The San Francisco call., 1905-08-27
St. LUKE'S BOY
CHOIR; REV0LTS
When Suspended for Hazing
New Recruit They Try to
Override Church Authority
ARE NOW DISMISSED
New Plans Made for Musical
Features of Service in
Famed House of Worship


ST. Luke's Church, the aristocratic
Episcopal house OF worship on Van
Ness avenue, stands confronted with a
crisis, quite. unilue in character, for
rebellion has arisen among it's choir
boys because they were taken, to task
for hazing. ST. Luke's has for many
years enjoyed the distinction, that Is
now threatened, of possessing the
finest and hest trained choir on tho Pa
cifc Coast, IL not in the whole country
The music at the church has attracted
large numbers and has been the, de-
light CT the whole diocese of Cali
ffornia. The organist, Wallace A. Sa-
bin, is familiar with every phase Of
the cathedral service.
The difficulty began just before the
beginning of the annual vacation about
six weeks ago, when a new boy, Willie
Jones by name, was admitted, to the
choir and joined in the usual rehears-
ais. Now it is rule among boy cheirs
that every new arrival should be
hazed, that is, should be made TO feel
his inferiority and at the same time to
be tortured in every way that boy in
genuity can devise. This task is gen
orally left to the biggest and strong
est.
Willie, being small and weak, was
helpless and when one of the older
boys Knocked him down and kicked
him the little fellow complained. This
was followed by pinsticking and other
equally uncomfortable proceedings un-
til Willie was driven away
OFFENDERS SUSPENDED.
Then the parents of the child COM
planned to the rector and the boys VINO
inflicted the punishment were 5us-
pended, -
Rebellion of all the youngsters In
a11o
hcarsal no boy appeared. Fortunately
ST. Luke's has an auxiliary choir OF
ladies, whose sweet voices were Inn
mediately available. The harmony Of
the services was not disturbed, but
rather enhanced by the substitution,
which. was expected to be but tenn
porary.
Last Sunday 1t was announced that
the boy choir would resume, but an
other difficulty arose. Several Of the
boys who had been singing for num-
ber of years were told to leave. as
their voices had passed the proper sea-
son of usefulness. This was objected
to by the union which demanded the
reinstatement of all the boys who had
been discharged. The organist was
1nexorable and the choir committee of
the church sustained him. There will
be no sweet-voiced boy music at SC.
y
tionally surrender eE9
The leader and most active of the
ho0dIum element ofsthe rebellion is the
boy whose wondrously delightful voice
las charmed thousands. Spofled, by
The fll-judged fattery of emotional
people his. head has been turned and
he has become"a sore trial to the choir
trainer and the terror of the smaller
SPOILED BOY DEFIANT.
Though paid liberal salary and
threatened with expulsion. he was de-
flant and finally was locked out alto
gether All pleadings of his parents
and others for reinstatement are met
with prompt refusal. 1t has been def
nitely determined to have no boy
bosses" in the church even il the mu-
sical feature of st. Luke's has to be
abandoned altogether ,.sf
= The boys, who were paid quite lib
orally, are slowly coming to their
senses. Some of them have pleaded to
be allowed another chance and their
mothers voices have been heard in
loud lament To some of them the
money their offspring earned in the
choir was a considerable help.
For the present it has been deter
mined to rely upon the auxiliary
choir. at least. until 1.-THE new grand
organ now building in England, is In
stalled. When the event. is definitely
fixed the future. status of st. Luke's
music will be settled. The organist
has been given almost unlimited dis
cretion In the matter. and .favors a
large, mixed chorus, with a double
quartet of paid voices.
The church is determined to main
tain a high musical standard and with
an organ as large or even larger than
the great one at Stanford and with It's
present accomplished director, there is
no reason why st, Lukes should not
be as musicafly pre-eminent in the fu-
ture ''as it has been in the past. The
boy choir will be regretted and it's alb
sence deplored, but the small boy must
be taught that he cannot run st.
Luke's. z ,e,s. .-.fs