Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-10-23
CITY AND DISTRICT
WHITE ROBBED CHOIRS.
Boy Singers In the Episcopal Churches
Of Washington.

Boy Singers In the Episcopal Churches
Of Washington.
This 10 the season OF the year when choir
masters get tneiy music ready, I'LL up their
choirs and make arrangements tor tue winter
campaign. As usual there Is quite demand
for good voices of all kinds, but the demand for
boys voices Is largely on the increase owing TO
the growing popularity OF boy choirs-
A STAB reporter setting out 10 obtain matter
OF Interest In regard to This feature te church
music of Wsshinyto ton found MIR. GeiIe e, precen tor
OF the church OF the Incarnation, corner vi eth
and streets, hard al WORK among his boys.
He is "a Tail. muscular young Englishrnan, brim
full OF energy, yet possessing infinite patience.
"How are your choir arrangements progress
Ing Mr.. Geare?'' asked The STAR man.
pretty we'll, he reJlied with a SMILE
my boys ALI have good voices. and seem
DESTROYS TO do their best. This is their
rehearsal Later on in the Week / have "A
full rehearsal. when my bassi ana tenori turn
out The Indications point To our having ii
Very successful year w hat mean by that is to
be able 10 produce good church-like music in
fairly good styIe. My choir Is not quite as full
ash should like. I have still room Tor al least
one on each of the four parts. But even as il is
We can manage Very WELL You see We are not
able TO pay salaries, aud the only return we can
give singers Tor their time is the experience
and practice which they obtain by singing good
music. Accordingly We take up a great deal OF
new music and thus escape from the endless
repetition of the same anthems and the same
hymns WHICH Is the rule In SO many chors
win which have been connected. II involves
an immense amount OF hard work OIL my part
but Father like that, and with "a sweep OF his
baton, aud a "Now Boysr' Mr (ieare started
his choir ana organ of on Sir Arthur sulllvan's
lie Deum, and THE STAR man CROPPED his way
through the dark church out Into the street 10
The sweet music OF the childish voices.
boy chOirs are without q dout becoming
rapidly more popular IN Washin. ton," said a
ohoirs
"a few years ago, within the recollection of
almost everyone, there was not one in town.
this did not last long. believe 81. Pauis was
the ne II TO try the experiment., aud under the
able direction Of DIR. Frankliu TINS cnoir has
gone on 10 the present time. Ii is now a per-
manent thing. The Incarnation and St JOHNS
next tried IL with great success; the eonsrega-
tsched u the new STYLE as il is sometimes
called, although in reality almost As Old as
Christianity ITSELF In addition 10 the churches
already nAmeo, the Church of the Holy Cross,
81 James, and 81 Lukes tthe colored Episco-
pal church) have each their white-rooed 10y
choir. besioes these, tine cuoir master OF Christ
Church, Georgetown Dr. Barbariue is Engaged
In training u choir OF Toys and men TO Sing in
the new church when II Is flushed about Tue
latter part oI this month. II IL not yet definitely
eesited whethe tue choir Is 10 be clad III the
black ca>sock anu White Gotta wnicn are worn
by boy enoirs Dotn In this country aud England,
or whether tney Will sing In oruinaiy street
costumes. st. johns, Georsetown, is also train
Ing q eoy choir under the leadership OF Dir.
john T. farker, formerly preccnlOr at the In
carnatiOn. 1uus you see,' concluded the re-
portsr's informant, "a majority of The Episcopal
Churches IN the city have erected in favor vi lue
boy choir"
Que OF the principal difficulties in maintain
ing gooo BOY choir as III maintaining mixed
choAr, is The scarcity OF guod voices. young
men with voice., complains precen-
Tor, whether they have any experience or NOT,
imagine that they ought ~ paid from the
very start, never taking into account the valu-
able training they receive from shining the
music vi hay din, Handel, MenueIssohn, smart,
stainer And Sullivan. Of course there suoulu
ltlr nj L
must say Washington is behind other cities of
Its size In recognizing the Tact that sing
ers give up much time ~ practice, come ~
chuich more Regularly than the coug re,atlon,
and exercise their lungs aud brains CONSTANTLY
In the service Of The c,.urcn.'
The weaIthier churches nave paid singers for
the tenor anu bass Less difficulty is found In
Obtaining boys Tor the cnoirs, although in that
case, too, Tue difhcuity OF convincing parents
as ~ tn. advantages 10 he gained w placing
their Children, provided they pussess VOICES in
church choir, anu the reluctance Oh many, not
members oi the Episcopal church, 10 allow
their children 10 sing the 'soIeiIn psalms aud
silver thames and wear the wnile garments
customary while singing form stunoling blocks
In the psth of the enthusiastic cnoir master.
what the Appropriations Were and
Were Rot Intended For.
To the Editor Of Tax EVENING STAR:
Col. Ludiow's explanation to your reporter.
Published In this evenings STAR, seems
TO be o little faulty. The appropriations
for the county TOR the present fiscal year
provides for "current work on county
roads and suburban streets, forty thousand
dollars; for opening aud extending suburban
streets. thirty thousand dollars The colonel
quotes IT .streets and avenues" and says. ..we
have used that money, and propose 10 use it, in
q Jooieious manner. Judieious is hardly the
word. II WAS not intended that this money
shouid be expended Oh the extension Oh ave-
nues, nor on the streets included in tine general
bill, because both Houses, IN their proper com.
mittees, are now considering the question OF
the extension OF the avenues and sIcn Streets
but IL was for opening streets already dedicated
aud the nrst clause of the quoted appropriation
was tor the repair OF such streets and the
county roads. Will the colonel please explain
under which of the clauses of the couu, v a,e
preparation ne Is now opening and extending
the Nourse road; aud since he banks So much
on the word extension, let him say what il is
II IL - y ruad onIy-wh-re, in the law quoted
does be get authority for opening u county
ROAD? de may open street, aud il is no.
necessary that IL sill all be extension of q
street already in use, but he Cannot open a
country road UT extend one. And while he is In
that locality let him explain under what APP
propriation be Is building the bridge over
The appropriation relative To bridges in lne
law for ihis year reads, after Specifying few
Items, land Ior repairing aud maintaining
bridges under the CONTROL vi said Commission
en-, iuciu1ing Benuings aud AnacostIa
bridges, xlU,UOO." Now, the building Of this
bridge cut Of tais appropriation cauuot prop
erty be Called Judicious. II would he better de-
somebody Regardless oi the Tights vi the tax
payers vi This county.
October n. FAIRP PLAY