Assignment Iowa Classics; What Cheer Opera House; 106

Traveling across Iowa on Interstate 80 you'll find a unique exit sign for the only town in the world called Cheer. Located 20 miles from Oskaloosa in the northwest corner of Keokuk County. What year used to be a thriving coal mining town boasting one of the finest opera houses in the state in its heyday audiences tap their toes to the strains of John Philip Sousa band and rolled in the aisles laughing at Weber and Fields. But with the demise of the coal industry the town shrank and the opera house fell on hard times by 1965 there were plans to demolish it. But the citizens of what year refused to let the opera house be torn down. Today the opera house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and it's whinging again. Finally. I am present. I sign when I walk.

With Mary Jane O'Dell. Tonight. I look at what your Iowa. Miss. When Miller was editor of the what your newspaper for 27 years and he is now semi retired and doing since you wrote the history of the town for their centennial you be the perfect person to ask that only about the meaning of the name but first of all about how what year got started. Well one of the first the residents of what year was Peter Britton who came here from England in 1855. Shortly after that about two years later. Major Andrews came he was originally from Providence Rhode Island and these two men both played a prominent prominent part in the early history of what year as well as its name. And they had a fight over the name didn't think they did. Better Britain called his town Petersburg. After him say his own name he and when they came time to establish the post

office and they were M.. There was a discussion about what the name of the time would be. Major Andrews was in the post office and he said that there were already too many Petersburg's in the in the country and that the town should have a different name than this and personal Peter objected violently to this. So they had several committee meetings about it and they came to no decision and finally it was left to Major handlers to a pick a name for the town. He just arbitrarily picked what year. Yes the name what year had considerable meaning to him because he came from Providence. And one time Roger Williams landed at Providence at the site of what later became Providence on a slate rock. And when he landed there he was met by Indians friendly Indians of the Algonquin Nation who greeted him with the expression what year.

That must've been quite a surprise. It was course originally the term began in England where the term What year was used as a salutation as a greeting. First among the miners in Durham and in. Yorkshire England. And later the. Expressions picked up by CNN and of course it came to the shores of this. Yeah. So it really is very firmly what share I would say to a restaurant OK. Now tell us about the beginnings of the town. What did they find cold here immediately. Yes when Peter Britton came the call of the really been found. People had been mining it for their own use there were several families in this area. And Peter Breton established a slope mine on the banks of Coal Creek the creek which still flows through the present town of what you're. You know really went on to become a major coal producing area didn't. Yes it did it came to lead the entire state and election of course one time there were a thousand

men engaged in farming and mining and the. There was much as 6000 tons a day. But it must have been a very primitive type of coal mining wasn't it wasn't first and later there were shafts sunk or the railroads came to it was came to watch here. And the railroad companies operated the mines at one time there were 11 shafts operating at one time. Life was really booming in the bustling land. You had about 9000 people at that time. It is said there that many found no substantiation for their release for five thousand and you get that figure they counted in the mining camps which were or two miles from what year the rate mining camps and. Miners lived in those as well as in what your proper. How would you describe what you are today doing. Well what you are today is suffering from the same conditions that many of the smaller towns are there's been a decrease in the farming population and I won in the

Midwest in general and as a result there's a need for fewer business places in the smaller towns and. In some of the buildings have been destroyed and some are not occupied. But. WHAT YOUR has an indomitable spirit is illustrated by the recovery from all of the fires and all of the floods which. Wiped out large areas of the business area. Yeah various times they really could use a new industry here. Yes what you could use new industry and new businesses. OK Wayne I have to ask you this because it's an anecdote that sort of intrigue me why do the Ringling Brothers have a soft spot in their heart for what you're. Well in the early days the Ringling Brothers Circus almost went broke in what year they were unable to move on. And the Mr. Larcher and others in town raise money on the business places to make it possible to Ringling Brothers to move on to other sites. So that's really a good example of the spirit of the season. Yes. We're backstage at the Opera House right now where you can see posters of some of the acts which are

played here over the years. And we're talking with Tom Burress who is vice president of opera house incorporated and also former When was the opera house built it was built in the you know the three. Well I mentioned what was the significance of the Opera House to the people who were living then and around the turn of the century. Well the opera house was a point center of entertainment. And in those days the. People came to the Opera House for many many many facets of entertainment feels. What kinds of events played here then. Oh good many vaudeville leg's. Plays it. We have all posters on the top two years of us. There's a Daytona 19 0 3 but some kid was to put that in there we really can't pinpoint it is that it was probably the only form of entertainment at that time. Boy about you right. Yeah right. How this is

what how many floors three three three. So you've got the balcony. The main floor. And I suppose the best tickets you know if you wanted a really neat seat would that be right down in front of the stage. Depends on how you want to look at it or yeah I got a season ticket. Yes we've been asked that before but we haven't got that big yet and I don't like it but if I want if I called and said I want the best seat now where would it be. Oh I would take you in the park a section just back of the. Of the orchestra circle. How many. Well we've got 600. But we had to back off crowd Giles So about five hundred five from our third floor at all. We don't know but it used to be used for what used to be logical. Yeah. The missions. Yeah. I understand that William Jennings Bryan spoke here. The cherry sisters appear other other names that the 30 year old sisters who are quite famous in fact

they wrote plays and were published right here in what you are now the opera house gradually fell into disrepair and disuse and in by 1965 the people or somebody decided to tear it down is that right. Well yes the town celebrated their centennial in 65 and due to inclement weather some of the acts were brought inside and the stage was cleaned up and. That's when it took a hole. And when the centennial committees disband they just changed over and changed their goals and kept on going and decided that the opera house would stay and come. Hell or high water right. Right OK. Now you say we can't get a season ticket but the Opera House is used for other things isn't it. Only by the communities try to come to school for the first time in their junior class play and it was very well received. What about what about the big bands who played here. Well we

started off in 1966. What are some of the other bands because your big band love are you. Yeah right. Well Wayne King is been here for 11 straight years. EDITION's Christmas card are you here. Harry James been here twice. In one room. And. While there isn't a word to me that really hadn't been here. Now tell me your band is playing here tonight now what do you expect of them when you spoke to happen tonight. Will be big Well it's a big draw your big bands are more logical solo. And. This will be the first time for Danny Dorsey Yeah that band. OK well let's have an end of this talk let's listen to a little bit of this band. I am.

I am. Us. Thank you. Yes. I am. I am. How long have you been coming here oh about four years. And what do you

particularly like to hear when you come. We come just for the orchestra. And we've heard one thing twice and Bob caused. Quite a few other unnamed orchestras. What's your opinion of the opera. How do you feel about it. Oh enjoyed very much with delightful place because good acoustics. Nice audiences happy people who love music and we do it a lot of fun. Have you been listening to the concert tonight. What do you think of it I like it a lot. Why do you like it. But this is not your style of music is it. Yeah I like music pretty much. You come to all of the performances here. I've come to bring in a couple of others. What's your favorite thing here.

What's your favorite. How long have you been with this band. It's going on one thousand months. Tell me what you think of this opera house in this crowd. Well it's a very warm crowd. It's a lot of fun playing here really really good reception. How does this compare how do you feel about playing a small town like this is as opposed to say Chicago or something like that. Well Chicago is nice because of course the musicians when they get off work have something to do and we're out of the motel that's nowhere and that's restricting but it's nice to to see this area too and the people are much friendlier of course and easier going and much more receptive I think to I think there I think you know you're starting from. Give us your impression of not only tonight's concert but the Opera House. I think Proust is delightful indeed. I saw the original. The Tommy Dorsey band and I heard Frank Sinatra in New

York. On to a Greek Asians and Red Skelton who was on the same program. The difficulty here is that they play entirely too loud and they play their music softly it would be very sweet. Mary McCann as leader of this band what do you think of what your eyes. Well what I have seen have what it is most cheerful and this is one of these people you know I was told before I came here to look out for the people of Iowa. I had no idea just how much you've never been here before at the Opera House not not at this you know this establishment you know I've been in several places you know. What do you think of the Opera House is a place for a band what about the acoustic radio and such an appreciative audience and the whole house ringing you know when the band plays and usually there's a lot of reverberation in

this basement. Wonderful it's great. Do you change your program for a place like what year do you play different things and you wouldn't say Chicago. We're doing a concert. We have. But perhaps you can't. I wouldn't I wouldn't. Other people could hear your music as well but I was really wanting to do it. What would you like to come back to. Just me. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you.

This is the day after the concert and that we're talking with Ivor Cooke who is mayor of what year and I or you would certainly be the one to answer the question is is the opera house holding this town together. The Opera House has done a lot to hold this time together and people like something to strive for to bring togetherness and the Opera House has been a center of community activity and community building for quite some time. And we're looking forward to even expanding the. Project in the years to come. Are you optimistic about the future of what you. Know now. No because I can see our community becoming a bedroom community with a number of a lot of our people working. Man an area a lot of our people work in and surrounding communities and we're becoming more a retirement village with more and more people coming from large city areas to retire here. What does that do to the spirit of the town.

Enlightens it. People become happier with the community. It brings more tax base of course because people are building new homes and people are taking more pride in their community. I should think this would be a very nice town for someone to come to. It was bad enough in the big city. That this is but has always been the. Attitude of the people I have come from Chicago and so forth to Stadol here and I have actually just this last past week. We had some people that I visited with who were moving here from Waterloo they had one couple had moved here from Waterloo and bought a house in the other couple who had been their neighbors in Waterloo were all for retirement so they came and bought a house with then why aren't you optimistic about the future. Why not. Oh it's it's. To see it to see it grow I think would be fine but as to how far it's going to grow. I mean it's not going to be bigger than today. Yes but I don't think bigger is better you. Know.

Not in a small community. Bigger brings more federal problems and more problems which we cannot take care of financially. What does the Opera House mean to the average. Well nothing I don't know whether I'm an average watch area in first place about. The opera house something to be proud of to maintain a historical monument in a community of this size when communities around us which are many many thousands in population greater could not raise the money to save a historical monument. To me I think that if nothing more just community pride in the fact that we were able to save such a building and in this age. Were you here when when you know that citizens movement took place yes they have yes. Yes I was. Would you describe it for us. Well from what I can remember of it I was not on the centennial committee at the time but it was the building that had been sold to a contractor

to be to be demolished. And the. Board the when the centennial was over there was a movement among citizens locally to buy off this contract and save the Opera House. So the money was raised initially to buy up the contract and from that of them demolition people were going to demolish it. They were willing to break the contract for a certain amount of money and then. They proceeded. To incorporate the Opera House as a nonprofit corporation and then from there they went out to solicit funds to restart the building to one of the original it was. They were after when they got in and started working they were very surprised to find that some of the original flour joy still existed underneath the fake floor which had been put in when it was a movie theater. There are many new things found all the time by people who are here and

who are involved with it more than I am that. It's not. It's not surprising I mean I know. Recently a friend of mine visited Minneapolis who is involved in the theater work there. And. Expressed opinion how he would someday hope to play on the stage with the Watcher of the house. What do you think would have happened to the town if they had not restored the brass had a lot of to be demolished. Well I think. I very definitely I think it was a turning point in the community. As I look back at it. Because it gave it showed to people that if they banded together they could really do something. And it is to this extent that the other work has been done in the city such as one of the demolition of getting rid of unsightly things and cleaning up the community and people wanting to come into the community and build new houses. And this type of thing.

I'ma tell me about that the town as far as professional people think professional people we have a doctor which is here half days we have an attorney Mr braggart. Who is also the city attorney. We have. Will some light in the street. Probably the corn cob jelly with Mint which Mrs. Awdrey Fritz heads up. The. Course. There's a professional florist. I wonder who that you know. Of course and you have quite a bit of clergy because this community is very church minded. We have seven active churches but other than that professionally that's that's all the largest contingent of professional people. What does a city attorney do in what you. Know. I think the city attorney does

whatever someone else. I don't know how to do it whenever they have a problem they come to him and he's supposed to figure it out sometime he can. How do you feel about the opera house Carl personally. Well I'm quite enthused about it. We've been with the group from its inception and I'm really quite enthused about the about the opera house and its possibilities. What you see as the future of the town itself. I think probably the town will probably continue to be somewhat dormant. I don't see any in the future for a great increase in population perhaps not much decrease. I think it's more or less stabilized. We do have a very fine farming area and the

community has a lot of good people. You learn that if you are in need some time you are learning what nice people there are in the community. Ari Fritz is secretary treasurer of corn cob products of what year but more importantly she is the chief corn jelly maker and we have come over here at the very moment when she is making a batch of corn cob jelly. Audrey what actually goes into this. What products. Well we start out with nice red Iowa corn cobs and wash them. And. Cover them with water. And bring them to a boil simmer for 25 minutes. And strain. And then we start just like you had fruit juice and then that has a flavor all of its own. What does it taste like anything identifiable right a bit like Apple. How long have you been doing this Helms corporation been in about 10 years. Mini jars of jelly Have you made.

Oh well if you include the bottles of corn cobs syrup and apple I've made over ninety thousand. What does this particular corporation mean to what you're ordering. We'll I hope that it means quite a bit because it does read the name of what year all over the world. We mail our products all over. Foreign countries and of course all the different states in the union and. They get a big chuckle out of it I know it's. Just well it's funny. Yeah it's something one hears about but rarely gets a chance to taste. Yeah but you make in addition to the jelly and the syrup you also make candy. Yes. Did you do that the same way with the same types of ingredients. Yes except our recipe includes about 25 percent butter. There it goes. Now what would your major be in the state. Of the Amana Colonies and living history farms in Des Moines.

And. Then the interstate restaurants and gas stations and things like that. So you're making a bet batches of jello syrup and candy. Probably almost every day every year for. Years. Sometimes I start early in the morning and go till midnight and then I take three or four days off so I don't keep at it regularly. This is what I like about this work that I don't have to interrupt my. Things that I want to do like go shopping or go with my husband or. Something like that so most of the shareholders of your company and living in this area know that half I think some are relatives of people living here and. Also business. Great. Good. Yes it increases every year and we're very thankful for that. Ira how would you describe the town of what you are today. Friendly happy place to live.

It's fairly quiet even though it probably doesn't sound so sitting out here on the steps of the Opera House with traffic going up and down. I would say we're still progresses wide eyed. I think there was a time we saw where we were declining but that days old were on the upswing. I love that. They're all coming. From our citizens with now but. That will wait til 1980 to find out. But I have no qualms about the fact that watcher will probably be here in the year 2000 and still going strong. What year. What year. What. Cheer. It matter how you pronounce it it's a friendly greeting a friendly community and my kind of town.