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Show American Circus Is 100 Years Old The great circuses of America are on tour again, just as they have done for more than 100 years. And again they include equestrian exhibitions, gymnastic and acrobatic acro-batic performances, with variety added by the quips and fooling of the clown. The modern circus dates from the close of the 18th century. Traveling circuses were heard of before 1830 in both England and America, and after 1850 assumed great dimensions. dimen-sions. Among the earlier ones were Hengler's, Sanger's, and Barnum and Bailey's. Col. William F. Cody 1 (Buffalo Bill) and his Wild West show traveled all over the world and gave performances before the crowned heads of Europe. Now a Big Business. The construction of permanent circuses known as coliseums and hippodromes has given new life to the circus, furnishes a variant on the itinerant show of enormous dimensions which moves about the country on special railway trains. Barnum and Bailey's circus Is still in existence, and along with Barnes Bros., Beatty's, and others, continues the grand tour every summer. The 1946 season is expected expect-ed to be one of the biggest in history, his-tory, since most circuses were unable un-able to travel during the war years. Wild animals, most of them trained to perform for the crowds, continue to be the foundation of most circuses. |