THE DUST BOWL

Mini-musicals

 (but first)

A SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT--then scroll down for the index

Would you like to give yourself or someone you care  about (adult, adolescent or young child) a very unique , one-of -a -kind gift... for a birthday, anniversary, or any other special day? Would you want to give yourself or someone you care about a gift...to make an ordinary day special?

 YOU CAN ORDER A SONG OR IMPROVISED INSTRUMENTAL....ANY STYLE (classical, jazz, rag, country, blues, spiritual and more produced to order)
 FROM BERNIE KATZMAN.  CHECK OUT HIS WEBSITE:

http://berniekatzman.com

Do you have a special message for someone and want an instrumental background?Do you have lyrics, and need the music for a song?  Do you have a favorite song that you want played...(and sung) ?Do you have a favorite song or piece of music that you want improvised in any style of music? Would you want several of your songs combined into one masterful musical instrumental?
Bernie can do it all...

You can click on the youtube below. Watch Bernie's fingers dance on the piano. Let his fingers dance for you.

For more examples of how Bernie can take a simple melody and improvise it

into a masterpiece click on:

http://songsfromsusan.blogspot.com/

*****

THE MINI-MUSICALS

This is a new blog on which I will post  historical mini-musicals. As in the Harriet Tubman-Underground Railroad  musical  some historical comments are included in the  presentation of the songs. While "Harriet" is a full musical with 17 songs, the historical musicals included in this blog have 2 to 4 songs each.

Music and Lyrics by Susan Maskin

Arranged and performed by Bernie Katzman

Check the menu at the right or below  for the mini-musicals included.

THE DUST BOWL OF THE 1930'S

     The Dust Bowl background

     Song #1: Dust Thick and Heavy
     Song #2: Leave This Land Behind 
     Song #3: Keeping Hope Alive 
    Song $4: Starting Over

        Gallery -click on picture
 

Click here for a Youtube Trailer - Ken Burn's Dust Bowl documentary



Click here for the youtube of The Plow That Broke the Plains, a U.S. government documentary made in 1936

STARTING OVER

By 1939 the drought had ended. Though the land might well have been best suited to the grass that nature intended, the farmers started growing their wheat crops once more. However, they did learn lessons from the decade of the drought...the "dirty thirties." This joyous instrumental (improvisation) based on a melody by Susan Maskin was composed and played by Bernie Katzman. It shows the new mood in the former "dust bowl." A time to rejoice, a time to dance!

(coming soon)

.

KEEPING HOPE ALIVE

          About 75% of the plains people decided to stay in the Plains. They were "the next year people," who clung to the hope that the rains would come--if not this year, then next .  People who remained did all they could to support each other.

In Dalhart, Texas, there was a club organized by John McCarty the editor of the local newspaper. The club was called "The Last Man Club," and members pledged to stay, despite the hardships. The pledge said, “In the absence of an act of God, serious family injury, or some other emergency, I pledge to stay here as the last man and to do everything I can to help other last men remain in this country. We promise to stay here ’til hell freezes over and skate out on the ice.”

 Song

Instrumental




IMPROVISATION by Bernie Katzman

DUST BOWL GALLERY

from the Library of Congress Collection: in the public domain

 Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA-OWI Collection
or from clipart.com
used for educational purpose only

Dust Bowl Refugees

THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

(1764-1783)

  Many books have been written about the American Revolution: the causes, the battles, the politics, the aftermath. Though there is a general consensus of opinion in the United States glorifying the revolution, ...that it was a struggle by freedom-minded "patriots" to maintain their political, economic and social rights...the situation was much more complicated than this simple statement.  There is even an opposing point of view which sees value in the British argument.

   The standard interpretation is that the colonists were resisting taxation imposed upon them by the government in England because they were not voters, represented in parliament. "Taxation without representation is tyranny," was a slogan used. (A Massachusetts political figure named James Otis was credited with adding the word "tyranny" to the already known phrase, "Taxation without representation")

   In 1764, after the conclusion of the French and Indian War (also known as the Seven Year's War on the European continent), England needed to raise revenue to pay their debts incurred by the wars.  They decided to levy a tax on sugar, in the Revenue Act of 1764. The colonists protested this tax on revenue. Though they were willing to

bear the taxes for trade as part of the Navigation System (although these taxes were only haphazardly enforced) they saw the Revenue Sugar tax as something new. In addition, during the 1760's, they protested  what they considered to be illegal

searches of private property, known as the "Writs of Assistance." 

 In 1765, the notorious Stamp Act was passed. This required the colonists to purchase and place stamps on newspapers, legal documents, as well as letters. (The protest against the Stamp Act was so severe that it was never enforced.). In 1767, the Townsend Duties were levied, which further outraged the politicized colonists.  In December, 1773, after another tax on tea was levied, some colonists,members of the Sons of Liberty, dressed up like Native Americans, boarded an East India Company ship and dumped the tea onboard into Boston Harbor. This event came to be known as "The Boston Tea Party." The response from England was the passage of  "The Coercive Acts" which the  some colonists called "The Intolerable Acts."  

  Though the resistance to the measures taken by the government in England steadily increased, most colonists, even some avid opponents of the English tax laws, still considered themselves British and did not want to break from the Empire.   It was

only in 1776, when  Independence was declared that an official severing of ties with England took place.

  Throughout this pre-war period and during  the war, support for independence was not universal among colonists. It is thought that only 1/3 of the population actually supported independence; 1/3 were loyalists--meaning they wanted the colonies to continue being part of the empire; and 1/3 non-committal. There were areas where

"loyalists" were treated badly, and thousands sought refuge in Canada.

  George Washington led the colonial forces. The troops were promised pay, which many did not receive. The French, and some Native Americans joined with the
"patriots" in the fight against England. In 1783, the war ended.  The 13 former colonies were now loosely united under the first constitution known as the Articles of Confederation.  By 1789, the present Constitution was accepted as the law of the United States, and when into effect ( though technically, the Constitution was made the law of the land illegally. That is because the Articles of Confederation required  a unanimous approval by the new thirteen states. By 1789 only eleven had approved).

The songs in this mini-musical are satirical in nature. There is an effort to go beyond the myths and present a more balanced point of view.

The Midnight Ride of Dawes, Revere and Prescott (coming soon)

Don't Tax Me (coming soon)

On the Date We Got Wrong (coming soon)

 

   

THE MIDNIGHT RIDE OF DAWES, REVERE
AND PRESCOTT

It is undoubtedly true that in all countries, myths and legends become infused into history. The United States is no exception.

There is a reason that this happens. Legends are part of a cultural heritage which binds a group of people together. While it is important to ultimately know the difference between historical fact and quasi-historical legend, the stories play a role in national cultural cohesiveness. Legends when part of folk literature, have no known author.  Paul Revere has become a folk hero--a national cultural icon-- his fame  anchored in the American mind by Henry Wadworth Longfellow's inspiring poem written in 1860 at the start of the Civil War. Longfellow was writing a patriotic piece in support of the Union cause as well as slavery abolition, but took great liberties with the facts of the American Reveolution as far as they were known.

Paul Revere was , in fact, a passionate supporter of the American rebellion against England. He played a significant role, especially in the years leading up to the start of the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783).He was a participant in the now famous "midnight ride" which took place in April of 1775.

For a very long time, Paul Revere received major  credit for what has become a famous legendary act.  However, he was not the only person who sought to warn of the approach of  the "Red Coats." (The army of England wore bright red uniforms. The army was also known as "regulars.")  At least two others who shared his mission, (William Dawes and Dr. Samuel Prescott) have gotten little recognition. This is ironic because both Dawes and Prescott remained on the midnight ride much longer than Revere. It is believed, that Dawes might have fallen off his horse at one point leaving Dr. Prescott the rider who arrived at Concord which was the target of the advancing troops. It is guessed that perhaps as many as 40 people were riding the alarm that night but this has never been verified.

 The actual facts of the event are hazy in many respects. Helen Moore corrected the rider omissions in her 1896 sequel to Longfellow's poem, but only for William Dawes. Dr. Prescott remained largely unrecgonized by the general American public.

On April 18th, 1775, Paul Revere, an American patriot discovered that there was a march of Regulars--(troops in the British army,) moving inland. His initial goal was to warn two other American leaders,Samuel Adams (New England leader of the Son's of Liberty) and John Hancock that they might be in danger. He set out by boat on the Charles River (referred to as "sea" by Longfellow in his poem), possibly not on his own, and then switched to horseback. When speaking to the Adams and Hancock,it was concluded that the object of the march was to capture munitions stored in the town of Concord. It was decided that the citizens of Concord, and other nearby towns, should be warned. Paul Revere was joined by William Dawes, another Patriot, then by a third, Dr. Samuel Prescott. It is believed that there were others as well.

The plan was that these men were to stop at as many houses as possible along the way, warning the town's inhabitants of the march of the Regulars, the army of England. 

Not long after the ride began Paul Revere ran into a Redcoat ambush. Both Dawes and Prescott escaped, and continued on their mission, though it is believed that only Prescott made it to Concord. Paul Revere, however, was questioned by the British. Ultimately, they released Revere; it is believed, without his horse.

The famous Battle of Lexington and Concord, considered to be the first battle of the American Revolutionary War took place on April 19, 1775, followed in June by a battle
fought on Breeds Hill, near Boston. (This battle was incorrectly called "The Battle of Bunker Hill.")

 

Though I take a serious view of history, I enjoy humor, especially when it is satirical or even sardonic. My sequel , THE MIDNIGHT RIDE OF DAWES, REVERE AND PRESCOTT, is in no way intending to be disrespectful of American history in general, and the Midnight Ride in particular.It is merely an attempt to add some levity and, of course, fairness into historical reflection; additionally, to imply the point that there are frailties in all aspect of human life, in history, and even in our heroes. The facts of my sequel might have some holes to which I honesty admit.

Song coming soon



































 

THE DUST BOWL: Background
(songs listed at the bottom)

"When one tries to rise above nature, one is liable to fall below it." 
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, in Sherlock Holmes, "The Creeping Man" 

  In periods of drought, the soil is, of course, very dry. If there are few plants to hold the soil, it becomes very loose. When it is windy, the soil  is blown, causing a dust storm. Sometimes the dirt is like sand..sometimes it is coarse, with stones and grit.

 During the 1930's there was a drought on the American prairies, extending northward to Canada. Because of this drought, and because of deleterious farming methods which destroyed the native grasses that had served as an anchor for the soil, serious dust storms occurred.

from clipart.com
 

The land was known as the Great Plains. The hardest hit areas centered around the panhandle of Oklahoma, but extended both north and south.  Originally, these lands had few trees but had grass called Buffalo grass. The grass had deep roots allowing the soil  below  to remain somewhat moist. The grass held the soil in place.

Originally, these lands were inhabited by Native Americans who hunted vast herds of buffalo. The buffalo fed on the plentiful grass. Toward the end of the 19th century, cattle was raised there, but these animals had a hard time surviving the harsh winters. Though cattle was still part of the Great Plains landscape, the emphasis was to be on wheat production. Pioneers, many of whom were European immigrants, began to  settle and farm the land. However, a drought at the end of the 19th century caused many of these people to relocate.

In fact, these lands were never naturally well-suited for agriculture. People farming here  went year by year...one year there was enough rain to harvest a good crop..the next year, perhaps not. The farmers were called " the next year people.

 In the early   20th century, this area entered what was called the "wet period."  More settlers came and farmed the land, growing crops especially wheat. Real Estate swindles were common as people bought land  oftentimes,without looking at the property. Claims were made that were simply not true.  Meanwhile, more and more grasslands were converted into farmlands. 

During the First World War, the German armies cut off access to Russian wheat. The need for wheat led to   demand for grain, and resulted in an  expansion of agriculture on the grasslands. Prices soared. Even after the war when the need for the wheat was reduced and the prices went down cultivation of the grasslands intensified. No attention was paid to nurturing the soil through procedures such as crop rotation. More sophisticated plows were used to "turn over" the soil.  Wheat production kept steadily increasing.  

The affects of the Great Depression that begin in 1930 did not immediately hit this area because the harvests were plentiful. However, the prices per bushel of wheat steadily dropped as the supply of wheat  became greater than the demand. Then the weather patterns changed.Though the harvest of 1931 was still good,  a period of drought started by winter. In January, 1932, a huge dust storm occurred in Amarillo, Texas.

The farming methods of the past 20 years wore down the top soils. The native buffalo grasses which held the soil had been diminished. The winds intensified, resulting in tragic dust storms. Though dust storms were part of the weather patterns in the Great Plains for centuries,  the dust storms of the 1930's were  stronger than in the past and were actually to a large extent human-generated disasters. By defying nature in a haphazard way  conditions were created that caused one of the greatest land catastrophes in human history.

   The hardest hit areas were in parts of northern Texas and Oklahoma, as well as New Mexico, Colorado and Kansas. The town of Boise City, in the Oklahoma panhandle was considered the center of the dust bowl disaster. Millions of acres of farmland were damaged or completely destroyed. One of the worst storm of all occurred on April 14, 1935 which displaced enormous amounts of topsoil.By the end of the 1930's about 75% of the top soil literally, "blew away." Some of this dust settled down as far away as the Atlantic Ocean. 

 Though many of the people stayed on their lands, some families left, particularly to California. Complicating the problem was the fact that Great Depression gripped the entire country, and many parts of the world.  The "dust bowl refugees" who left the the Dust Bowl area had high hopes but  many found little improvement where they went. Some of them became impoverished migrant workers. Many native Californians resented the people called "Okies" and treated them disrespectfully. The Okies, in particular  one family, were the subject of the Pulitzer prize novel by John Steinbeck called  The Grapes of Wrath.   

Life was particularly terrible for those who stayed. Many died of a disease which came to be known as "dust pneumonia."  They were desperate for money for the bare necessities of living.

 While many politicians and the public felt that they should give up on the Great Plains, President Franklin Roosevelt was seriously concerned and deeply committed to saving the area. The New Deal, especially the WPA (Works Progress Administration)  and CCC,(Civilian Conservation Corps)  helped out tremendously. People were able to get employment with the WPA which kept them going. The Soil Erosion Service was established under the supervision of Hugh Bennett who was a soil conservationist. Convincing Congress was difficult, but his efforts were bolstered when some of the dust from the Plains actually  fell on Washington D.C. Bennett  and  H. Howard Finnell (known to some people as the "doctor of dirt") explored  ecologically-friendly farming methods which would improve the situation.Millions of trees were planted during the 1930's which, it was hoped, would cut down on the wind and wind damage.Experiments with terrace farming and other methods were conducted. Some of these methods were successful and cut down on the  further soil erosion. By the 1960's some farmers tapped into the underground water for irrigation. Though this was to be a reliable source of water, there were serious limitations: the underground water supply would last  20 or 30 years if overused.

 1937 was one of the worst years for dust storms. By the end of the year there had been more than 100 recorded. In 1938, it seemed that  there might be  some improvement in that there was a bit more rain. However, another disaster was about to hit the people of the Dust Bowl:  A plague of Grasshoppers, one variety of which are called Locusts--by the millions descended on the plains. In order to get rid of them various methods, including putting poison on the soil, were used. The beleaguered people had already experienced an invasion of rabbits by the thousands in some partsof the Dust Bowl  in 1935 who ate up what little was growing.


   In 1938, President Franklin Roosevelt visited the area. When making a speech in southern Texas, the rain started.  The drought was ending, and the Great Plains was slowly going into a wet period. Because of the growing need for wheat, especially during the Second World War, production was increasing.  However, there were lessons to be learned from the tragedy of the 30's .  When a two year drought came  in the early 50's the soil erosion was less severe, and the dust storms not as intense. This was due to the fact that many farmers were now using the soil conservation methods  perfected by Howard  Finnell. In addition, the U.S. government had purchased about 4 million acres of land which was restored as a national grassland.

  During the 30's , photographers were sent to visually record the horror of the period. Thousands of photographs are now part if the Library of Congress historical holdings. Woody Guthrie composed and performed what came to be known as "The Dust Bowl Ballads." These ballads expressed the tragedy of those times. Some of these ballads can be heard on youtube: CLICK  

 The final word on the Great Plains has not been spoken. Perhaps nature decided,after all, that this land was not to be used for agriculture.  In the end, it may be seen that  the original buffalo grass is best suited to this land, and is the major force preventing the Great Plains  turning into the Sahara forever. However, farming continues in the Great Plains which experiences the dry/wet cycles. There are still dust storms, but nothing compared to those of the 1930s.

The songs on this blog reflect some of the feelings of people enduring the dust storms. It was a time of intense struggle, just to survive.

 DUST THICK AND HEAVY

 LEAVE THIS LAND BEHIND  

KEEPING HOPE ALIVE coming soon