Max C. Baldwin

Greenwood, Clark Co., Wisconsin

This enterprising journalist quickly found his way into the hearts of the Gleaner patrons who felt proud to have him join their community and thoroughly enjoyed reading his editorial comments.  Max expressed his thoughts concerning the band stand on Main Street in one of his very first articles.  He wrote: 

Want More Encouragement

One of the most conspicuous places to the stranger coming to our city, is the bandstand, situated on a beautiful plot of ground in the very heart of the city, and which, at first, gives one the impression that Greenwood is far ahead of its neighbors in this respect.  But if the stranger happens to sojourn here for a few days he commences to wonder what the bandstand is for, and is included to believe that it is exclusively for ornamentation; not that we do not have a band to occupy it, because we have, and although we have never had the pleasure of hearing them play but once (the last night of the street carnival), we were pleased to note that it was not only a good one, but well organized.

This is not as it should be, and if the boys had a little more encouragement or some inducement, we would hear more of these than we do. Greenwood Gleaner (Greenwood, Clark Co., Wis.) 08/05/1909

The following week, he reported on the community's support for his proposal:

Band Concerts Ensured

The Gleaner is not a procurator in any respect, and if we place any question before the public, it is not because we want to manage the affairs of our beautiful city or anything appertaining to it, but because we want to see it go ahead and be alive and prosperous, which it is doing admirably, and we want a never-ceasing continuation of the good work.

If we present any suggestion to the public, it will always be because we believe it will be for the general good of our community, but it does not necessarily follow that everyone will think or believe as we do; we are liable to errors, and possibly good judgment in some things as well as anyone else, and will always stand ready to correction if we are at fault.

However, we cannot help but feel a little proud of our success in stirring up the question of band concerts during the summer months.  It goes to show that prompt action will always achieve encouragement, and in most cases, success.  Procrastination is the evil genius of any community, and it please us to note that Greenwood does not believe in putting off until tomorrow what it can do today.  If there are any procrastinators in Greenwood, we believe there is not a citizen but what would dig down in his pocket and produce the necessary amount, or its equivalent, to buy them a first-class ticket out of town.

Almost immediately after last week’s Gleaner had been circulated, a subscription paper was started toward the raising of $100 for the benefit of the band, that we might have band concerts through the summer months, and the subscriptions are being signed for with admirable rapidity, especially by all the businessmen, who are always will to help along any good cause, and a better one than this would be hard to find.

This most encouraging outlook is instilling new life into the members of the band, too; they are commencing to take note of things and many of them are wearing broad smiles, and who can blame them when it is considered that each member has to pay for his own playing, instead of getting paid for it.  It is safe to say that no one can expect the members to pay out of their own pockets, money for new music, rent, etc., and then furnish music for the city without some compensation for their work.

Cheer up, boys, you are going to give us concerts, swell out your chests, blow yourself twice a week, and you are going to get paid for it too.

In 1910 Max was given he honor of serving as the Grand Marshall for the Memorial Day Parade.  We couldn't locate a photo of that parade, but those below are good representatives of the earliest celebrations.

1903 Memorial Day Parade in Greenwood, Wisconsin.

1908 Memorial Day Parade in Greenwood, Wisconsin.

Memorial Day Parade in Greenwood, Wisconsin (unknown year).

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