The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1917-07-28

officers training camp at Fort Des
Moines gave the audience an houl
of entertainment which will not
easily be forgotten by those present.
1.-THE singing was something diff
ferent. 1t was for the most part
the peculiar racial melody of the Ne.
gro, presented by a chorus trained un.
der military discipline to a perfection
hard to achieve in civilian life.
1T carried a punch. All through
the selections ran the strain of
melancholy always evident in truly
Negro music. When the eight mem
bers of the double quartet sang
Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray" they
told the whole tragedy of an op.
pressed people in their voices.
when the chorus sang Swing Low,
Sweet Chariot" the audience got a
touch of the Negro religious enthusi-
asm, and when the men swung into
"Tipperary" that had something in it
that the ordinary ~"Tipperary" does
not carry, the audience almost broke
up the selection with applause.
Chorus Like an Organ.
The chorus did not produce the
effect of a similar number of white
singers. There was never a hard
tone; the voices blended into a soft
but melodious chord which vibrated
like the pipes of an organ.
They didn't sing ITS a Long
Way to Tipperary" as an Irishman
would sing it. The Celtic air of devil
may-care light heartedness was gone,
and in it's place was a seriousness
which was almost plaintive.
The crowd came early, the west
side Of the stadium being well filled
by 5 O'Clock. When the program
commenced at $50 o'clock almost
every seat was filled, and an overflow
of at least 1000 persons was hunting
for shady places about the sides of
the bowl.
The Typographical Union Band,
led by John Beeston. was the first
to arrive, and played several num-
bers. Then the Third Regiment Band,
led by Charles Fraser, marched in and
alternated in the music.
america" Is Sung.
Dean Holmes Cowper of Drake
University led the first community
number, the singing of America"
The great audience started slowly,
the volume of song rising in a vocal
avalanche. 3
Then eight uniformed Negroes
took the center of the stadium.
They were T. ], Lancaster. J. E.
Scott, Bush Hunter, A. S. Gilpin,
R. r. Penn, L. c. White, c. H.
Thompson and L. G.. Roger.
They sang through megaphones, IN
accompanied, and their first selection
was a touching bit of melody, 81 Want
Be Ready" This was followed by
probably the most impressive of their
selections, Couldn't Hear Nobody
The melody was a searching
one which went to the heart. The
double quartet closed with "The Old
Flag Never Touched the Ground"
"The Battle Hymn of the Republic"
sung by the entire assembly, was next,
after which the east and west stands
alternated in the verses of the Forty
psalm.
Bill Might Have Worried.
If Kaiser Wilhelm had been present
when the whole 10000 or more Joined
the final verse, THE Lord of hosts
IS with us, the God of Jacob is our
refuge" he would have been justified
doubling whether he had a monop-
by upon the favors of the Almighty,
and in whether he might not be mis-
as to the amount of influence
ne had in divine affairs.
Onward, Christian Soldiers" by the
community, followed, and then the Ne
gro troops, headed by the First Regi-
band, led by Jacob Schmidt, en-
the stadium.
Colonel Ballou made a splendid i'm
as he led his men. He was
mounted on a fine bay, and was every
nch a soldier in bearing and be-
The men entered by companies, four
ABREAST, formed in battalions and lined
Up at the west side of the stadium
east.
Sing While Flag Is Raised.
AS the band played the National
lnthem, the star spangled banner was
'aised, while every soldier stood at
attention and the crowd sang the
words of the song. !
The troops then stacked arms, and
100 of the men were ordered from
ranks to lead the singing. These
men, under direction of w. c. Bryant,
Fisk University Negro from Tennes.
ee, formed a semi-circle before the
lag.
Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" was
he first number. 1t is a sons whose
Melody is traditional in the Negro. 1t
) n of those melodies musical au-
.orities say is purely American or