A box of old photos can take you on an adventure. We find these in attics, closets, chests, all over the place, often given to us by older relatives. Sometimes they come with information – marked photos, stories of what was going on – but all too often they come with very little or even no information. This can be misfortunate, especially when you are seeking photographs of ancestors and know that the people you are looking for likely have photos in the box, but you don’t know for sure. Sometimes, however, certain photos tell a story all on their own, even if they come with no information at all.
The weather was probably fair that day, but likely not too hot. Some of the children were dressed in short pants and skirts, while others had on light coats. It was possibly early summer judging by the leaves on the tree. Some had come with their parents or an older brother or sister, but they were all in Fountain Park by the College to see one thing: an event that came to town with the circus!
As they all strolled down the hill, there they were: two medium-sized black bears, each wearing a collar and tethered to a very long rope. They lounged about on the ground looking rather pleased and perhaps a bit bored, while their handler and his German Shepard waited patiently for the group to assemble so he could get on with the show.
The masses had converged, and it was go time! The handler introduced the two bears, by name, and gave a casual introduction to his dog to the excited crowd. You might get to see a black bear in the wild from time to time, but rarely did you get to see them perform tricks!
With the rope wrapped around him, the handler called for the bears to stand up, and so they did. Once they each stood on two legs, they started dancing a sloppy yet proficient waltz! Everyone looked on in amusement, and there was even someone there ready to capture the moment for posterity. Perhaps for a private album, perhaps for a local newspaper. But so it was, that moment in time was captured and preserved for posterity. However, the poor German Shepard, who barely got an introduction, wasn’t about to be upstaged. Let’s just say he got his just revenge by executing the most comical photo bomb of all time.
Unfortunately, we know very little about the real story of this photo, other than it was indeed part of a circus act that took place in Fountain Park near Waynesburg University sometime in the 1940s. But, boy oh boy, does this photo tell a story. It’s sort of fun to think of all the memories that were made that day, perhaps memories that were eventually shared with children and grandchildren. If you have any information on this photo and the circus that was in town when these memories were made, please share them with us. Email them to info@greenescenemagazine.com.
