Arbeiter Hall (Arbeiter Verein Hall) was one of the many dancehalls in San Antonio, Texas used for dance performances and ballet classes. The Arbeiter Hall was home to Madame Virginia Donaldson’s dancing school called San Antonio Dancing Academy. This news article will explain and explore the history behind Arbeiter Hall.
Arbeiter Hall was established and constructed by a man named Lars S. Toft somewhere around 1874 as 3-story rectangular stone building. 2 other people along with Lars. S. Toft owned the property where Arbeiter Hall was located at. Arbeiter Hall was located adjacent to St. Joseph’s German Catholic Church on East Commerce Street. (Ref: https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1203035/m1/31/?q=%22arbeiter+verein+hall%22)
Madame Virginia Donaldson’s dancing school called San Antonio Dancing Academy would often used Arbeiter Verein Hall as a dancing school during the late 19th century and early 20th century. Her dancing school would often use the space as that was the space which was available in town. Madam Virginia Donaldson was the principal of the San Antonio Dancing Academy. Here many people learned their first steps on the polished floor.
Not only that, Madame Virginia Donaldson would hold a leap year ball where the ladies and men would give a dance performance each year at Arbeiter Verein Hall beginning in 1880. That had been the annual tradition each year since 1880. (Ref: http://www.newspaperabstracts.com/link.php?action=detail&id=4566)
Madame Virginia Donaldson stopped using Arbeiter Verein Hall for her dance classes in 1895. She would instead offer one-on-one dance training with ladies who desire their children taught dancing at their residences. (Ref: https://newspaperarchive.com/san-antonio-daily-light-oct-11-1895-p-6/)
“Madame Virginia Donaldson having closed her public classes, will accommodate ladies who desire their children taught dancing at their residences, Classes of eight or sixteen will be received. A note or message will be attended to if addressed to No. 1021 West Houston Street, or left at Arbeiter Verein Hall.”
Arbeiter Hall was still active in 1915. Masquerade balls and dances were still being held here. Conferences were being held here as well. For whatever the reasons may have been, Arbeiter Hall shut down in 1925. Arbeiter Hall would no longer serve as a dancehall or a community hall.
The San Antonio Express wrote about when Madam Virginia Donaldson had her dancing academy in the old Arbeiter Verein Hall in 1936. (Ref: https://newspaperarchive.com/san-antonio-express-oct-11-1936-p-30/)
Old Programs Stir Memory Besides Pioneers Still Carry It On
It was a happy connection George Wilson formed with the merry dances of the social clubs of the pay SOs and SOs as now pleasingly recalled after these many years since these dances have passed out simultaneously with George Wilson. We have never had a George Wilson since, but as for the old-time dances, they still live in the memory of those who used to glide over the floor to the soothing strains of a violin, harp, flue and cornet until the wee early hours with a midnight intermission for a sumptuous repast prepared and served by Ludwig Jahncke. And in some instances these old-time dances are still going on with the Pioneer Club keeping up the tradition to bring joy to the hearts of Capt. Jack Elgin, Edwin Chamberlain, August Thiele and others, to whom there is no greater happiness in life.
Those were great days when Madam Virginia Donaldson had her dancing academy in the old Arbeiter Verein Hall, where many of the grandfathers and grandmothers of today learned their first steps on the polished floor, when Turner Hall, Casino Hall, Beethoven Hall, Mission Garden, Harmony Club, San Antonio Club, St. Albert's Hall and Krisch Hall were the terpsichorean bright spots of San Antonio. There were harvest moon dances, Thanksgiving dances and New Year's dances besides many others during the interim, all climaxed with masquerade balls around St. Valentine Day. There was any number of social clubs in the city in those days, among which may be mentioned the San Antonio Singing and Social Club, the Modocs, the Hayseeds and the Ivys. All of these had their dances during the fall and winter and picnics in the spring and summer. They held their picnics at the Eisenhauer place on the Salado and at the First Mission, and would drive out in ambulances and express wagons at daybreak OR Sunday morning and spend the entire day there, swinging in the grapevine swing, playing games and singing songs, to return to the city late in the evening all be decked with wild flowers, singing, chatting and laughing, all merry, all happy, all bright, and going to bed dead tired from the effects of their pleasant outing, awakening fresh Monday morning to go back to work and start another week with renewed vim and vigor. To change the routine of these outings the clubs gave moonlight picnics with a hayride to and from the picnic grounds. When there was no moonlight they carried kerosene torches and called this "moonlight on the stick.”
These social clubs were the proving ground of character, helping he young folks to form their ideals of life. While they did not go through the formality of a ritual, the social club lent an atmosphere of confidence and respect that was on a par with any oath of honor, allegiance and loyalty that could be administered. Such was the sincerity with which the young folks regarded their membership in these social clubs. There were no formalities whatever more than starting off on the right foot for the dance. Everybody felt perfectly at home and they mingled together like one large, happy family. They would gather at the homes of the young ladies at different times, often in the form of a surprise party, bringing their own refreshments and music, so that the house was cleared for an informal dance in the matter of a few moments. That's why the memory of these old social clubs lingers in the minds of those who know what they were, and why it is so pleasingly refreshing to recall them after all these years since they have passed out of existence. They have left their shining marks as tributes to solid, sound and substantial citizenship, as may be attested by the many happy families that have been reared as the result of a romance that had its beginning at a dance sponsored by these social clubs. There were no society editors in the days of these social clubs and the papers ran the dances like a regular news story. One of the regular reporters was assigned to cover the dances and weddings, and so it sometimes happened the same reporter covered a murder or a divorce case in the morning and a dance of a wedding at night, occasionally to finish his murder or divorce story in time to set out for the dance or wedding.
Here are some of the most memorable dance performances given by Madame Donaldson’s dancing school.
The sunflower hop was one of the most lighthearted memorable dance given by the ladies and men at Arbeiter Verein Hall in 1882. “Madame Donaldson’s dancing school give a sunflower hop tonight, at Arbeiter Verein hall.” (Ref: https://newspaperarchive.com/san-antonio-evening-light-may-19-1882-p-4/)
Madame Donaldson’s dancing school gave a memorable dance performance at Arbeiter Verein Hall on January 20, 1888. The dance performance was “one of the most enjoyable of its kind yet given” according to San Antonio Light. (Ref: https://newspaperarchive.com/san-antonio-daily-light-jan-20-1888-p-4/)
“The ladies of Madame Donaldson’s dancing academy will give a leap year ball tonight at the Arbeiter Verein hall, which it is predicted, will be one of the most enjoyable of its kind yet given. A large number of invitations have been issued.”
The Leap Year Ball of 1888 was one of the most memorable ball dances held and conducted at Arbeiter Verein Hall. Madame Virginia Donaldson’s dancing academy gave a leap year ball that night. (Ref: San Antonio Daily Light, Leap Year Ball, January 20, 1888)
[Leap Year Ball
The ladies of Madame Donaldson's dancing academy will give a leap year ball tonight at the Arbeiter Verein hall, which it is predicted, will be one of the most enjoyable of its kind yet given. A large number of invitations have been issued and the dear girls have left nothing undone for the comfort and pleasure of the boys.]
The delightful hop dance of 1893 is another one. Madam Donaldson’s dance academy did a spectacular job with their performance. Close to 200 people attended. (Ref: https://newspaperarchive.com/san-antonio-daily-light-jan-21-1893-p-5/)
“Last night the students of Madam Virginia Donaldson were again tendered a delightful hop. These affairs are gaining in popularity with the young ladies and gentlemen as they can hardly wait from one week to the other for the next hop. Last night there were fully 150 persons in attendance.”
Arbeiter Hall was located at 101 Bowie Street San Antonio, Texas, US 78205.
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