PUBLIC DANCE HALL

PUBLIC DANCE HALL. In 1905 the Dubuque Telegraph-Herald, under the title "The Evil of the Dance Hall," an editorial.

          In view of the existence of the dance hall evil in
          Dubuque, an evil which is not abated or restricted as it 
          should be, the following editorial from the Kansas City
          Journal...should suggest the need to local police and
          charity workers, of a strict guardianship of the dance          
          hall..
                     

              ...That there are some well conducted public 
              dance hall there is little doubt, but it is
              equally true that a majority of these resorts
              are breeding places for the worst character of
              vice. A police officer of experience said,"Next
              to wine rooms, I regard the public dance hall
              to be the very worst kind of place for young
              girls; I have known of many young girls who
              can trace their downfall to these places."
              Most of these dance halls are located in the
              vicinity of places were the dancers can get
              drinks. Young men and girls drink whiskey and
              beer between dances, and it is no uncommon
              sight to see couples and parties reeling away
              from certain halls late at night in a maudlin
              condition. The police should close up all the
              disreputable public dance halls. They are easy
              to find, and so are the saloons that break the
              law in selling liquor to this class of patron. (1)

In 1906 Alderman Joseph Needham of the Second Ward opened his independent campaign for the office of mayor. Citing his knowledge of alleged graft conditions in the city government and a champion of reform, he outlined a ten point platform. Listed as #8 was "Saturday night public dance halls where wine or liquor is sold shall close, and be under police control. (2)

Mayor Berg was returned to office, but the campaign had an effect. In February, 1906 an angry mother removed his minor daughter from a public dance. In response, Mayor Berg reminded parents that his orders to police officers were not to allow any minors to public dance halls unless properly chaperoned. "I have gone down to the public dance halls myself and ...have seen that officers send away girls I thought too young to be there." He added that it was the duty of parents to guard their children and know "the whereabouts of their children, especially after nightfall." (3)

Dubuque's pioneer female physician Dr. Nancy HILL echoed Mayor Berg's statement the following month. Stating, "Every Christian woman over eighteen years of age in Dubuque is, in a measure, responsible for the condition of things which prevail here at the present time," Dr. Hill noted:

               I believe if each woman of Dubuque would awake to a
               realization of there individual responsibility in
               regard to the girls who come within the direct
               influence of her home and life, seeing that she has
               a comfortable room and is treated like a human being,
               capable of understanding and feeling, capable of
               being a congenial companion, more girls will remain
               within the safe influence of private homes and not
               seek the streets or public dance halls for companion-
               ship and amusement. (4)

M. Weber, a revivalist who had toured the nation for years, visited Dubuque in 1907. In an interview, he remarked the public dance halls were as much responsible for the present increase in crime as were the saloons. He was working to gain public cooperation to abolish them. (5)

It is unknown what effect it had locally, but on November 30, 1910 the Methodist Episcopal Church was urged to take action. Among the concerns to address at the sessions of the Methodist Federation were public dance halls, Sunday Baseball games, moving picture shows, pool, billiards and cards. (6)

Dubuque was not alone in being concerned about public dance halls. Following closely behind Des Moines, Council Bluffs officials outlawed the "moonlight dance," "turkey trot," "grizzly bear," and "bunny hug" especially in the public dance halls which were under police regulation. As in Dubuque, police officers were assigned duty in the halls. (7)

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Source:

1. "The Evil of the Dance Hall," Dubuque Telegraph-Herald, November 18, 1905, p. 4

2. "City Hall Graft Was Under Fire," Dubuque Telegraph-Herald, March 6, 1906, p. 6

3. "Mayor Warns Dubuque Parents," Dubuque Telegraph-Herald, February 22, 1906, p. 3

4. "Veteran Woman Physician Talks," Dubuque Telegraph-Herald, March 25, 1906, p. 10

5. "The City in Brief," Dubuque Telegraph-Herald, May 24, 1907, p. 2

6. "Urged to Take Action," The Telegraph-Herald, December 1, 1910, p. 16

7. "Turkey Trot and "Moonlight Barred," Dubuque Telegraph-Herald, February 3, 1912, p. 11