The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1910-07-14
STORIES OF SONGS We
SING ON The FOURTH.

SbeNS Wv I'LL VVH I'LL
Seventy-eight years ago Mouday
the anthem America" familiar 10
every school child in the United
states and translated into practically
every language in the world, made
its debut in Boston at a Fourth of
July celebration. where II met with
such reception as led TO it's adop-
ton as one OF our national airs Serb
bied on one dismal winter evening on
bit or waste paper by Samuel F..
Smith, a student OF Andover Theolog-
ical Seminary. IL Is only another nroOf
OF Emerson'e theory that "a man does;
his best thing easiest"
A commissioner named Trowbrtdge
had been sent from this country to
Germany to examIpe into their Gus
tom of singing in the schools. and
returning with a number OF German
song books, consigned them TO Lowell
Mason, the wel-kno%u composer. Not
understanding German. Mr. Mason
tuIneo mem over TO young Smith.
with tbs request that he would put
into English such OF them as seemed
suited TO our use. While thus en-
gagged the air God Save the King. "
arranged to one Of them, sang itself
in his mind, and half unconsciously
and almost without effort American
words fitted themselves to the har-
mony. Handing them to Mr., Mason
with the TRANSACTIONS. he thought no
more OF the matter until the follow
ing Fourth Of July. when he was cleo
tTlhed by hearing them sung amid a
storm OF enthusiastic applause
OF this anthem and its author OIL
yer Wendell Holmes Smiths class
mate, says in his poem entitled Our
Boys'':
And there's nice youngster Of ex-
Fate tried to conceal him by calling
him Smith,
But he shouted a sOng TO the bravo
and the free,
Just read on his medal. Ny Country
of Thee"
While all Of what are called our na-
tional airs are only a union Of native
words with foreign tunes. Hall CO.
lumbia" ts more nearly American
than any of the other three. II is. In
deed, OF foreign parentage. composed
by the German leader of the orches-
ira OF John Street TheateE, New York
but the American metropolis was its
birthplace, and being initially played
when Washington frst visited that
place OF amusement. IL was called the
General Washington March,
When later used at his inaugura-
ton the name was changed TO "Presj-
dents March" and uAder it Il was
having popular run wbea a friend
OF Joseph Hophnson. son OF Francis
HopkinSon, signer OF the Declaration
OF Independence aud ancestor of
Francis Hopkineon Smith, author and
artist, was singing at Chestnut Street
Theater, Philadelphia. For this friend
a benefit was announced, and coming
10 Mr.. HopkinsoD a few days before
II, he declared that II would be q fail
ure unless some patriotic words could
be arranged 20 Presidents March.
Promising 10 Try 10 help him. Mr.
HopkinSOn set 60 work. and 50 pro-
piuous was hts muse that the urords
were ready on the following day. They
were revised in the State House and
the feature widely announced The
onlIdlng overlooked the song was en-
cored again and again, and the audi
ence Joined IN the chorus. II was.
sung at night, amid deafening ap-
plause by large asSemblaNes in the
streets. it's musfcal wings Soos2 bear
ing ii 10 every part or thu country
The "Star-Spangied Banner e17a-
mated from Baltimore, and Is a pro-
duct OF the War OF 1&12. Cpckburps
fleet lay in Chesapeake Bay. and
Francis Scott Key. having gpna out
under a flag OF truce TO ask the re-
lease of civilian friend taken priS-
oner by the enemy. was himself de-
tanned and compelled to witness the
bombardment of Fort McHenrS. AN
night he paced the deck In feVerfSh
anxiety, trying 10 seS by the glare Of
each bursting missile II tho American
flag still fioated from the ramparts.
The first streaR OF dawn showed hlun
the significant ensign, and seIzine Q
pencil, and using a barIel head as q
desk, he dashed OFF the stirring words.
They were set 70 the odd air. "Ana,.
creon In Heaven" and first heard In
Holiday Street Theater. BAiflmors.
October, 1914.
The origin OF the tune OF "YanheO
Doodle" battles investigation, And
down the vista of the past It apbedrs
now as an Irish teSapte chorus. thSn
as a Biscayan sword Dance whtia With
the seE-pFopagating quality OF poQa-
larity II springs up ta France, 1toIy
Germany and Spain and rs beard In
rhythmiea1 aocnnip0niment OF the
Scythe.
1t appeared first In America IN Mss
when General Breddock assembled
the coloniSts near Albany 10 attack
the French and Indial$ in Forts
surgeon introducing X TO the soldiers
through Americas words. II wac Of
ficially adopted as O. national AIR, how
ever, when the peace treaty between
England and America was signed st
Client.
HI nOHOT OF the event the ONCEceAE
arranged musical entertainment ~
which the national airs of each coun-
try were to be tho fonturA. and the
question arose among tina Americans
as to whether 'EEall Columbia" or
Yankee Doodle should Represent
them. The choice fell upon the lat-
ter, but when the baHdmRster asked
that a member Of the ezn bassy would
whistle the air that be might write
the score, none among them could 30
it. 1t happened. however, that Henry
Clay had with him a gro servant.
having the musical talent 'chaFacteriS-
tic of the race. He was summoned.
and as ne whiStled the bandmaster
arranged the harmony. Yankee Doc
die" making it's debut mkt evening
as the national air of }he United
States.
All Alike.
There's an awful lot qf sameness