Wooden Ware Band
In an time when social clubs were all the rage, companies and other entities had bands to support the well-being of their employees. Many fire departments, big and small, had bands, and community bands, indicative of the city or town, were also in vogue. Modern American community bands were rooted in European tradition. Immigrants, like the Germans who settled in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Wisconsin brought the band tradition with them to the US.
Community bands experienced a great dying out after the end of World War I, victims of the automobile, new mass media, and a large cultural shift. This actually led to a rise in school music programs. The death of community bands left instrument manufacturers without a market for their product, so they marketed heavily to schools.
The Neenah Community Band, in its 51st year, is alive and thriving! With members from as far away as Ogdensburg and Fond du lac, and ranging in age from 18 years old to 90, including at least three alumni from St. Mary's High School Band, we just had our late winter concert yesterday afternoon at Perry Hall at UWFV. Soon we will begin rehearsals for our summer series of concerts in Riverside Park.
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