The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-04

was originated. The three open meetings,
which it has been our custom to hold an
nually, will be concerts by paid artists
from distance"
Have you any definite plans as to
these artists?" Mrs. Sharp was asked
I'VE have not booked any, If that is
what you mean. But we are determined
to bring only the best that may be had.
do not object to having it known that we
may secure Geraldine Farrar. She Is
open for engagements here, and we are in
communication with her manager; also
with Cadmon, who wishes to book Mary
Garden with us ,and we are communicate
| ing with Paderewski's Representatives
| These, for example, are among the num-
Der and are the class of artists we are
considering"
What means will you have for assur-
ing the coming of such high priced art
lists? The open meeting has, of course,
always been well attended; people are
eager to go as guests of the club, but
how can club of limited membership af-
ford such a costly luxury as Farrar or
Paderewski, or others that you mention?"
Men to Be Members
That" said Mrs. Sharp, enthusiastic
cally, lis concerned with one of the most
important decisions reached this morn
| ing by the board. We will enlarge our
membership list, including men. There
| have been many requests in times past
| for this arrangement but 1T has not
heretofore been deemed advisable, just
as other measures we felt the club was
| unprepared for until 1t grew to it's pres
ent proportions. Now we want asso-
| ciate members among our men friends;
| a committee has been appointed to So
| licit them and we hope to have fully
| 100 before beginning our next years
work. We have decided, too, to limit
the number of active members to $50,
| having the others become associate
members; and we will abolish the GUS
tom of inviting two guests to our open
meetings This has been the custom
| of the club since it's infancy, and it
was delightful plan as long as the
memb ership was limited to 80 or 40,
| but with the hundreds of women and
men that we hope to reach this would
make any audience that we had for an
| open meeting unwieldy-it would be
| impossible, in fact
so, in the future, there will be no
invited guests-with the exception of
visitors from out of town-and we are
hoping to include our former guests
/
That" 1 said, sis a splendid plan,
I'm sure, for the Music Study club has
hundreds of friends who look forward
so cordially to its open meetings that
they will be happy to become associate
members-with no duties beyond the
pleasant ones of listening to an occa-
| sional delightful recital and the concert
of some world celebrity and of paying
"a annually for this privilege. The
club, with this arrangement will be a
big factor in musical development-so
big that there seems no limit to the
things that may be done for the COM
munity in a musical way. can already
see big auditorium. grand opera, and
always free music In the parks, as a
future result. By the way, what pro-
vision has the club made for park mu-
sic?"
I'VE find that we may get a band
of SO pieces" answered Mrs. Sharp, ito
play from the middle of July to the
middle of September If we can raise the
money-something in the neighborhood
of $3000-for their services. You see,
we expect to give park music to Bir-
mingham If Birmingham wants it. To
this end Mrs. Oscar Hundley has ac-
cepted the Craftsmanship of a commit t.
tee which will at once ask for volun-
tary subscriptions to a park music fund
to ask the city for a donation and to
! corporations
the same request"
State Music Federation
"One of the most important matters
| which our committee discussed this
| morning" she continued, was the
question of a state federation of music
| clubs. l recently had a conference with
Mrs. John L. Motion of Mobile, presi-
dent of the Clara Schumann club, and
| she heartily indorses the plan. Our
board voted to hold a meeting in the
fall for the purpose of forming an
Alabama Federation of Music clubs. The
large clubs, just now, are the ones in
Mobile. Montgomery and Birmingham
our own Music Study-but there are
Iinnumerable smaller ones doing fine
work. We voted also to include in our
list of honorary members the president
and vice president of all jefferson
county study clubs"
ITO represent the deliberations of a
body of women during one morning
alone" remarked, as arose after this
conversation, these plans cover an
abundance of ground. Did you, by any
chance, "agree to work together toward
any other fine philanthropic endeavor?"
I'VE did, responded the president of
the Music Study club '"rhs may be a
small thing, or large one 1t depends
| upon the point of view, but to my way of
thinking, it represents the practical side
of our work, and the real sentiment of
the club as wells as anything we have
ever done. Mrs. Houston Davis brought
to our attention the desire and need of
five young girls for musical education.
They want but are unable to have les
sons. Three members of the board, in
cluding Mrs Davis, Mrs. F'lournoy Riv-
ers and Mrs. Oliver Chalifoux offered
their services to teach the girls. The
board voted to pay for the music neces-
sary in pursuing their studies. In this
way we are trying to give tangible en-
couragement toward artistic develop
ment."
In this and in every other plan for
the coming season the Music Study has
every reason to expect the hearty sup
port of the people of Birmingham.
WATKINS -CHISOLM