF MILWAUKEE
city's business district, and that leaders in musical activities of the present day are located in that territory. Most of the halls and meeting places of musical events of an earlier day were located on the east side in the district bounded by Biddle Street on the north and Michigan Street on the south. The more important halls were known as Gardner's Hall on the top floor of the Martin Block, Young's Hall, Broadway and Wisconsin Street, the Academy of Music on Milwaukee Street, Albany Hall on the site of the present Chamber of Commerce and Boynton's Hall on Milwaukee Street north of Wisconsin.
Pioneers in Music .- The first organization devoted to music of which there is any record was the Milwaukee Beethoven Society, formed in 1843. which. however, enjoyed a rather turbulent life, languished for a period and finally passed away to be succeeded by the Milwaukee Musical Society in 1850. To the large influx of Germans at about this time Milwaukee owes the rank it holds in musical eireles in this nation. Its early residents were fond of music as a recreation, and whenever they held social gatherings singing was their principal form of amusement, which culminated in the Milwaukee Musical Society in May, 1850. It was started as a quartet consisting of Charles Geis- burg, Henry Niedeeken, Dr. Francis Huebschmann and Frederick Schloe- milch. The first director was Hans Balatka.
These five men were the real pioneers of musical development in Milwau- kee and to their untiring efforts is due whatever standing Milwaukee has acquired as a eity of music loving residents. Following the organization of the Milwaukee Musieal Society Milwaukee has had many of a similar char- acter, but few have survived.
The Milwaukee Musical Society gave its first concert on May 25, 1850. From the beginning its aim was the diffusion of .musical knowledge among the people. It would be difficult to overestimate the value of unselfish serviees performed by the early members. They not only worked with faithful en- thusiasm to improve their own talents in the art of musical interpretations. but they were alert to find others possessed of voices or of skill to perform on instruments, and when they found them they used every inducement to obtain their eooperation for the society.
Ilans Bałatka with his great love of music and his brilliant talent for organ- ization had every encouragement to attempt great things. That he did not neglect the opportunity is proven by the fact that early in July, 1851, the first important musical work undertaken by the society, Haydn's "Creation," was given under his direction. The first real opera over presented in Mil- waukee was "The Czar and Shipmaster." in 1853. Adelina Patti. then styled the "wonder chill," was traveling with the troupe at that time. The first singing festival was given June 19, 1856. It was followed by others all of which were largely attended, and from that time Milwaukee's musical develop- ment can be traced.
The Milwaukee Musical Society, although its ranks were thinned by its members who served in the Civil war, continued its activities during the dark days of the Rebellion, and on October 22. 1864. achieved the distinction of laying the corner stone of the Academy of Music on Milwaukee Street between Wisconsin and Michigan streets. The hall was dedicated January 31. 1865.
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MILWAUKEE'S MUSICAL HISTORY
with the rendition of " Mendelssohn's Oratorio Paulns" by that society. The board of directors which made possible the Academy of Music consisted of Henry Niedeeken, II. M. Mendel and Charles Knepper. The building was erected at a cost of approximately $75,000, which at that time was regarded as a stupendous undertaking, but the undaunted spirit in which it was carried into effeet indicates the strong love of music in its progenitors.
To the great concert and opera companies traveling in the country at that time, Milwaukee with its splendid music hall took a leading place in musical circles of the nation. A round of musical pleasures followed greatly enjoyed and properly patronized. Not a season passed unmarked by the visit of some German, Italian or English opera troupe.
The Milwaukee Liedertafel was organized July 23, 1857. The officers were John Marr, president ; William Hensel, secretary; V. Bertsch, treasurer, and F. Regenfuss, director. The Civil war interfered with the activities of this organization, because many of its members were in service, and it was not until 1867 that the society showed its former activity which it maintained for many years. The Liedertafel society purchased the site of the present Liedertafel Hall at Seventh and Prairie streets in 1867. It was about that time that the Nordwestlicher Saengerbund was organized, consisting of sing- ing societies from Wisconsin and surrounding states. Out of these activities occurred the great saengerfest which was held in Milwaukee in 1868.
The next singing society to enter the Milwaukee field was the Dentsehen Maenner Verein organized June 16, 1859. Its first president was the Rev. F. X. Krautbauer, later Bishop of Green Bay.
Another potent factor in musical affairs of Milwaukee was the Freie Gemeinde, an anti-religious association and musical society founded April 7, 1867. The founders were A. Keyes, president ; Jacob Beanders, vice president ; Carl Ringer, secretary, and Gustav Eyssen, treasurer. The society erected a hall at 264 Fourth Street in 1870.
Through the energy of Herman Nunnemacher the first grand opera was given under the auspiees of the Philharmonie society, October 17, 1871. Flotow's "Martha" was presented.
In 1874, Julius Klauser was instrumental in organizing the Euphonias. Its members were talented amateur musicians and frequently gave semi-public concerts. The Enphonias numbered as member's some of Milwaukee's most prominent citizens of its day.
In 1878 a number of members sceeded from the Freie Gemeinde and started the Milwaukee Liederkranz. The first officers were Amandus Roebke, presi- dent : B. E. Fink, secretary ; Jacob E. Jenner, financial secretary ; G. R. Voll- hard, treasurer; John G. Salsman, librarian, and A. C. Zinn, C. Il. Angel and Jacob Knebel, trustees.
Another long stride forward in Milwaukee's musical history began with the establishment of the Arion Musical Club in November, 1876. With the Milwaukee Musical Society the Arion Chib shares the honor of having con- tributed much of the high standard which Milwaukee enjoys as a music lov- ing community. Its influenees are recognized among all elasses of music lovers. The membership of the Arion Club at the beginning was composed of
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HISTORY OF MILWAUKEE
about fifty of the principal male singers of the city. A. W. Hall was the first president ; Eltinge Elmore, vice president; Francis Hinton, secretary ; L. B. Benton, treasurer, and A. F. Faville, conductor. The Arion Club gave its first publie concert in Boynton's Hall February 20, 1877. The club had a rapid growth from the start, apparently filling a popular need of the time. Fol- lowing the resignation of Professor Faville, the first conductor, William L. Tomlins of Chicago was engaged as his successor.
The coming of Professor Tomlins resulted in the formation of a ladies' choir as an auxiliary of the Arion Club, which was named the Cecilian Choir. This move greatly strengthened the Arion Club as a musical organization, and although both had separate officers they always appeared together in publie eoneerts. The first officers of the Cecilian Choir were Mrs. Robertson James, president ; Mrs. Winfield Smith, vice president ; Miss Lizzie Eldred, treasurer, and Miss Lizzie Voss, librarian.
Although at an early period in the history of the Milwaukee Musical Society classical chamber music was the vogue at its concerts, it was not until about the early '90s that an organization devoted solely to the cultivation of music of this high order was formed in Milwaukee. Erich Schmaal, a pianist of high note ; llerman Zeitz, an accomplished violinist, and A. Beyer, a cellist, formed the Milwaukee Trio, which for several seasons gave performances at regular intervals.
Although band music, so-called, is not as a rule regarded among the factors which make for musical culture, Milwaukee acquired considerable fame as a result of this class of mnsie. The first in the field was the Christopher Bach Orchestra, organized by him in 1855.
The Zeitz's Orchestra was organized by Charles Zeitz in 1857. It was a full string and brass band. The south side of the city which had a musical community practically of its own saw the formation of llensler's Juvenile Band in 1875. This band quickly won a national reputation for itself and was invited to give concerts in many of the leading cities of the nation. Clauder's Orchestra was organized by Joseph Clauder, March 21, 1878.
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