Published January 19, 2020
By Melissa DeVerger
On December 14, 1922, the Teenie
Weenie Orchestra presented their first concert in the Webster School auditorium
to the Round Table Club and other invited guests. Their conductor, Mrs. Georgia Morey, violin
teacher at Quincy Conservatory, formed the orchestra in November 1922 with some
of her younger pupils, all under 12 years of age. The original Teenie Weenie music was composed
by Marx Oberndoffer, director of the Minneapolis Symphony, bringing to life the
characters in the Teenie Weenie family created by William Donahey in his comic
strips. The music had been recently
published and Mrs. Morey was one of the first to order it while in Chicago in
the fall of 1922.
Mrs. Morey was born in Barry,
Illinois on May 7, 1889 to Henry and Anna Ellers. She married George E. Morey in 1913 and had
one son, George Morey, Jr. Mrs. Morey
taught violin and piano at the Quincy Conservatory of Music and became
well-known for her ability to work with young students for success. The orchestra met once a week at Mrs. Morey’s
home at 432 N. 6th Street to practice.
For the Teenie Weenie program,
Salla Lee Hart introduced the orchestra dressed as the “big little girl” who
loves the “Teenie Weenies,” according to the Quincy Daily Journal, Nov 19, 1922.
Adele Smith, playing a “lady of fashion” and a teacher, was the pianist. Other members performed as the following
characters: “Clown” by Robert Botts, “Mr. Lover” by Alexander Waldfogel, “Mrs.
Lover” by Ruth Buss, “Policeman” by Carl Luthin, “Cowboy” by Sammie Waldfogel,
“Cook” by Max Meyer, “General” by Theodore Pezman, “Dunce” by Billy Wessels,
“Indian” by James Monanteras, and “Chinaman” by George Morey, Jr. Special scenery and costumes were used for
the performances by the orchestra, with the lady of fashion and her stylish
clothes and the policeman with his star.
The Quincy Daily Herald, Nov 20,
1922, wrote about their first performance, where the Teenie Weenie orchestra presented
two numbers: “The Lady of Fashion Waltz” and “A Chinese Monday” The stage setting was arranged with a
two-foot high thimble for the “Chinaman” to conduct his wet wash and with a
clothes line strung at one side. The performance featured Salla Lee Hart “in a
pretty frock” introducing the Teenie Weenie family. Adele Smith, as the lady of
fashion, portrayed the piano teacher who taught the Teenie Weenies to perform
and “sat gracefully at her piano,” said the Quincy Daily Herald on December 16th. Robert, as the clown in his funny suit,
played the orchestra leader with flourishes for the other characters as they
performed on violins. In December 1922,
it was reported that Mrs. Morey had received a letter from Mr. Oberndorf, the
composer, asking about the orchestra.
As their original performance was a
success, the Teenie Weenie orchestra continued to perform in the area. Their next performance was on December 17,
1922 for the Temple B’nai Sholom. The
orchestra performed for the Junior Music club on January 19, 1923 at the
Webster School auditorium. Other
performances included the Luther Memorial church on February 22nd and
Woodland Home on February 25th.
On May 12, 1923, the Teenie Weenies joined the program for the Music
Week recital by pupils of the children’s department at the Quincy Conservatory
of Music. Music Week was an annual event
started in 1921 to showcase the talents of musicians from the Conservatory with
a week-long program of concerts and shows.
On December 21, 1923, the Teenie
Weenie orchestra again played for the Juvenile Music Club at Webster School,
with several new members added to the orchestra. Among the violinists there was also now a
cornetist, drummer, clarinetist, and pianist.
On April 6, 1924, the listing of actors featured new characters,
including: Irene Selvan as Queen Moole, Ralph Davidson as the Turk, George
Morey as the Grandpa, Carl Luthin as the Aviator, Sylvester Toben as Paddy Pinn
– tallest of the Teenie Weenies, Junior Musolin as Rufus Rhyn a poet, and Billy
Wessels as the Sailor. The orchestra continued to grow in popularity over the
years, and other new characters were added including a nurse and a scout.
The popular children’s orchestra
continued to play throughout the local area.
The group was scheduled to play at Madison School on April 25, 1924 and also
at the Methodist Church in Barry in May 1924 for their social to raise money
for their new church building. They
continued to play in the Conservatory of Music’s Music Week festivities throughout
the 1920’s.
On February 14, 15, and 16, 1925,
the orchestra was scheduled to perform on a real stage at the Washington Square
Theater which opened in 1924. At the time, the orchestra had 16 members between
the ages of six and ten. However, on
January 30, 1925, it was reported that the concert had to be canceled due to
child labor laws and curfew laws. Mr. W.
H. Curran, the head of the Illinois Department of Labor, notified Mr. Joseph
Desberger, manager of Washington Square Theater, that the children must be 16
years of age to appear on a stage in Illinois.
On February 8, 1925, this ruling was reversed after the true nature of
the production was explained to Mr. Curran, with the production being
rescheduled to February 19, 20, and 21, 1925.
The Teenie Weenie orchestra
entertained audiences in Quincy throughout the 1920’s and 1930’s under the
direction of Mrs. Morey. All of the
young musicians went on to play in the high school music program and many were
involved in music in adulthood.
On November 8, 1944, Mrs. Morey
died unexpectedly after an operation in Chicago, Illinois. Her orchestra students lost a dedicated
teacher and talented musician.
Sources
“Bring Teenie
Weenie to Life.”
Quincy Daily Journal
,
December 26, 1922, p. 4.
“Children’s Night
Program at Ky. St. Church.”
Quincy Daily
Journal
, April 6, 1924, p. 4.
“Churches.”
Quincy Daily Herald
, February 19, 1923,
p. 4.
Landrum, Carl.
Landrum’s Quincy, Vol. 2
. Justice
Publications, Inc., Quincy, IL, 1995.
“Little Children
to Give Recital at Conservatory.”
Quincy
Daily Journal
, May 11, 1923, p. 4.
“Music.”
Quincy Daily Journal
, February 25, 1923,
p. 4.
“Orchestra of
Children Can Not Give Show.”
Quincy Daily Herald
, January 30, 1925,
p. 14.
“Please Program
at Junior Music Meeting.”
Quincy Daily
Journal
, January 21, 1923, p. 4.
“Teenie Weenie
Family Makes Second Bow Before Public.”
Quincy
Daily Herald
, December 22, 1923, p. 4.
“Teenie Weenie
Pictures Brought to Life in Symphony Thursday.”
Quincy Daily Herald
, December
16, 1922, p. 4.
Teenie Weenie
Trouble Cloud Has Dissolved.”
Quincy
Daily Journal
, February 8, 1925, p. 3.
“Teenie Weenie’s
and Other Musicians in Delightful Recital.”
Quincy Daily Journal
, December
15, 1922, p. 3.
“Teenie Weenies
Make Engagements to Play Next Month.”
Quincy
Daily Herald
, April 15, 1924, p. 4.
“Teenie Weenie’s
Orchestra Formed for First Concert.”
Quincy
Daily Journal
, November 19, 1922, p. 4.
“Teenie Weenies
Will Have Chance to Step Before the Footlights.”
Quincy
Daily Herald
, January 23, 1925, p. 4.
“Toy Symphony of
Teenie Weenie’s to Entertain Friends.”
Quincy
Daily Herald
, November 20, 1922, p. 4.
