Copyright © 2019 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett
In 1915, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “We did another society stunt, ‘The Spanish Ball.’ I think we made about $20,000.00 for one evenings entertainment.” In addition to producing stock scenery for various theaters and special scenery for touring productions, these themed events netted the studio thousands of dollars in profit each year. I am curious if the $20,000 amount mentioned by Moses was what the studio netted for the project or his estimation on the charitable donations. Reports indicate that Chicago’s Spanish Ball raised $25,000 for charity.
On Monday Dec. 13, 1915, the “Day Book” included the article “Women in Red Socks and Red Sashes at Spanish Ball.” The article reported, “No charity ball this winter. Instead, the Spanish ball. By calling it Spanish ball, everybody on it is saved the smell that goes with the word ‘charity’ these days.”
The upper echelon of Chicago society gathered on Dec. 17, 1915 to raise funds for the Chicago Lying-In hospital. It opened new building at 51st Street and Vincennes, and money was needed for plumbing and running expenses. After the funds were raised at the ball, it was anticipated that the water pipe installation would begin.
Of the Lying-In hospital cause, two dispensaries were run with hospital. The previous year 24,764 mothers received medicine, lint and doctor’s advice. The “Day Book” article reported, “Though many mothers are lucky enough to get a bed to lie in at the Lying-in hospital, statement of women at head of it is that ‘hundreds are turned away every year.’ What sort of shacks and shanties the mothers go to when turned away is not stated in any survey taken. Red colors, laughter and a big hoorah are the moors of the Spanish ball. It would be thought a crime and an indecency if somebody should print slips to be stuck onto the dance program giving the statistics of the baby death rate around the Armour, Swift and Morris slaughter houses. University of Chicago survey presented in testimony to U. S. industrial relations commission showed baby death rate in the stockyards district is seven times as high as over on the lake shore in the district where Spanish ball dancers will come from.”
For the Spanish Ball, the First Regiment Armory building was transformed into a replica of the famous streets of Madrid. Arches and pillars of flaming orange and red, relieved by bars of black concealed the walls and formed sort of a continuous façade about the drill fall behind which the spectators sat. According to the “Chicago Examiner” “The pageant will represent all phases of Spanish history, beginning with the Moorish invasion in 800 A.D., which is to include those fascinating and illustrious personages of long ago period, Ferdinand and Isabella. DeSoto, Balboa, Cortez and everybody else connected with the history of those stirring times will be impersonated. There will be an Inquisition group too” (Nov. 7, 1915, Vol. 16, part 4, page 6).
The “Day Book” article anticipated the event; “Next Friday night they pull this Spanish ball in First Regiment armory. Ladies in red sox and red moccasins, topped off with red fabric and ribbons, all a regular chile con carne red pepper red, will be on parade. Spanish music, old fashioned rum-tum-toddles played in Madrid and Barcelona centuries ago, have been searched out by Roy McWilliams.”
The “Evening Star” reported “The managers of the Spanish ball held on Friday night at the 1st Regiment armory have cause for great satisfaction, for the affair was by all odds the most comprehensive historical pageant as well as the greatest financial success ever staged for charity in Chicago, says the Chicago herald. The setting was effective, with the curving yellow and orange walls of the bullfight ring hung with rich fabrics and rugs, and opposite to the entrance of the picturesque Café del Torero, with its yellow walls and black balconies, against which the various groups seated themselves in a semi-circle as the pageant wound itself about the hall. The pageant was somewhat late in beginning, and it was well after 12 o’clock before the last group had fled past the queen in the person of Mrs. Robert Leatherbee, who sat in a gorgeous palanquin, and alluring picture in Moorish costume of silver cloth, many barbaric jewels and a gorgeous headdress of fan and peacock feathers, After the pageant there was dancing and the gay scenes that began with the blowing of the bugles for the entrance of the bullfight cortege at 11 o’clock did not end until almost dawn” (Washington, D.C., December 26, 1915, page 8).
The Charity ball raised $25,000. Over 4,000 donned their best costumes and emptied their pockets for the event intended to replenish the coffers of those in need. The majority of visitors were simply spectators as gazed from a balcony at the events below. The “Chicago Tribune” reported, “While the majority looked on from the boxes and balconies 300 men and women staged the long-a-waited Spanish ball, which compromised a pageant rich, in color, a series of performance by professional dancers and singers, and a mock bullfight which was greeted with shouts of laughter. Then everybody danced” (18 Dec. 1915, page 17).
The “Lincoln Journal Star,” reported “Chicago’s ‘400’ yawned sleepily today and voted the Spanish ball a weird success. Dowagers, cotillion leader, debutants and just ordinary folk who make one splurge a year decked themselves in a collection of disguises that added $100,000 to the bank rolls of modistes and tailors. Some of them rode donkeys to enhance the illusion of a Moorish scene. The ball, the annual charity event of Chicago, netted about $25,000 for the Chicago lying-in hospital. Mrs. Potter Palmer, the ‘400’s’ leader had as her guests former Ambassador and Mrs. Myron T. Herrick” (18 Dec., 1915, page 1).
To be continued…
