A TEACHER'S PRAYER Lord, I thank Thee for the chance to work at a task that makes the hours so full. Let me use those hours to guide the precious lives entrusted to my care in ways of good- ness. Help me to be calm in the face of disturbance, kind to all regardless of circumstance, tolerant when under- standing is lacking, and faithful in duties great and small. I pray for the strength of mind and body to do what is expected of me without losing my willing spirit. For- give the mistakes I made this day, and give me wisdom to correct them. In the name of the Great Teacher, I pray. Amen. --Frances H Butler MY CODE I have to live with myself, and so I want to be fit for myself to know. I want to be able, as days go by, Always to look myself straight, in the eye. I don't want to stand, with the setting sun, And hate myself for the things I've done. I want to go out with my head erect; I want to deserve all men's respect: But here in the struggle for fame and pelf, I want to he able to like myself. I don't want to look at myself and know That I'm bluster and bluff and empty show. I never can fool myself, and so Whatever happens, I want to be Self-respecting and conscience free. Author unknown. CHORISTERS' GUILD LETTERS Volume XII 1960-61 September Number 1 Ruth Krehbiel Jacobs, Founder A. L. Jacobs, Editor - Norma Lowder, Associate Editor Published By The CHORISTERS GUILD Box 211 Santa Barbara, California Copyright (C) 1960 Choristers Guild 1. Dear Guilders: It is with a deep sense of obligation to the Guild, a compelling loyalty to Ruth's memory and the ideals she aspired to, and a humbling sense of inadequacy that I undertake the leadership of the Guild. I cannot take Ruth's place; that would be impossible. Hers was a personality and even a geniu8 which come into the world infrequently. Oliver Wager of Fall River, Massachusetts, succinctly put it in a recent letter--"The Letters will have to change in some way. They bear too much the stamp of a personality to continue without change. But they will grow, just as the need for them is growing." My chief task at first will be the editing and writing of the Choristers Guild Letters. I shall-call upon numerous leaders to share their technics, plans and ex- periences. Mrs. Earle (Norma) Lowder of Houston, Texas, I am happy to announce,has agreed to become Associate Editor. Nancy Poore Tufts will continue her page, Tint- inambulations, on Hand Bells. Vivian Blum and Helen Kemp are still others whose writings will appear in the Letters. I plan to do some traveling to weld together even more closely, our far flung membership, to assist members in their work and to help communities to organize Childrens Choir Festivals, etc. etc. Furthermore, I shall be happy to accept a lim- ited number of engagements to conduct festivals and seminars. My many years of ex- perience as an active church musician in large churches and of course, my intimate association with Ruth and her ideals, are at your disposal. The Choristers Guild is firmly rooted and will be able to continue its growth despite a temporary set-back, The Childrens Choir movement in this country is only in its infancy; the need for the Guild is great. The 1959-60 membership of 1852 represents a fraction only of the childrens choir directors who should be reached. The influence of the Guild will be extended primarily by you and others with mis- sionary zeal to help boys and girls through music. You and the church have in music a powerful tool with which to help teach Christian character and attitudes to boys and girls. You are called to greatness in your work. I earnestly pray that with God's help I can muster the skill and courage to carry on and forward, not only successfully and with integrity, but with honor to God. I pray your spirit of love, consideration and cooperation, and earnestly en-, treat your prayers, not only for me, but for the consecrated work you and I have the privilege to share. 88SH8H8H8H8888H8888S8H88888H888H8888SH8H8HHHHHH888888H8H888:4888HH8H8888H8HHH88HSHC Recently I heard an address, frightening in its implications, by Dr. Nicholas Nyaradi, former Minister of Finance of Hungary, now an American citizen, who was forced to flee from the wrath of the present Communist government of Hungary. He is now director of international studies of Bardley University, a school which helps train our future diplomats. The basic thesis of his talk concerned our ap- palling indifference to, apathy, and ignorance of the Communist menace. He spoke at length on the students riots during last May in San Francisco. He did not blame the young people; these were merely easily lead dupes. He did however scathingly blame us, the older generation and our educational leadership, for permitting these youngsters to grow and develop without instilling into them very positive values of God and country. He called all his hearers to a crusade to wake up and realize that "It Can Hap pen" here as it did in Hungary and elsewhere. He emphatically did not wish to start a campaign of hate, but one of love for our own liberties, our way of life and religious freedom. Dr. Nyaradi took severely to task much of our re- ligious preaching and teaching which emphasizes the life hereafter and gives little guidance in how to live to the fullest, this present life. The meanings of his speech for childrens choir directors is almost overwhelming. We have in our hands the use of a powerful tool--Music; we also have in our hands at certain times,boys and girls whose destiny we can help shape and determine. Our task, our duty our privilege demands sincerity, dedication, consecration--these, yes, but they are not enough. It takes also knowledge and hard work and, above all--LOVE. The Choristers Guild will attempt to help you in the area of knowledge and will con- stantly stress the others. Let us go into this new season of 1960-61 with the fervor necessary to our high calling as teacher of children. 2. INTRODUCING N 0 R IA A With the approval of the Board of Directors, meeting in Memphis, Tennessee, July 8, 1960, Mrs. Earle (Norma) Lowder has been appointed Associate Editor of the Choristers Guild Letters. She has accepted with these words--"I accept with plea- sure the Associate Editorship of the Choristers Guild Letters. The subject of sal- ary we can drop right now, for I do not want one. I am a sentimentalist from start to finish, and if you want to do something, maybe you could give me something that was Ruth's." Norma is associated with her husband in the music ministry of the Bellaire (a suburb of Houston, Texas) Methodist Church. She has direct charge of the Childrens Choirs, and teaches music in addition, in the Bellaire Public Schools in which she makes a specialty of Bell Choirs. She and Earle have been immensely successful in their church. Earle's Hi-School Choir always numbers over one hundred. Norma car- ried off with flying colors, a difficult assignment in the recent Choristers Guild Seminar in Appleton, Wisconsin. Norma's assignment as Associate Editor is not completely clarified. A pattern will quickly develop, and you will like her growing number of contributions. You may freely write her Mrs. Earle Lowder, 4417 Bellaire Blvd., or Box 266, Bellaire, Texas. You will always receive a gracious and intelligent answer. ESPECIALLY FOR NEW MEMBL,RS b u t Old Members may peek Have you seen a copy of the Choristers Little Hymnal? It contains 44 hymns, 14 short anthems and service music, all with accompaniments, and 17 rounds. These lat- ter are the simplest, best and easiest way to start your development of part sing- ing. The Hymnal is small enough, only 6 3/4 by 32 inches, for children to handle easily, and cheap enough for every youngster to have one. Its use will help boys and girls to graduate easily to the use of your regular denominational Hymnal. No hymns or music will need to be relearned. The Choristers Little Hymnal sells for 500 for 1 copy; 400 each for 2 to 25 copies; 35cp each for 26 to 200 copies, and 300 each for 200 and more. About 15,000 copies have already been sold since the little book was published a bit more than a year ago. The Guild has available much material for use in the Childrens Choir notebooks-- hymn studies, cartoons, note reading, and inspirational pages. Send for a listing. The suggested merit system of the Choristers Guild for the giving of the Choristers Guild pin is a widely used and excellent means to help you develop your childrens choir and to raise the standards of your boys and girls. The plan may start a youngster in the junior age choir, and take him through his junior-hi years and beyond. The Guild will gladly send you the plan and returnable samples of the various degrees of the pin. Then there is the "Spotted Puppy" card to send to your absentee boys and girls-- 40 of these for one dollar. The Choristers Guild exists to help you. Please feel completely free to write in at any time. If your question cannot be answered, or problem helped by someone in the Guild office, your letter will be turned over to someone in this vast country who can answer, and/or help.