The Opera House Dairy Maids
A locally produced theatrical performance in North Yakima proves to be a financial and artistic triumph, showcasing the drill-master skills of Miss Hattie Bawyer.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The Dairy Maids’ Supper and its accompanying entertainment was a decided success artistically and financially. The opera house was early filled by an audience that showed its appreciation of the efforts of the entertainers by frequent applause and marked attention. The singing of Messrs. Cornett and Lombard, Mrs. Horsley and Miss Allen was excellent, while the milk cans, pump and chalk, the farmers and villagers acquitted themselves in a manner that won the approbation of all. The dairy maids’ drill was as perfect as clockwork and showed that Miss Hattie Bawyer has decided ability as a drill master. Another pleasing feature of the evening was the instrumental music furnished by Mrs. Ed. Whitson and Prof. L. C. Read. About $140 was realized from the entertainment.
“The dairy maids’ drill was as perfect as clockwork.”
Before the age of mass media, town opera houses were the epicenter of civic life. The mention of a 'dairy maids' drill' reflects the era's fascination with highly structured social pageantry, a stark contrast to today's passive, digital-first entertainment culture.
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