Massed Bands in 1932
A friend recently shared a panoramic photograph taken by Hoffman Studio, Hanover. Part of it is shown above.
The photo is captioned “Southern York County Band Association, Aug. 20, 1932.” He looked at the newspaper microfilm, at York County Heritage Trust, of the Glen Rock Item. Sure enough, the weekly issue, dated Thursday, August 18, 1932 lent further light on why the bands were gathered.
The article also raised some questions. Since there are probably a lot of people around that attended the event, perhaps someone can provide some answers.
First, some excerpts from the article:
“FAWN GROVE FAIRThe annual Fawn Grove fair opened Wednesday at Morris park and it will continue until the end of the week. Exhibitors were given until noon Wednesday to get their entries in place for judging, which began Wednesday afternoon. Premiums this year total $1,800.
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Saturday, the closing day of the fair, a band concert will be given afternoon and evening, when 14 bands with more than 400 musicians will be present. Bands from Fawn Grove, Rinely, Spry, Potosi, Brodbeck, Stiltz, Felton, Shrewsbury, Dallastown, Jefferson, New Salem, Penn Grove and Glen Rock, members of the Southern York County Band association, will give a concert en masse.”
The questions:
The article says 14 bands will perform (it lists 13), but there are only eight shown on the photo: Brodbecks, New Salem, Jefferson (Codorus), Shrewsbury Trumpet & Drum Corps, Glen Rock, Potosi, and Penn Grove (Porters). What happened to the other five or six? Was another panoramic photograph taken of the missing bands? Has anyone every seen one?
Another question: Does anyone know anything about the all-woman Shrewsbury Trumpet & Drum Corps? Is there any significance to their white uniforms with capes?
And: Where was Morris Park? A present-day map of Fawn Grove shows a short Park Street off Rocks Road, running parallel to Main Street. Was that the park? It’s hard to see in the photocopy I scanned, but there is a nice farm on the rise in the background. That might help with the location.
Any ideas or comments?
York, Pa., really is the center of the universe, especially when you consider its place in historical events. Local historian June Lloyd looks at how things have converged on our hometown, past and present. 
The park was, and is, located at the present location of the Old Tyme Days.
Thanks Doug. I looked up the Old Tyme Days website at http://www.fawngroveotd.com and see that the 2011 shows will be July 9-11 for the Summer show and Sept 24 & 25th for the Fall show. They sound like fun.l
In Dec. 1935, the Glen Rock American Legion was considering the formation of a Junior Drum & Bugle Corp. They were offered the opportunity to purchase the equipment belonging to the Shrewsbury Girls Trumpet & Drum Corp in Dec. 1935. The Legion Junior Drum & Bugle Corp came into existence in 1936 and continued through at least 1939.
Thanks John. It’s amazing how many communities in York County, even tiny ones, had bands during the last century. And plenty of people turned out to hear them at fairs, church picnics and other venues.
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