The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-11-13
The Methodist Choir is Sing
ing Institution.
COUNTRY FOLKS UP HEAD
Hal Ayers Speech Pleases the
Darkeys Nightly
he TALKED ON EDUCATION
Ard So Did John Nichols, and Two
Prominent Colored Educators
PEARSON Leak Busy
Man.

Yesterday was Education day at the
Fair given by the colored people at the
Fair grounds, and there were school
teachers. scholars and friends of educa-
ton ON hand to see that it was celebrated
fttingIy. There were prominent educa-
tors OF the race present who made
speeches upon the Importance OF educa-
ton. In addition to such well known
edlored educators as Prof. j. Is. Dudley,
DIR. T. u. Dellinger and Lawyer II. a.
Johnson. educational addresses were also
made by two other distinguished educa-
tors. or friends of education, ex-Congress-
men Nichols and Auditor-elect Hal. W.
Aver. The last speaker was new at
traction at the Fair, not having before
addressed the colored people in their an
nual gatherings. But flanked by Parson
Leak, Jim Young, John Nichols, DR..
Ellis and other old timers, the young
orator stepped forth bravely, and made
speech that made the welkin ring. lie
was warmly congratulated upon the sub
iect matter as well as the eloqent de-
livery, and if he will consent, Parson
Leak will put him on the programme Tor
every succeeding Fair.
The next great feature of the day was
the choir contest, and it was contest not
soon to be forgotten. A prize of twenty
dollars in gold, regular Mckinley yellow
metal (none of your 03-cent doAars) nau
been offered for the choir that would
sing the best. For weeks several cholrs
have been practising, and when the
speaking was over the choir contest be-
gan First they sang the notes, to show
technical culture, and next they sang the
hymns which are used in church. And
it was good singing, too. There was the
touch of the old-time camp meeting IN
some of the tunes though-alas and
aIas!-there was most too much technl~
que to have the flavor of the real "Old
Ship of Zion that moved sinners in the
old times. But the rich, strong voices
sounded melodious to the hearers, and
filed the main building with a delighted
audience. There's no melody like the
religious hymns that your black nanny
used to sing you to sleep by. This sing
ing was more learned than that, but
the culture among these cholrs hasn't
yet taken all the melody out Of the tunes,
tit will bye and bye, to our SORROW ana
the colored men and women yesterday
opened their mouths and sung as the
birds sing with the spirit and the IN
derstanding." They were singing be-
cause they loved to sing, and also be-
cause they wanted that twenty dollars III
gold. 1--WE want the yellow stuff, said
one of the best tenors as he grinned from
ear to ear. There was more than con-
test to see which choir could sing the
ok a ia
rivalry. for be it known the Baptists had
boasted that they were lust goin' to
clean up them Methodists' singers just
like Jim Young cleaned up Loge Harris's
little niger preacher at the last cleo
ton" Jim Young was on hand, the
king-bee of the hive, receiving congratu-
Iltions and putting his money on the
BAPTIST choir, though discreetly the con-
querer wasn't offending the Methodists
by any boasting Parson>Leak, as secre-
tary of the Fair, could not show any
partisan interest, but he was just
.bilin' y over with confidence that the
Baptists had been thinking too much
about politics to out-sing the Methodists
who had been "a-prayin' for victory
and practising the New Jerusalem tunes
nights and Sundays, while the Baptists
were shouting for Jim Young and Dan.
the committee reached the COM
clusion that the Methodists had
put the Baptists out on first base,
and were entitled to the yellow twenty
dollars. There had been another rivalry,
too-between the city and the country.
The city ehoirs had been "norating"
around that the country darkey was
pretty good at corn schueking or
camp-meeting, but when it came to
scientific contest, he simply wasn't in 1t.
The high-hying city folks were destined
TO see their pride take fall, for to the
anazement of the urban songsters the
prize was carried off by the Star of
bethlehem" choir, Methodist choir,
that makes music in a Methodist church
about six miles from Raleigh. This was
one more case where country pluck and
nearness to nature got away with city
bride and dependence in 'culchaw." I
Moral: The country Methodist darkey is
a singer from Singeryille. Don't you
get a nigh him.
When you come to talk about the ex-
hibits-there were pumpkins galore, cot
ton, corn, beans, beats, wheat turnlps as
big as Walter Henry's head, carrots and
everything else grown on the farm, show
ing that the negro farmer has made hay,
sun was shining, and the politician was
looking for votes. / looked in vain for
my old colored friend, j. 9. Barker, one
Of Il. II. Montague's tenants in Houses
Greek township. Last year he had
large exhibit, and was greatly disap-
pointed when he failed to get the first
premium. In talking about it he said:
II got the second premium on cotton,
and ought to have got the first premium
on the general display. But how could
you expect one Baptist darkey to beat
the whole Episcopal church, with Dr.
Lewis flung in"-referring to the fact
that St. Augustine school, controlled by
the Episcopal church, had a big exhibit
If Barker had been on hand this year,
he would have walked off with the
premiums, because he would not have had
r. run up against "the whole Episcopal
church with DIR. Lewis flung in" st.
Augustine had no exhibit.