A TRUE GUILD At the closing banquet of the Seminar I was seated beside the speaker, Dr. Elton Trueblood. I was trying to brief him a bit about the Guild and its activities. When I explained that we had no denominational or organizational backing; that we were all children's choir directors who had banded together to help each other, he suddenly turned to me and said, "You are, then, a true Guild!" This prompted me to do some reading about the early Guilds. What were they? Why were they formed? The Encyclopedia Ilrittanica says: "Medieval Guilds were voluntary associations formed for the mutual aid and protection of their members. Among the Guilds-men there was a strong spirit of fraternal co- operation and Christian Brotherhood with a mixture of worldly and religious ideals." We are, then, a true Guild! a voluntary association helping one another in our craft as directors and in brotherly affection as Christians. What a grand thought this is! As we plan our work and set our ideals high, we know that the members are standing with us and doing the same things. The 2150 members of the choristers Guild in 196364 live in every state in the Union, and in 12 other countries. They work in small churches and in large churches in twenty or more denominations. They direct an estimated 200,000 children a week. They strive to enrich the lives of the children through contact with God's message and music. Truly a noble purpose for a Guild. In this Guild year, 196465, let us find newer and better ways to help one another as we broaden the scope and influence of our "True Guild". iLEtiLtiL CHORISTERS GUILD LETTERS Volume XVI 1964-65 September Number 1 Federal Lee Whittlesey, Editor Helen Kemp, Norma Lowder, Nancy Poore Tufts, Associate Editors Sally Lane, Christine Kallstrom, Contributing Editors THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Dr. Nita Akin, President Mr. Arthur B. Clemens Mr. A. Leslie Jacobs Wichita Falls, Texas Santa Barbara, Calif. Santa Barbara, Calif. Mr. A. Leonard Lilyers, Vice-Pres. Mrs. Lauretta Cotton Mrs. Earle (Norma) Lowder Philadelphia, Pa. Milwaukee, Wisconsin Bellaire, Texas Dr. Roberta Bitgood Miss Louise Durham Mr. Harvey J. Mays Bay City, Michigan Memphis, Tennessee Memphis, Tennessee Mrs. Haskell (Mabel) Boyter Mrs. T. J. (Madeline) Ingram Atlanta, Georgia Lynchburg, Virginia The Choristers Guild Letters are published for its members by the CHORISTERS GUILD Ruth Krehbiel Jacobs, Founder 440 Northlake Center. Dallas. Texas 75238 COPYRIGHT © 1964 CHORISTERS GUILD —1— MUSINGS, MEDITATIONS AND MUMBLINGS Before we plunge into the new Guild year and the new choir year, let us take a few sentences to reflect. What a fine summer it has been! The Seminar, with its opportunities to meet more of the Guild members; the letters from you, which have mirrored your keen interest in your work; the chance to relax a bit, all have contributed to a pleasant summer. We are thankful for this and we are ready for the increased activity ahead. On September 1, I will be one year old as your Executive Director. I have learned much this year about small business operations, about human nature, about the real need for the Guild. I trust that what I have learned will be evidenced in better service to you and fewer errors. The 1963-64 season ends with 2156 members. The approach to the new Guild year is bringing memberships every day. We trust that all of last season's members will renew and that we can go on from there. What goal should we set for '64-65? How about 3,000? We can do it if you help by promotion among your director-friends. The Guild has values for every director of children's choirs. If you believe this statement, introduce the Guild to a director-friend; he will always be grateful. The reverse side of the membership renewal sheet in the June LETTERS has been used by many of you for suggestions, questions, names of prospects and various "words of wisdom" and encouragement. Thank you for all of them. I would like to share some of them with you: "It seems that each time the LETTERS arrives I sit down with a list of books that I would like to pur- chase. Now when people ask what I would like for Christmas, birthday, etc., I have a list ready for them! Many times they give me the money and ask me to order a book for myself! I am accumulating quite a library, which I lend to friends, also." B.A.A. Mass. , 1 4 4 "I waste hours digging through old Guild LETTERS for some suggestion I remember seeing two or three years back. My attempts at indexing and cross-referencing have not been successful. If someone finds a good method for this, I would certainly appreciate it." W.H.V. Texas (So would we — please send it in). 4 4 4 4 4 4 "440 Northlake Center -- Was the new address picked out on purpose or did it so happen to be? W.R. G. Pa. ('Twas an accident — not accidental — but we are trying to stay right on pitch. This makes an easy way to remember the Headquarters number.) , 4 4 4 4 4 "My problem is (mostly) that I never get around to doing what I have planned to do at rehearsal time. Is there a set rehearsal plan that has worked for someone else that could be passed on?" M.P. Michigan 4 1 4 "The Seminar was wonderful and it was a real thrill to be there and to meet so many wonderful people. Since I serve a very small church I am always anxious for help in that area — but I realize those of us serving in these places may be in the minority." (No, Mrs. M. of Ind. You are in the majority!) , 4 4 4 4 "Please can't we have a Junior Choir Festival in Philadelphia soon, also a workshop even if only 1 day." Mrs. R. W., Pa. (Surely you can! Call the children's choir directors together and talk it up. The Guild will help you, if you wish.) 4 1 1 4 4 4 "I would appreciate an article concerning behavior problems during a choir rehearsal. I have 40 very, very active children. Would appreciate knowing what other directors do with this type of problem." F.A.W., New Jersey (flow one director solved some of his problems will be found on page 16.) 4 I , , "Are there reprints available of Shirley Brown's setting for Dr. Elton Trueblood's 'Ten Commandments'? This is terrific. If copies are not available may I have permission to copy it?" Mrs. H. H., Kansas. (We have about 200 copies for sale at 10¢ each — or you may reproduce it with the permission and bless- ing of the composer and publisher.) (Continued on Page 18) —2— RAINBOW COLORS A report on the Indianapolis Seminar — by Ida Mae Miller, Writer, QUAKER LIFE "How do you hold a moon-beam in your hands?" sings the Mother Abbess in "The Sound of Music", as she recognizes the young Maria to be a most unusual postulant. "How do you catch the spirit and inspiration of our 1964 Choristers Guild Seminar in black ink on white paper?" echoes a first-year Guild member who was assigned to write a summary for the Guild Letter, for she too recognizes the Seminar as no ordinary experience in her life. Both the Guild and Maria are young and spirited, delightful and dedicated, talented and timeless. Both are committed to the noble cause of nourishing children's lives through music that they may know and love God and serve Him worthily. The Choristers Guild Seminar was held June 15-19 in Indianapolis on the campus of Indiana Central College and in the neighboring University Heights Evangelical United Brethren Church. One hundred and eighty-nine registrants came from thirty-three states — an attendance surpassing any previous Seminar's numbers. To each attender the Seminar showed many facets. Each reflected its own rainbow hue. My eye caught these colors in the spectrum. Would you like to look at them with me? INDIGO Nita Akin, our beloved Guild president, welcomed us in words that were poetic and heartfelt. In her afternoon class concerned with Accompanying Children's Choirs, she stressed the nec- essity for an underlying musical discipline so that we may worthily offer our best talent to our God. We recognized her mastery of the organ and became aware of her deep humility and personal dedication to God's will in her life. BLUE Helen Kemp was refreshing, delightful, and resourceful with her primary and junior demonstration choirs daily. We glimpsed her personal interest in each child, her sure technique with the child voice, and her uncanny ability to inspire the children to sing with the spirit and the understanding. Infinite variety of presentation is one of her trademarks. GREEN John Kemp used a warm direct approach in working with his junior high demonstration choir. He established rapport with the group through his genuine interest in their problems; they responded by cooperating well when he asked to use their voices to demonstrate various points. Their interest was maintained by the sparkle in his eyes and his ability to laugh with them. One evening he showed us the Kemp's Windmill pictures of the family's year spent in Holland — and all of us chilled with them in Europe's coldest winter, thrilled with the beauties of the country, and filled with the joy of their music via tape.