Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-05-23

| fStS W no HAVE ASSISTED IN ENrERrA1S-
NENrs-Irs VARIOUS LEADERS AND Off
GERS.
Before tho passage of the territorial bill in
1871 Georgetown was n separate and distinct
| municipality. and the people of that burg were
proud 81 their existence aa individual city.
| They had their own institutions, to- which they
chung with great pertinacity. and IL was rarely
| that they would consent To merge a George
town organization into one OF "a similar charac-
ter started In Washington. a notable instance
of their rersis'encv I'm maintaining their own
separate organizations is found In the George
town Masonic choir, to which overtures were
made by the Masonic Choir association Of the
District of Columbia, while IL was at the height
of its success here. to become merged into the
latter organization The Georgetowners, how
ever. politely declined to give up their individ-
ual existence, but permitted any members who
desired personally TO join the Washington asso-
citation TO do
ORIGIN OF THE CHOIR
This Georgetown Masonic choir like the
Masonic choir OF Washington, was started
simply for lodge purposes, In ] S66, and after n
years experience took the name by which IL
has since been known, and began renearsals
under the direction of Mr.. I. A. Newman. In
1869, however. a reorganization was had, a
constitution and bylaws prepar ed and formally
adopted. and the following officers were elected:
Parkhurst; leader, Col Fl. Seligson. and organ
list, H. A. Gross In the constitution the object
of the association was declared to be for
mutual improvement in the pNctice of vocal
music, and for the purpose of assisting I'm the
ceremonies of the lodge and chapter meetings in
the Masonic hall OF Georgetown Those who
were present md participated in this reorgani-
cation, ON the 22d of June. 1859, were; Geo. +.
Wetzerich; L. g. Boggs. J. 81. Ball, A. jackson
Hood, Herman Seigson. /. L. Parkhurst, Harry
A. Gross, F. l.. Barbarin, Is. Nordlinger, John
u. Robinson, and Wolf Nordlinger.
Col. Seligson, the new leader, was a good
at once infused a portion of his own enthusi-
asm into all of his small force. Practice was
commenced with weekly regularity and the at
| tendance was prompt. The Ivanhoe, Amphion
| and Arion collections of male voice music were
the books employed, and rehearsals were con-
tlnued during the whole summer. Although
recruits did not come in very rapidly, yet the
original members reaped the benefit of The con-
slant practice and when the choir gave its first
concert. the excellence of its singing showed
the careful training il had received. This con-
cert was given at Forrest hall and the proceeds
ssl2.50 being realized for this cha ritable pur r..
pose. 1t took place on February p 1870, and
the choir had the assistance of Mrs. L. Droop,
Geo: Felix Benkert and Master Eugene kick-
hoefer Col. Seligson welded the baton and
| members of the choir who participated in this,
FIRST tenors-L. q. Boggs, Il. Nordlinger, Geo.
r: >. Barbarin, w. Nordlinger, Otto Frank.
First basses-F. W. Jones, j. II. Hood, II. A.
Gross, \. ]. Jones. Second basses-E.H. Spang,
w. 3. Orme, Major Weiss, J. d. Robinson. ". r.
bowman and w. z. Dunwoody. An or
chestra, composed of Messrs. Blout, Shutter,
participated in the program. All of these were
at that time members of the orchestra attached
| to the Washington Masonic choir.
now ITS FIRST CONCERT WAS RECEIVED.
tad fax- h.
! sion in the city across the creek that applica-
lions for both active and inactive membership
! began TO be made to the choir in considerable
numbers. With that care and conservatism
| which has ever marked the people of George
| town, the members OF the choir were more con-
ceined as to the quality than the quantity of
their increase, and so. when they gave their
next concert, on December 10Th, 1870, they
sung but twenty voices and had only twenty
two inactive members on their roll. At this
concert the soloiSts were Miss Eva Mills Mr. F.
A: Chase, Mr.. Hubert Schutter and Prof. Carl
Richter.
In January, 1872, Mr.. Hood retired from the
presidency, and Mr.. VIM. B. Orme was elected
he served but one year, and was succeeded by
Mr.. Thos. u. Loockerman, who, after a similar
term OF service, gave way to Mr.. l.. II. Spang.
STEADILY GAINING IN MEMBERSHIP
In the meantime the organization had been
slowly but steadily growing; its stock of musi-
cal literature had increased, that the office of
librarian became necessary and Mr.. b. F.
Grimes was first elected TO that position, and he
was succeeded by Mr.. c. Frank Shekell The
choir continued to give rehearsais and
concerts, always with marked success both
musically and financially, and its roll of MEM
bership, both active and inactive, had mate
as president. Mr.. Shekeil was made secretary
and DIR. G. +. A. kleinschmidt assistant
leader In September 1874, Col. Seligson, who
had been the leader of the choir for five years,
was obliged to sever his connection on account
| of leaving the city, and DIR. Kletnschmidt as
summed the cOnductorship until February Sth
1879 when
MIR. II. AUG. POND WAS ELECTED LEADER.
Mr.. Pond, on assuming his Duties found q
weli-trained body of men ready at his hand,
| and he at once commenced series of public re-
hearsals, to be given once a month"; compli-
| mentary to the inactive members. These be-
| came quite popular, and were always largely
attended, and as the programs were carefully
prepared, SO as TO bring out the best effects of
the choir, and as at each rehearsal the choir
had the assistance of some of the most skilful
soloists, both vocal and instrumental, in the
District, it may well be imagined that the stock
OF the choir was at a good altitude. Matters
moved along smoothly Tor three years when, in
January, 1873, Mr.. Z. s. Holmes was elected
the leader OF the choir. Mr.. Holmes had been
the director OF the Washington Masonic choir,
and had brought that association to a high de-
gree of vocal perfection and when he as
sumed the baton of the Georgetown choir he
perience he had gained in Washington This
was immediately felt by the members, who
seemed TO take new Interest in their practice
ana to show desire to do even better work
than formerly. A change in the OrganiSt had
also been made, MIR. Gross retiring, and Mr.
Waldo TaStett being elected his successor.
THE PUBLIC REHEARSALIS WERE CONTINUED
and concerts Were given for the choir's own
benefit, which Were literally patronized. Mr.
Holmes continued as leader until January i SS2
when he resigned and Mr.. Z. Holer assumed
control. 1t was during Mr.. Holmes director
ship that the Georgetown Masonic choir made
its only appearance in Washington as an Or
ganiZ.tion, singing in the Congregational church
December 10, 1873, in response to an earnest
request from the trustees and pastor. During
his term, also, there was an attempt to form a
female chorus TO assist the choir when il was
desirable to render music for mixed voices
rehearsal given at the Curtis school building on
February j, 1881, when the united voices sang
the grand lnflamatus chorus from Iossini's
glorious composition OF the "Stabat Mater"
The ladies who participated were Mesdames
Geo. ". Ross, W. A. Torrey, L. z. Tyndae, G. j.
Wetzei, c. E. Carpenter, w. H. Myers, w. E.
Abbott, Misses Minnie Doane, II. c. Cutheio,
Ada and Cora Ober, l.. G. Hodgson Sophie Ely,
Sadie {. Holmes and Elsie Littiefeld.
MIR. JOHN p. soUsA TAKES THE BATON.
Mr.. Holers term as leader only lasted about
ten months, and during the balance of the year
Mr.. w. T. Abbott welded the baton being re-
leved on June LIST, 1883, by the election of Mr.
John Philip Sousa as director. Under his lead
ership the choir seemed to acquire new life, and
in the public appearances that they did make,
sang with finish and intelligence SURPRISING
any OF their former efforts. But Mr.. Sousa
i6und that his other engagements were SO press
Ing that he could not devote to the choir the
time and attention that was really due them ard
4 nd Mr. Isaely