A History of the Band from the "Red Man,"
Vol. XIII, #7, p.6,
February, 1896
Possibly no more notable proof that man is the most pliable of all substances can be had than that furnished by the Carlisle Indian Band. When we remember that only a few years ago the members of this band were without and beyond the reach of our civilization and were perfectly ignorant of music as we know it in this age, and then note that among the fine bands in this country they rank today with the foremost in popular favor a spectacle is presented in which our fancy even, cannot conceive of a greater change. The appreciation of the efforts of the band results from proficiency in musical interpretation, and not so much from the uniqueness of the organization as might be expected.
Their history began in 1881, two years after the Industrial School, of which they are members, was started, and the circumstance which led to their organization was simply this:
During the first year's existence of the school, the two great
musical
instruments to be heard were the "tom tom" and Indian flute, which
were
as annoying and unmusical as they were constant in their use. From
early
morn until obligated to retire at night, the only musical sounds
coming
from the boy's quarters were the tom tom, tom tom, tom tom and or
other
like melody.
The aim of the school being the complete transformation of the
Indians
in respect to their ambition, habits, language, and the
substitution of
the better elements of civilization in their places, the display
of savagery
and barbarism, even in song and language, with in its very walls
were certainly
incompatible with the accomplishment of the object in view and
necessitated,
sooner or later, the entire prohibition.
But while early in the school's history the rule was made that the
use of the Indian language and the practice of Indian customs by
students
would not be allowed, Indian singing was never prohibited. It was
easy
enough to substitute sports of the Nineteenth Century for those
which the
untutored savages enjoyed and to teach the English language for
the Indian
because in the former, the environments were such as to make them
desire
a change and in the latter, the circumstance caused by having
nearly every
Indian tribe (54 tribes or more are at present represented at the
school)
a dialect different from every other Indian language, compelled
them to
join some one language before they could talk with each other. But
not
so with their songs. To take them away was to take away the source
of their
enjoyment and happiness.
Besides the government at that time had very little hope for the
Indians,
and consequently the annual appropriation was not calculated to
cover the
luxury of musical instruments which prevented the replacing of the
Indian
drum and flute with clarinets, cornets, and pianos which were very
much
desired. The question, therefore, was one of finance.
Finally, however, Mrs. Walter Baker, of Boston, came to the
rescue.
During a visit she had been making, she was very much delighted
with the
prospect of the school and its Indians, and as she was about to
leave said
to Captain Pratt, the superintendent:
"Captain, what can I do to help the school which would be
distinct and
by itself, and not be part of some general contribution?"
The Captain replied: "Since you have been here you have heard the
'tom
tom' and Indian singing down in those quarters?"
"Yes."
"Well, I want to stop that, but feel it wouldn't be fair to do
unless
I can give them something else as good, or better, on the same
line. If
you will give me a set of brass band instruments I will give them
to the
'tom tom' boys and they can toot on them and this will stop the
'tom tom.'
"
And so Mrs. Baker sent the boys a set of Boston instruments and
the
girls were provided with pianos. Strange to say, the order to stop
the
singing of Indian songs was never issued, but as the first band
became
more musical, the Indian songster in proportion became musicless.
The funny side-splitting tales of the first Indian band at
Carlisle
can only be told by those who witnessed the first efforts of those
red
Indians.
Soon after its organization the band was invited to play at an
entertainment
at the school. The band boys had got by this time so they could
play the
scales and simple little songs, sometimes getting triumphantly and
at other
times getting stuck in the middle of the tune. Still they decide
to try
their luck and the bandmaster selected Amos High Wolf, a big Sioux
boy
who was using the bass horn, to play a solo. At the appointed
time, Amos
walked up to the stage with the dignity and grace of an artist,
and adjusting
his mouth-piece without dropping his horn, he began playing "Sweet
bye
and bye." He began rather firmer than sweet, but continued to the
end of
the strain without any serious catastrophe, except that toward the
finish,
while he was taking his usual breath, it suddenly dawned on him he
was
making a distinguished success, and he became unable to go on the
second
strain, and to get out of it he gave a grand "War Whoop." This was
taken
up by the other pupils and the noise they produced with their
Indian yells
and whoops will find few duplications in American history.
With this small, and yet rather noisy beginning, the band has
grown
and progressed until the "sweet bye and bye" of Amos seems near to
attainment.
For they now render such music as overtures "William Tell," "Fra
Diavolo,"
"Tannhauser," and classic music by Grieg, Schubert, Weber, Mozart,
and
other great composers.
Their first instructor was a lady cornetist, later an ex-army band
master and at present Mr. Dennison Wheelock, and Onieda Indian, a
graduate
of the school, under whom they have won many laurels. The band was
a special
feature at the Columbian parade in New York City, and the New York
"Tribune"
has this to say of them: "But the one that caught the crowd was
the Indian
band that headed the delegation from Carlisle. With the smoothest
harmony
and the most perfect time, this band of forty or fifty pieces
played a
marching anthem as it swept past the reviewing stand. Both the
melody and
the spectacle were so unusual that the people rose to their feet
and cheered
again and again."
They also participated in the parade at the opening ceremonies of the World's Fair and headed the second grand division. Their concerts in the Festival Hall and on several band stands attracted much attention during the Fair and received many flattering notices by the press.
--[D. M. W. in "The Dominant."]
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