The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-07-06
Executive Committee Dis continues Sunday Sings
 for Lack of Funds
l5 CENTS FROM EVERY ONE ATTENDING SING WOULD BE ENOUGH
No Further Soliciting of Funds From Faithful Few"-Public Must Donate if Sings Are to
 Be Continued
By JEFF FALLEN

The shame of it.
 That some people of Birming
 ham-and they are in the ma
 jority-who attend the big com
 munity sings on Sunday after
 noon at Capitol park are not will
 ing to donate one wee little jitney
 --one slick nickel-one five-cent
 piece or five pennies, to defray
 the incidental expenses incurred
 in operating the big afternoons
 entertainment for all of the people
 of Birmingham.
 If every adult person who attends these sings would part with 5-cent piece at each sing, then all would be well and the sings wtuld continue, but as the au- dience holds many tightwads. there is d deficit and the committee in charge of the raising of funds with which to finance the sings are hard put to even imagine how they will continue this won4 derful work that has meant so much to Birmingham.
 Sunday there will be no sing. This is settled, anG as to whether there will De any more at an early date remains for Birmingham citizens to decide.
 The committee has decided that they will not solicit subscriptions from the faithful few who have supported the sings in the past any longer. They feel that everyone who attends the sings and enjoys the afternoon of good muse ano participates in the singing should al least leave ;t nickel's worth of apprecia- tion with the treasurer.
 And common sense says the committee is absolutely correct and all votes to the contrary, notwithstanding, they have gone the Emit.
 If three thousand jitneys are collected every Sunaay afternoon, then there IS no reason for worry among the members of the committee, but to the contrary, there will be every cause for joy, foi the thousands who attend these affairs will have been made happy, contented, and very likely the morale of the city lu0 per cent better off than on days when there is no music or no singing at Capi- tol park
 The committee will be glad to receive contributions from anyone, but theu idea is to get cents worth of encour- agement from every adult who attends the sings.
 The expense for each one of the sings amounts to about s125, s90 of which goes to the band, the director must be paid, and other incidental expenses which are absolutely necessary have to be taken care of.
 Citizens of Birmingham, what are you going 60 dc about it?
 The executive committee has issued statement that covers the situation, and they are hopeful that the people of Bir- mingham will arise to their duty. The statement fellows;
 'The Community Music committee anxious to present this matter of the maintenance of the community sing be- fore the people of Birmingham, am nounces that there will be no commu- nifty sing on Sunday. July 7
 Tn making this announcement we feel that an explanation is due the peo- pie of Birmingham as to the reason for this action of the committee.
 "A little more than year ago committee was formed for the purpose of conducting community sings with Robert Lawrence as organizer and dl- rector.
 "The movement was new in Birming- ham and q venture. but the pupnc knows how wonderfully well it has sue ceeded, not only in it's purpose of com munity singing, but in creating com nlunity and patriotic spirit.
 "At first the sings were supported by funds solicited by the committee. When these funds were exhausted collections were taken, but were never sufficient to pay all expenses.
 s'After going to the park the croWds were smaller, owing to the hot weather. and collections also became smaller, thereby causing considerable dehcit
 Tt has always been the purpose ot the committee to make the people feel that the sings were theirs and that they should feel responsible for their main tenance, but in this the Birmingham public has failed, by not giving It's financial support
 ..The committee still stands ready to give it's best services to make the con- tinuance of the sings success, but awaits the action of the public.
 (Signed) Mrs. w. J. Adams, presi- dent of the committed; Hill Ferguson, first vice president; George McCleery, secretary; Sol Caheen. treasurer; Mrs. Robert Lawrence. Mrs. Philip Oster, Mrs Max Fies and J. A. Yates.