Through the Years: the History of the Harmon Choral Associates

The HistoryThrough of the George Washington the University Years: Choral Program Please note: An index of pictures begins on page 48 Introduction One Saturday evening in the spring of 1986, Winfield Weitzel stood before a group of dinner guests assembled at the Marvin Center and told of the night The George Washington University Glee Club won first place in the National Intercollegiate Glee Club Contest held at Carnegie Hall. That year was 1930 and, yes, GW surpassed the glee clubs of Yale and Princeton, Columbia and Dartmouth in the competition... a night to remember! The 1930 concert program had never been placed in the University Archives, but Weitzels copy occupied a prominent place in the evenings exhibit of choral memorabilia. The event at which Weitzel was speaking was the March 1986 Harmon Choral Reunion. Drawn by a camaraderie developed in the tradition of choral singing and wishing to honor their leader of more than 40 years, Dr. Robert Howe Harmon, GW choristers traveled long distances to the reunion. There were 239 guests in attendance at the banquet and more than 500 crowded the Dorothy Betts Marvin Theatre later that evening to hear student and alumni voices join together in a rousing Its A Grand Night For Singing. They were celebrating a grand tradition at GW the tradition of choral singing which dates to the turn of the century and has taken the Universitys name to the far corners of the earth. One of those places was the South Pacific, where Traveling Troubadours members Dick Hedges, Steve Andersen, Dave Lum, John Parker, Wade Currier, Dick Randall, Sue Farquharson Law, Joan Haag Osborne and Rosemary Glenn found themselves in 1950. Their photographs of Hawaii, the Philippines and Japan adorned large blue panels crammed with Glee Club and Troubadour memorabilia at the 1986 Reunion. There was also a continous slide show, prepared by John Parker, which featured fur jackets as well as swimsuits, for it covered a good many of the 100,000 plus miles travelled by the group in the 1950s. Trips to Alaska and the Azores, Greenland and Iceland all sponsored by the U.S. Air Force and marshalled by GWs Vincent DeAngelis had expanded the horizons of these talented men and women and provided a unique camaraderie, easily revived in this reunion setting. Dorothy and John Bullough shared a congratulatory telegram they received from the Troubadours on the occasion of their marriage. The chorus was traveling in Greenland during spring break in 1950 and the Bulloughs could not join them because of the wedding. Jan Larkins Ardell packed her suitcase for the 1986 Reunion at her home in California. It contained photographs of her and fellow Troubadours Pat Gillam Calarco, Yvonne Diaz Reitz, Ginny Botek Gates, Vince Metallo, Jeanie Murphy, Browne Greene, John Bruce and Doug Jones, taken for Look Magazine when the singers were appearing at Radio City Music Hall in the summer of 1960. Eleanor DeAngelis, Vincents widow, brought along an Icelandic two-dollar bill autographed by all the Trou- badours on a visit there in 1951. Not to be outdone, the 1980s Troubadours had color photographs from their visits to Portugal and Ireland, and a picture taken with Bob Hope when they appeared with him in a U.S.O. show. Incidentally, the 1950s Troubadours had a similar photograph taken with Bob Hope. One could not belp but feel that a tradition was being carried on. Students and alumni raising their voices in song have long been a part of GWs tradition. Vocalizing most probably was a part of campus activity from the beginning of University life, and men and women from every school including Medicine and Law have participated. In this History of Choral Activities at GW, we will explore that tradition and try to recreate the excitement and gratification that so many student choral groups have experienced while performing for and at GW. 1 Choral Music to 1921: The Early Years It was not until the 1890s that records were kept in- percent for its contributions. The effort was appar- volving The George Washington Universitys choral ently unsuccessful and was abandoned after a few groups. The earliest record of choral activity at GW years. is found in the 1896 yearbook, The Columbiad. There it is reported that the Womens Glee Club performed After several faltering starts, a concerted effort to Selection from the Geisha and Kentucky Babe in establish a choral society, open to both men and the old University Hall. The earliest record of a Mens women, was finally mounted in 1912. The Hatchet Glee Club appears in 1899 with mention of a male argued that there is nothing which will advertise a octet. The group consisted of two first tenors, two college more than a good football team or a good second tenors, two first basses and two second choral society. Witness, for example, the Yale Glee basses, accompanied by Horace F. Ashford. Also Club and similar organizations... We have no foot- in 1899, a womens group called the Columbian Col- ball team but we can have a Glee Club... It should lege Glee Club, directed by Amy Clement Leavitt, is be noted that during this period a Glee Club tradition chronicled. Among the members were Etheldreda was well established among the Ivy League colleges, Lord Norris 99, presi- and plans for an intercol- dent, Blanche Louise legiate competition were Birch 01, Lelanor Wil- being drawn up. By the son Hance 01, and Lola spring of 1914 the first May Evans 02. contest was held beween Harvard, Co- By 1905, the Glee Club lumbia, Dartmouth, and had entered into a coop- the University of Penn- erative arrangement sylvania. This contest with the Washington would become impor- Choral Society, and to- tant for the 1930 GW gether they sang Glee Club. Mendelssohns Oratorio of St. Paul. The director was Dr. Cornelius Rubner. Finally, in 1914, there appeared a leader and organizer who seemed to The Womens Glee Club appears in notices of many have the determination and drive to get a choral so- campus events, including the Senior reception in ciety together and keep it active. His name was Leo 1905 and the Freshman Medical Dance in 1906. A C. Terry and he is credited with persuading men Hatchet review of the period mentions their rendi- who have worked all day to cut laboratory in the tion of The Sweetest Flowers that Blow, by Hawley, evening to run over a few songs with the bunch. He a song which gives great opportunity for expres- also suggested that they break a date with some sion and fine shading. lovely mortal of the opposite gender to help with the harmony. His exhortations were apparently suc- Financing choral activities seemed to be a consis- cessful. The Mens Glee Club of 1914 could boast tent problem throughout this period, and the very that they helped to wipe out the athletic deficit, we existence of choral groups was threatened by the assume by singing for pay. A favorite saying by GW expense of maintaining them. A stock scheme was students of the period was, Keep your eye on the inaugurated in 1907, with members of the Glee Club Glee Club and your ears open. The GW mens being offered 100 shares of stock at $5.00 per share. choral tradition was finally established. Expenses were covered by the capital raised and receipts were deposited to the account. The princi- At the same time, the Girls Glee Club was being pal remaining at the end of the year was returned to reorganized under Marie E. Gatchell. There were the shareholders with the University deducting 20 just seven members and Ruth Ayler was president. 2 They presented concerts at numerous campus and J.L. Mitchell singing the old glee club favorite events, including alumni meetings and reunions, The Village Choir at a University mixer. As an en- chapel exercises, Panhellenic parties and the core they sang former Director Terrys school song. vaudeville show. A song written by Miss Everil In 1916, a classical program was featured. Worrell, a member of the club, was awarded the Sphinx Honor Society prize as the best school song During the 1916-17 academic year, Mrs. O.D. Swett written during the year. took over as director of the Womens Glee Club. They provided the hymns for Monday chapel ser- The baton of the Mens Glee Club was passed in vices, and sang one of the first concerts held out- 1915 to Chemistry professor Otis Dow Swett, who side of the University, at Epiphany Hall. continued to make the club an asset to student life. First reports of a male quartet appear in 1915, with members L.W. Gechell, T. W. Rhods, H.F. Enlows The Roaring Twenties: The Glee Clubs are Firmly Established Although choral activity at GW dates back to the ety for the Preservation and Encouragement of Bar- 1890s, it was not until the 1920s that the Glee Clubs bershop Quartet Singing in America, Inc., and developed into strong and permanent organizations. founder of the local chapter); Charles Birmingham; Performances at Keiths Theater, the Annual Na- and Graham Babe Fly. August King-Smith, known tional Vaudeville Actors Benefit show and the Earle for founding the King-Smith Schools, was the Theater highlighted the next few years, along with a groups director. Benjamin Foster was secretary and midnight benefit show given at Polis Theater. librarian, and Robert William Preston Haynes, a medical student, Colflesh was revived the Mens Glee Club in 1920, and treasurer and served as its president. Well-known as a mu- manager.

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