Victor Heritage Society
Working Together to Preserve 
Historic Victor, Colorado
City of Gold MInes
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  • Guidelines & Galleries
    • Guide to Preserving Our Architectural Heritage
    • Photo Gallery of Victor Residential Gems
    • Photo Gallery of Victor Businesses Operating in Historic Buildings
    • Photo Gallery of Historic Victor Homes & Buildings--Then & Now
    • Photo Gallery of Historic Victor Artwork by Fred Shane, Circa 1942
    • Photo Gallery of Historic Gold Mines >
      • Stratton's Independence Mine
      • Restoring the Historic Headframe of Stratton's Independence Mine
      • Gold Coin Mine--Part of the Woods Empire
      • Vindicator Mine
    • Photos From 1903-04 Labor Strike in Cripple Creek & Victor Mining District.
    • Step Back in Time with Glimpses of Historical Photos Featuring Victor, Colorado & the Surrounding Mining District
  • Oral History
    • “The Only Swedish Grocery Store in Victor”: The J.A. “Joseph” Beckman Family in the Cripple Creek Mining District of Colorado, 1896-1915 by Richard "Dick" Markley.
    • Goold Family Historic Ties to Victor, Colorado & Famous Former Residents of the City by Nellie Goold Young.
    • H. L. Turner Story--Part 2: Unique Perspectives About the History of Victor, Colorado & the Cripple Creek Mining District.
    • Memories of H. L. Turner (1882-1967) and His Experiences in the Early Days of the Cripple Creek Mining District.
    • Tragedies When I Was Growing Up In Victor by Charles Spray (AKA Jeep Hack).
    • Memories of James Garth Payne & How He Came to Letter Names on the Original WWII Roll of Honor in Victor and Cripple Creek, Colorado.
    • Winters in Victor, Colorado during the 1940's & 50's by Charles Spray (AKA Jeep Hack)
    • Biking & Hockey in Victor, Colorado -- The Passions of Brian Hayes
    • Sports in Victor, Colorado & Memories of the 1949 Pikes Peak Junior High Basketball Tournament
    • Abbott Family Memories Made in Victor, Colorado: The House & Antiques Shop -- by Debbie Abbott.
    • Abbott Family Memories Made in Victor, Colorado: Digging At the Dump -- by Steve Abbott.
    • Abbott Family Memories Made in Victor, Colorado: Mom & Her Victor Friends -- by Dave Abbott.
    • A History of VICTOR, COLORADO--THE CITY OF MINES, compiled and published in 1933 by S. E. Poet, Superintendent of Public Schools at Victor.
    • Carl Roy's Oral History Videos -- Life in Victor, Colorado
    • The Miner’s Photograph: A Pathway to the Past by Steven Wade Veatch.
    • Recollections of My Life in Victor, Colorado during the Depression, WWII, & After By Charles Norman Spray (AKA Jeep Hack)
    • Memories of Washington Elementary--My First School in Victor, Colorado by Charles Spray (AKA Jeep Hack).
    • Adventures at the Beaver Valley Ranch While Growing up in Victor, Colorado by Charles Spray (AKA Jeep Hack).
    • Memories of the Ina & Henry Cleveland Hack Family by Charles Norman Spray (AKA Jeep Hack).
    • The Lighter Side of a Visit to Hack's Victor Barber Shop by Charles Norman Spray (AKA Jeep Hack).
    • Memories of Margaret & Henry C. "June" Hack, Jr. by Charles Norman Spray (AKA Jeep Hack).
    • Memorabilia from Cripple Creek & Victor High School Bands Directed by Ernest T. Sly from 1939 to 1950.
    • A Day in the Cresson Mine by Charles Spray (AKA Jeep Hack).
    • Firewood For Victor, Colorado by Charles Norman Spray (AKA Jeep Hack).
    • Memories of My Grandfather, John Reed Gardner (1864-1951)--Gardner Mercantile Owner, Bank President, Insurance Company Executive. By John Reed Gardner, II (grandson).
    • Tarie Huber Oral History Videos -- Life in Victor, Colorado
    • 1896 Shooting Affray at Union Theater in Victor, Colorado.
    • Memories of Mrs. Katy Bemore, resident of Independence when the deport was blown up in 1904.
    • Working Underground in the Cripple Creek & Victor Mining District, 1972 to 1979: How I Got the Shaft, the Gas, and the Broken Steel by Randall Stewart.
    • INSTALLMENT #1. Seven Generations In Victor, Colorado and The Mining District—The Way It Was as Recalled by Eleanor Musser Baker.
    • INSTALLMENT #2. Seven Generations In Victor, Colorado and The Mining District—The Way It Was as Recalled by Eleanor Musser Baker.
    • INSTALLMENT #3. Seven Generations In Victor, Colorado and The Mining District—The Way It Was as Recalled by Eleanor Musser Baker.
    • Memories of Edward Franklin Page: Watchman at the Stratton Mines and Subsequently a Mine Manager, Farmer, Retail Businessman, & Banker.
    • Tom Schryver's Memories of Growing Up in Victor, Colorado and His Parents--Mayme & Charles "Bumps" Chapman.
    • McCormick Family Connections to Victor, Colorado (1893-2014) by Mary Ann McCormick Hamm.
    • Paying the Piper by Gertrude Moore McGowan.
    • Gold Camp Celebration--Fourth of July in Victor, Early 1900's by Gertrude Moore McGowan.
    • Memories of Lulu Ella Manson & Harry Gordon Moore by Gertrude Moore McGowan
    • Memories of Fannie & Alfred Osborn by Marge Breth
    • Memories of Cripple Creek & Victor, 1945-62, by Mary Alice Orazen
    • The Story of Axel Olson & His Golden Girl, Betzi Johnson, by Shirley Beach.
    • Memories of Mr. and Mrs. Axel Olson by KC Garver
    • Victor Recollections--Mountain Doctor, Small Town Cop, Gus's Sporting Goods, & Little Toy Pocket Knife by Floyd Frank
    • Memories of Lowell Thomas--Victor"s Most Famous Former Resident
    • Memories of the Gold Rush Era in Victor by Edgar McGowan
    • A Day In the Life of a Miner by Chuck Clark
    • Underground Mining Experiences at the Cresson and Ajax by Myron House
    • Hynes Brothers "Clean Ice" for Victor, Colorado--Memories of Mary Ellen Hynes Chetelat.
    • Marguerite Clark--One of Victor's Angels by Chuck Clark
    • Charlie Clark & the Quality Cash Market by Chuck Clark
    • Pop Sly -- Ernest T. Sly, The Band Man by Chuck Clark
    • Mr. Mortenson--The Victor Shoemaker by Chuck Clark
    • Heninger Family Memories of Victor, Portland Junction, & Independence: 1909-1916, by Virginia & Edgar Heninger
    • Reflections on Goldfield by Carol Roberts
    • Growing Up In Victor in the 1930's by Bob Penman
    • Victor's Welcome to Vice-President Roosevelt
  • Visit
MEMORABILIA FROM CRIPPLE CREEK & VICTOR HIGH SCHOOL BANDS DIRECTED BY ERNEST T. SLY. 
Contributed by Georganna McCleerey Peiffer and Charles Spray (AKA Jeep Hack). 
©

     Ernest T. Sly was the charismatic band leader and director of music for the schools in Victor and Cripple Creek for eleven years--from 1939 to 1950.  He was affectionately known as "Pop Sly" by his students and others throughout the community.  Almost everyone wanted to be in Pop Sly's band--and a very high percentage of those enrolled at the two schools participated.  Georganna McCleerey and Charles Spray (AKA Jeep Hack) were among Pop's many admirers. 
Marching Band in Victor, 1946
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Everyone enjoyed this event featuring Pop Sly's Marching Band in Victor. Many of the young boys watching from the sidewalk in front of the Victor City Hall are dressed in suits and ties, so this must have been a special occasion? In the background, notice the old cars parked along Victor Avenue and the crowd gathered by the Victor Hotel. Photo from 1946 shared by Georganna McCleerey Peiffer and Charles Spray (AKA Jeep Hack).
     The photo above shows the combined Cripple Creek & Victor Marching band paused in front of the Victor City Hall in 1946.  The Band Director, “Pop Sly”, stands at front left in a dark uniform with a white belt and hatband (partially obscured by the tall white hat of the center majorette).  Photo shared by Georganna McCleerey Peiffer and Charles Spray (AKA Jeep Hack).
 
     Others identified in photo include: 
  • Georganna McCleerey--little girl in white dress behind Pop Sly's right shoulder.
  • Bob Akin--boy behind Georganna with white navy cap.
  • Cleon Spray--majorette far left, white blouse, dark skirt. 
  • Shirley Wicks--head majorette, center, white outfit and hat.
  • Charles Spray (AKA Jeep Hack)--boy standing in crowd, left center, dark suit & tie, being pointed at by tip of center majorette's baton. 
  • Georgia Pospahalla--little girl in pigtails behind Jeep.
  • Bob Beach--boy standing in crowd to left of Jeep, white shirt & dark tie.  
  • Jack Markley--tuba player, front far right.
  • Mary Lou Olson--behind Jack.
  • Patsy Flannagan--tuba player next to Pop Sly.
  • Willie Cox--shorter trombone player, behind taller trombone player in front center.​  
Picture
Georganna McCleerey in band uniform, circa 1949-50. Photo from Georganna McCleerey Peiffer.
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The Band Uniform Jacket worn by Georganna McCleerey has been donated to the Cripple Creek District Museum. Photo from Georganna McCleerey Peiffer.

​Concert Band Performing at the Union Printers Home in Colorado Springs, 1947
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Cripple Creek & Victor Concert Band Performing at the Union Printers Home, 1947. Director Ernest T. Sly, far right at back.
     Bands directed by Pop Sly gained prominence in the Region for their performances.  The photo above shows the combined Cripple Creek & Victor band in 1947 playing a concert for the lyceum program at the Union Printers Home “where many compliments were heard”.   [Digital clipping of photo from 1947 Gold Rush Newspaper shared by Steve Plutt.]
 
     Band personnel listed in the newspaper caption accompanying the 1947 photo above include:  ​oboe, Bill McMilan; solo clarinet, Betty Jo Ronning, Barbara Sharpe, Robert Chambers, Margaret Knopp; second clarinet, Pauline Johnson, Elsie Davidson; third clarinet, Charles Porter, Beverly Ward, Evalyn Crooke, Fritzye Riley; E-flat saxophone, Elenor Stanke, Shirley Wicks, Virginia Bebee; saxophone, Georgia Pospahalla; solo cornet, Ardelle Chambers; first cornet, Eric Nelson, Don Irvine; French horn, Jean Salsbury; second horn, Sara Fletcher, bass horn, Shirley Ross, Izana Hynes; trombones, Bill Cox, Bob Godfrey; second trombone, Betty Flanagan, Carol Chapman; bar saxophone, Jimmie Dee Rogers; sousaphone, Jack Markley, Norma Parrill; bells, Betty Koleberg; snare drums, Charlotte Rolofson, Donna Pierce, Barbra Fleetwood; bass drum, Sue Kolb; cymbal, Elsie Harshbarger; drum major, Medville Banks; twirlers, Patty Banks,  Shirley Wicks, Donna Pierce, Cleon Spray.  
Picture
Original caption from digital clipping of 1947 Gold Rush Newspaper photo (above) shared by Steve Plutt. Click to enlarge.

​​Memories of Pop Sly—Director of Bands in Victor & Cripple Creek, 1939-1950

[Based in part on excerpts from June 26, 1950 Gold Rush Newspaper article shared by Georganna McCleerey Peiffer]
    Ernest Theodore Sly was born January 23, 1886 in Birmingham, England, and spent his youth there.  He and Lucy Berry were married there, and one daughter, Mabel, was also born in England.  In 1912 they came to Canada and in 1914 to the United States.  Mr. Sly directed bands in many cities in South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, and Colorado, and in 1950 celebrated his fiftieth year in band work.
 
     It was through the influence of John Phillip Sousa, whom he met in England, that he decided to make music his career.  Sousa lifted him up on a box when he was a small boy and let him direct his band, afterward telling him he thought he showed great promise.
 
     For nearly eleven years Pop Sly was the band leader and music director in the Cripple Creek and Victor schools, coming from Durango in 1939.  In this time he won the devotion of his pupils and the community alike, and made the Cripple Creek~Victor District Band one of the outstanding organizations in the state.  It became a matter of course for his group to win a “superior” rating at the annual music festival in Pueblo.
 
     Besides giving his students a thorough groundwork in music, he imbued them with the life and pep with which he always led them, and gave them the example of a fine Christian gentleman.  The picture of Pop stepping out at the head of his band, full of youth and enthusiasm, will always remain with those who knew him. 
Picture
Photo from June 26, 1950 Rold Rush Newspaper article (published after Pop Sly died) shared by Georganna McCleerey Peiffer.
     Years later, former student Charles “Sonny” Clark wrote a brief tribute to “Ernest T. Sly, The Band Man” [click link].  Clark recalled how Pop’s enthusiasm and talent enabled him to transform a ragtag group of students (who initially didn’t know which end of a horn to blow in) into proficient musicians.
​     Former student Georganna McCleerey Peiffer attributed part of this success to Pop Sly getting kids started early playing “Tonettes”.   As shown in the photo, the Tonette is a small (6 inch), end-blown flute made of plastic, which was once popular in American elementary music education. 

     Designed as a pre-band instrument, the Tonette was nearly unbreakable, chromatic, and tunable.  It was easy to blow and the fingering was simple.  By 1941 over half of the grammar schools in the United States had adopted the Tonette as standard pre-band equipment.
Picture
Tonette musical instrument employed in music classes to get younger students started and interested in band.
     Ernest T. Sly was a member of the Cripple Creek Elks and the Sylvanite club.  He was a 32nd degree Mason, a member of the Consistory and the Shrine.  His home lodge was in Yankton, S.D.  During the last year of his life, Mr. Sly was president of the Colorado Music Educators’ association, and very active in the association’s program.

     The newspaper article published at the time his death (in June 1950) reported that Mr. Sly was survived by his wife, Lucy; two daughters, Mrs. Clyde Roberson of Lance Creek, Wyo, and Mrs. Ival Larmer of Chicago, Ill; a son, Fred Sly, of Rifle; two brothers, Percy and Tom Sly of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; a sister in England; and three grandchildren.

​"Memorabilia From Cripple Creek &Victor High School Bands Directed by Ernest T. Sly" contributed (April, 2020) by Georganna McCleerey Peiffer and Charles Spray (AKA Jeep Hack) ©.
​
POST-SCRIPT -- Enter the VICTOR TOMMYKNOCKERS Gold Rush Days Marching Band.
      When a band from the Cripple Creek & Victor High School was no longer available to perform in the annual Gold Rush Days Parades, the VICTOR TOMMYKNOCKERS organized an ad-hoc band of marching musicians to participate in the celebration.  The VICTOR TOMMYKNOCKERS  are a volunteer group of part-time residents established to "Support & Enhance Victor Projects and Spirit".  For many years the TOMMYKNOCKERS organized Gold Rush Days garage sales and donated all proceeds to support the Victor Volunteer Fire Department.
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The VOLUNTEER VICTOR TOMMYKNOCKERS BAND has offered much appreciated "Marching Musical Entertainment" for annual Gold Rush Days Parades. Their "Youthful Exuberance and Homemade Costumes" more than compensate for their small (but mighty) numbers. Notice their "ears" and the "tin can headlamps" mounted on their hardhats. Band organizer Rich Ray, third from left. Photo shared by Maxine & Bob Marchese, fifth & sixth from left.
​ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTORS:
     Georganna McCleerey grew up in Victor, Colorado.  She fondly remembers that time and place, as well as cherished childhood friends.  Georganna is married to Bud Peiffer.  After retiring, Bud and Georganna (McCleerey) Peiffer reconnected with their roots in the Mining District and now live in Cripple Creek.  Georganna has scrapbooks with an extensive collection of photos and memorabilia which she has generously shared in several stories contributed by others to the Oral History Pages of the Victor Heritage Society Web Site.  Thank you Georganna!
     Charles Spray and Georganna were school mates in Victor.  To learn why Charles was also known as Jeep Hack, check his story titled "Recollections of Life in Victor".   He also shared these companion stories:  "Memories of Washington Elementary School", "Adventures at the Beaver Valley Ranch", "Memories of Ina & Henry Cleveland Hack", "Lighter Side of a Visit to Hack's Victor Barbershop", "Memories of Margaret & Henry C. 'June' Hack, Jr", "A Day in the Cresson Mine", "Firewood For Victor, Colorado", "Sports in Victor & Memories of the 1949 Pikes Peak Junior High School Basketball Tournament", Winters in Victor, Colorado during the 1940's & early 50's,   and Tragedies When I Was Growing Up In Victor, Colorado in the 1940's & 1950's.
Thank you Charles / Jeep!

THE PAST MATTERS.  PASS IT ALONG.
The Next Generation Will Only Inherit What We Choose to Save and Make Accessible.
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Please Share Your Memories and Family Connections to Victor & the World's Greatest Gold Camp by

Contacting Victor Heritage Society, PO Box 424, Victor, CO 80860 or e-mail VictorHeritageSociety@gmail.com.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE MEMORIES AND STORIES OF FAMILY CONNECTIONS TO VICTOR & THE WORLD'S GREATEST GOLD CAMP.
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