Old-time Wedding Traditions Included Serenading Newlyweds by Calithumpian (Dutch) Bands

Photograph courtesy of the PA Dutch At-Home Companion

by Bob Wood

In the old days, a young couple was hardly thought to be properly married unless they were serenaded on their wedding night, or soon thereafter, by a Dutch Band also known as bull bands or “calithumpian” bands.

These racket makers were usually men and boys from the neighborhood. The “instruments” of the band were such things as horns, bugles, bells, dishpans, old steel farm machinery parts that clanged when struck with a hammer—in short, anything that made a loud and nasty sound.

Scholla Bull Band March 27, 1943

But the central piece of the orchestra was the sei-geik (si-gik) or pig fiddle. The sei-geik was the pig scalding trough over which several wires were tightly stretched. A piece of two-by-four became the fiddle bow. When the bow was scraped over the wires, it made an ear-splitting bellow. If set on a wooden porch, the porch floor acted like a sounding board and made it even louder. The whole house shook.

Of course, the young couple couldn’t get on with the business at hand of the wedding night with that kind of din going on outside, so the party were invited in for food and liquid refreshment. It was a sort of blackmail, but it was all among friends; in fact, the more well-liked and popular the groom was, the larger the bull band. Someone who was not liked would probably not be Dutch banded. A large band was a compliment to the bride and groom.

As time went on, it became the custom to Dutch band the young couple any time after the wedding—sometimes months later. The key thing, then, was the suspense and the element of surprise. The newlyweds knew the band was coming sometime…but when? Sometimes it became a cat-and-mouse game with the couple set to flee out the back door, so that the band was serenading an empty house. Ah, but sometimes the band split up with some in the back of the house and some in the front.

Dutch banding seems to have been practiced in the culture into the mid-twentieth century. Carl Lightcap of Pottstown recalled that he was treated to a Dutch band in 1946. He gave the group $10 and told them to go have a good time. He told the story of one woman who said to her Dutch band, “All I have for you is this bucket of lemonade.” It was one lemon floating in a bucket of water.

Photograph courtesy of the PA Dutch At-Home Companion

Interestingly, Pottstown historian Mike Snyder has found at least two newspaper references to female calithumpian bands. The first was in the Daily Pottstown Ledger of September 7, 1874: “Mr. Jesse Geist, of Fagleysville, this county, has been a widower for some years until about two weeks ago. When he led to the hymenial alter a blooming widow, very much to the disgust of the many Fagleysville belles, who had been endeavoring to ensnare him into the meshes of their nets. They were determined to have revenge upon him. In accordance with this notice, they armed themselves with the most improved instruments known to calithumpians and proceeded to the hotel where the newly married couple were sweetly reposing in each other’s arms.

The first screech of the instruments awakened the groom from his slumbers and, with fear and trembling, he appeared at the windows. He was not long in taking in the situation; and after repeated calls, donned his clothing and proceeded meekly to the front door to ascertain the wishes of the fair ones. The ladies concluded that if he would ‘stand treat’ they would go home. Mine host was called up, and the ladies, after surfeiting themselves with ice cream, cakes, sherry cobblers, mint julips, and other little etceteras, bid their victim good-night, and took their departure.”

Interestingly, the treats listed above that the hotel had on hand are remarkable. Like the Swamp Hotel, the Fagleysville Hotel in the late 19th century was an up-scale establishment and a summer destination for the urban well-to-do.

The second example is from the same newspaper dated May 21, 1909, and bears the headline, “Girl Serenaders Made Noise Galore Last Night” and reads, “A novel serenade was last evening tendered to Mr. And Mrs. Irwin Hunsberger who returned from the honeymoon trip after being married on Wednesday last in Schwenksville. The serenade was conducted by girl friends of the bride who was Miss Blanche Skean, daughter of Harvey Skean, Chestnut Street.

“Early last evening the residents of that section were surprised to see a large number of young girls coming down the street in a body. The girls were supplied with all kinds of tin utensils, guaranteed to make a noise. One girl who lives in Stowe carried a big shovel and a hammer.

"When the Skean residence was reached, there was soon a horrible din. The girls kept the racket going merrily for many minutes and were then invited into the house. They had much fun and noise which was continued in the house.

“The girls who did the serenading were girls who worked in the factory in which Mrs. Hunsberger formerly was employed.”

Photograph courtesy of the PA Dutch At-Home Companion

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