The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-11-28
German Alliance Sponsor of
First Mass Meeting in the
History Of Germans in
Richmond. ~
PROGRAM OF MUSIC
AND ADDRESSES
!. Louis Shenk in Recital and
Maennerchor Render Ger
man Songs to a Delighted
Audience.

Johns hall on South Fourth street last
night For the first time in the more
than eighty years since the first Ger
mans came to Richmond did their des-
cendants gather in mass meeting
Not the Oldest German in the city
can recall similar gathering. Reli-
gious and provincial ties were cast
aside for the time and Germans, Ger
man Americans, their descendants,
united to hear ]. Louis Shenk a noted
baritone of Dayton, sing the popular
German Lieder, to listen to addresses
by the Rev. Frank Roell, of st. An
drew's church, and the Rev. A. J. Fee
ger. of st. Johns church, and to note
the progress which the Maennerchor
is making in its musical work,
The German Evening" as it's pro-
tmoters saw At to term the excellent
program, was given by the German
Alliance of the city to recall to mind
the cultural value of the German Ian
guage, music, poetry and religiosity.
The two speakers pleaded with the
audience to preserve in this country
as much as possible the high ideals of
Teutonic virtue and honesty, and to
advance the musical heritage which
the immigrants brought with them to
this country.
Excellent Music.
From a mere musical standpoint, the
appearance of J. Louis Shenk was the
attraction of the entertainment. He
sang a number of German Lieder that
awakened responsive chords in the
hearts of the hearers and were receiv-
ed with acclaim and enthusiasm.
The work of the Maennerchor in a
program of music that was varied was
excellent Considering the many handi-
caps against which the organization
contends and the fact that the singers
are "self made" insofar as that they
have not enjoyed the benefit of tech
nical training, their rendition of va
ried program gave evidence of the nat
ural musical genius of the race and the
love of it's members for musical ex-
preston.
The organization is under the direc-
tion of Will Duning, Jr
The genial humor of the race was ex-
hibited last evening in a selection by
the Maennerchor which depicted a
German village orchestra practicing
a musical selection. The members of
the Maennerchor were dressed in Ger
man costumes and entered into the
spirit of the selection with vim
Plead For the Language.
The Rev. A. J. Feeger in the course
of his remarks said: THE German en-
peror says he is acquainted with Ger
mans and knows Americans, but does
not know German American. The
emperor evidently felt peeved that so
many Germans come to the United
States and there forgot the land of
their nativity, it's culture and civiliza-
tion
Even if We are loyal Americans,
ready to fight for our country's flag,
still we remember the land from
whence came our fathers. In the Ger
man American there is a glorious un-
ion of two great civilizations They
supplement each other. Germany has
given us her spirit of thoroughness, love
for music, literature and arts. a hunger
for knowledge. America has added the
spirit of energy, activity, mental alert
ness and adaptability''
The Rev. Father Roell called atten-
tion to the contribution of St An
drew's and st. Johns churches to the
culture of Richmond. These two Or
ganizations," said he, occupy the fore
most rank of their confessions in this
city. In point of energy and church
work no other congregations measures
with them. They have inculcated prin-
ciples of rectitude and always advocat-
ed the good and noble.
"We can postulate from the activity
of the young men and women of these
congregations that many years will
pass before the German language is
lost in Richmond. They are working
for the cause. They are not ashamed
of their nativity"
Shows Work of Germans.
The speaker then reverted to the
achievements of the Germans in the
United States. showing the advanced
position they have taken in music and
art. He said that there were few
German families in which music was
not part of the family life
The audience last evening voiced its
approval of the sentiments expressed
by the two speakers. In the gathering
Were many children brought there by
parents to. hear the music and opin-
ions Of the two leaders of the largest
German congregations in the city.
A survey of the history Of the Ger
n1ans in Richmond shows that for more
than seventy-five years they have sup
ported German schools in which the
NATIVE tongue. music, and religion is
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