XIV
Road Houses
Prejudice Against Dancing
We have the evidence of persons who lived in the early part of the nineteenth century that among the old Dutch and Puritan families there was a strong prejudice against dancing, especially by young ladies in public places, and there is hardly a doubt that this was much increased by the introduction of the waltz, quite different from the dancing of old colonial days. Notwithstanding this, we find that in the accounts of the balls given on important occasions there does not seem to have been any disinclination to indulge in this pleasing diversion. There were dancing masters, and shortly after the erection of Washington Hall and Tammany Hall they were both being used by the instructors of dancing, and they held in them their “publics,” which appear to have been well attended. Concerts, as formerly, were generally followed by balls.
Bachelors’ Ball
Like the old Province Arms of colonial days, the City Hotel was used for a great many years for the assembly balls. These continued to be held here until after the close of the war of 1812, but a few years later seem to have ceased. It was about this time that, as related by Abram C. Dayton, the old ladies defeated the young men in a contest over dancing. The young men gave a series of sociables at the City Hotel, at which none but subscribers were admitted. Although very select, the old ladies, backed by the minister, denounced them. “The battle for supremacy was bravely waged on both sides, but the old ladies beat Young America and the City Hotel sociables were discontinued.” But it was only a lull. Some years later the social feature was the annual ball given by the young men known as the Bachelors’ Ball. It was the social event of each winter and exceeded anything of the kind ever previously attempted, being very select and gotten up with great care. All the managers wore knee breeches, silk stockings and pumps. The most noted of these was the Bachelors’ Grand Fancy Ball given at the City Hotel on the 18th of March, 1831, which had long been the theme of conversation and the subject of preparation. Philip Hone, in his diary, says that “no expectations had been formed which were not realized by the results. My daughter Mary went as Sweet Anne Page and looked lovely in the part of Leslie’s inimitable picture.” Later the Bachelors’ Balls were given on the evening of St. Valentine’s Day. The tickets, printed on cardboard from elaborately engraved plates, were sold at ten dollars each.
The Forum
For the entertainment of those opposed to dancing there were meetings of the Forum, which were in 1817 at Mechanics’ Hall, corner of Broadway and Park Place, and later at the City Hotel on Friday evenings. The exercises consisted of debates and addresses and the tickets of admission were sold at two shillings each, the debate commencing promptly at seven o’clock. Prominent members of the Forum were J. P. C. Sampson, Orville L. Holley, Thomas G. Fessenden, Hiram Ketchum, Rev. Richard Varick Dey, William Paxton Hallet and Charles G. Haines. At a meeting in the first part of January, 1817, the question discussed was: “Ought Legislative or other aid to be afforded in order to render the United States a Manufacturing nation?” About these meetings Fitz-Greene Halleck has given us a few descriptive lines:
“Resort of fashion, beauty, taste—
The Forum Hall was nightly grac’d
With all who blush’d their hours to waste
At balls—and such ungodly places;
And Quaker girls were there allow’d
To show, among the motley crowd
Their sweet blue eyes and pretty faces.”
A British Veteran