The Prescott daily news., 1915-06-21
nur NEVADA COUNTY
 SINGING CONVENTION

r. is not my purpose to announce
 T.. onnual meeting of this body Gas it sa. Se already been done by the efficient
 sosident. Prof. A. r. Galloway, thru tho county papers,) but it is my in- tontion to call the attention to some .f tho efficient work that has been ac- sounlished throug it's influence since =. oroanization. More than twenty roars ago, few of the stick-breakers of tbe country, seeing the need of botter music and a deeper and broad or interest in the cause, got their hoads together and organized the Ne ,oda County Singing Convention. The r,rnose of this convention was to pro- mole the interest of vocal, and instru- mental music in Nevada County. At +bis time there were very few musical instruments in the country homes, so far know there was not church in Nevada county (outside of the towns) that had an organ in it's house, at this time a great many good men and women thought it sinful to use any kind of a musical instrument in church worship. There are a few good people who are cranky on this line yet.
 If my memory serves me right, there were only seven persons in the organizations of this body: Judge Harris, J. B. Hannah, R. o. Westmore- land, I. W. Holloway, R. c. Bright, Tom Easterling and myself. At this time it was difficult to get a dozen men in the county who could direct music in any way, and there was no such thing as an organist in the coun- try, it was also difficult to get a doz- en persons in most communities to even make an effort at singing. I have been at all-day singings where there would not be more than three or four who would attempt to direct, even more: have attended all-day singings where no one would attempt to assist me in directing. I have stood on the floor all day and directed. At one time when the Convention met at Boughton, there were only two direc- tors on the ground, that of J. W. Hol- loway and myself. I mention these incidents and conditions simply to show the contrast (musically) then and now.
 In the past two years 1 have visited a score or more all-day singings where each director was allowed to direct only two pieces. We worked from 10 a. m. to 1 D. m. and in not a single instance have we been able to use all the leaders on the ground, in the six hours.
 Twenty years ago out of all the teachers in the county not one could carry his student further than the rudiments, or the primary grade, but 1t is different now. After twenty years of work and study under such eminent musicians as Prof. A. J. Showalter, J. D. Potion, K. c. Robertson, H. N. Lincoln and others, Nevada County has a number of graduates, normal and first grade teachers, who are not only teaching primary grades, but are teaching Harmony, and compost tOn, sight reading, ear training, voice plano, organ, guitar, violin, etc.
 It is no longer necessary to send your boy or girl away for these stu dies. You can get them at home in Nevada county at nominal cost. There is scarcely a church in all the country that has not an organ or piano In its house and from one to six or ganists in it's membership. Well what of it? From whence came this wave of progress and advancement? Surely the Nevada County Musical Convention has been one of the prime factors that inspired our young men and women; our boys and girls, of which Nevada County has the choicest Tn the world, to attain to higher ideals in education, morals and christian cit izenship.
 There has been a time when it was very little trouble to entertain this conyention, in fact 1 have seen the tune when all the eatables were spread on one table cloth, and there was plenty for the crowd. It is different now. The convention has grown to such proportions that it is a very heavy burden for any community to entertain it for two days.