Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-24
NO D|SCORD At HOWARD
FACULTY OF UNIVERSITY DENY
PUBLISHED STATEMENT.
Use of Plantation Melodies at
Chapel Services the Alleged
Cause Of Trouble.

recent interview in q morning paper
with an anonymous individual claimed
that there was among the students Of
Howard University a spirit Of rebellion
over the recent singing OF some Of the
plantation melodies at the chapel services.
| 1t was represented that the spirit Of OPP
position was SO great that the students
were on the eve of revolving against the
urgent support Of the president in be-
half of these folk songs of the negro
| race.
| Through the press this has been given
wide currency, and, in the judgment of
the authorities, tends to do the university
positive harm. This has led to the issu-
ing of an official statement of the facts
In the case by the authorities of Howard
University.
In recent weeks, the authorities state,
the male glee club has rendered on sew
eral occasions several Of the folk songs
| or plantation melodies. In the great uni.
versity mass meeting under the auspices
J OF the Bethel Literary and History So
ciety at the Metropolitan Church. on u
street. these melodies given by the glee
club were encored, with much applause.
At two or three recent chapel services.
at the request Of the president. and un-
der the leadership of Prof. Brown, two
OF the choicest of these melodies have
DSCu sung, the great majority or the
students Joining in the singing volun-
| tarily and heartily.
No Formal Protest.
| While a few students have expressed
themselves as doubling the wisdom of
| the general use of these melodies in the
| public services, there has never been
| protest against them nor even an or
ganized request to either the president
| or TO the dean of any department against
their use. The attitude of the student
body over the gross Misrepresentation OF
them as being in a state of ferment or
rebellion Is voiced in the following action
taken on their own motion and unani-
! nsously by the presidents and officers OF
the classes in the several departments on
| the campus last Sunday, Immediately fol-
lowing the publication of the anonymous
| interview claiming to represent them.
This action states the facts as to the
spirit of loyalty In the student body, and
is as follows:
I'm the Sunday issue of washington
morning paper there appeared an article,
Balk at Folk Song.' which was written,
| 1t has been learned, by a student of one
Of the professional departments not in
| accord with the spirit of the student body
| on the campus. The reported interview
| is entirely out Of harmony with both the
spirit and content of several addresses
| of the president of the university on the
SUBJECT OF negro folk song.
Plea for Perpetuation.
| Friday he made a strong plea for the
preservation of the noblest and most
sacred of these melodies: that the best Of
them should be as dear to the race as
were the psalms to the people of Israel,
as they were the expression of the re-
ligious spirit and aspirations Of race
/ tyr 1rpri
slavery. He quoted Dvorak, who said
that In these melodies was found the only
basis for an original school of music in
America, and that he hoped that some
where the choicest of these might be
| brought to their highest expression and,
| under some leader. like Coleridge-Taylor.
might be developed into oratorios and
| symphonies. So far from speaking of
their use for the amusement or enter
| tainment of the people, he has always
dwelt on their sacred associations and
their serious religious meaning.
1.-THE address Friday was received with
| rounds of long and enthusiastic applause.
Never before in Howard University
has there existed better and nobler
spirit OF harmony than now. There is a
than ever before. Since President Thir-
| kield has been here the university has
| taken on a new tone and reputation"
Resolution Adopted.
The faculties of the several departments
on the campus and the student body as
sembled yesterday in the Rankin Me-
mortal Chapel at noon. In behalf Of the
| deans of the several departments Dean
Kelly Miller offered a resolution which
was seconded by members of the faculty
and by a score Of young men all over the
chapel. as officers of the classes of the
College Of Arts and Sciences, the Teach
ers' College, the Commercial College, the
Academy and the School of Theology.
The resolution was as follows:
In view of the misleading reports based
| upon the publication of an individual let
ter in a local paper, the faculty and stu
dent body assembled in the chapel on
Thursday. December %, at noon and
adopted the following resolution:
THAT in all the history of Howard
University there has never been a strong
er sentiment of loyalty for the aims and
ideals of the university, nor greater har-
mony among the entire faculty and stu
dent body"
This was unanimously adopted with en-
thusiasm and hearty applause.