Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1918-04-03
National Week of Song.

ed with the people OF HartsVllle,
South Carolina. The sound of 1t
was like a great sy mphony, and the
feeling of it was inspiration, the
thought of it was 10y, and the eft.
feet of it was lingering echo OF
melody IN the hearts of the people,
for it manifested itself in song.
1t is through its literature and
especially that literature in the
form of patriotic song, that binds a
nation together in time of peace
and that cheers and inspires it
in time ofS war. If a nation IN
distress keeps song on its lips.
that song will finally come from Its
heart.
For a week there was, in the
Coker College auditorium, the
largest auditorium of the city, a
mighty gathering of all the people,
summoned to sing themselves into
the spirit of America, to celebrate
in music the mighty fact that Amer
ica is the home of the soul. -
On the fields of France the voice
of Hartsville and of America must
have been heard, and the boys
"over there" must have felt the
faith in them strengthened, for it
is as a little French girl said,
that though the ocean is SC wide
that the sea gulls fear to cross it,
and great steamers fly from shore
to shore, across that great distance
hearts are touching.
1t was a great thing that for a
week the nation sang. The nation
might have wept, or the nation
might have feared, or the nation
might only have hoped for a week,
but we rejoice that the nation, in
this time of stress, sang.
and across the awakening con-
tinent from to shore. somewhere
our songs are rising evermore."
The Sabbath ushered in the cele-
bration, lending the sanction of
this day to sacred song service,
for "the God who made the cannon
made the cross"
An impressive professional Of
the college choir, which furnished
most Of the music for this service
took place, and this service was a
fitting introduction to the programs
that were to follow.
There is no body Of people with
quite the exuberance of youth that
a college elee club has. The annual
glee club concert was given on
Monday night, the program Begin
ming with, The Star Spangled Ban
ner, the song that means so much
more to American people than they
yet know, the song that they sing
with deeper meaning week by week,
as the war goes on. The club enter
tanned the audience by appearing as
ladies of the Sixties in old fashion
ed costumes. The program ended
as it had begun with patriotic
song, when the Boys Come
Home. "
This concert was directed by Miss
Ethel Rowland, Professor of Voice,
of Coker College.
Each night there was something
of interest, Tuesday nights enter
tainment being q song recital by
Miss Marjorie Perkins, Professor
of Voice, of Coker College. The
songs were foreign and American.
She told the stories of the French,
German and Italian ones before
singing them.
On Wednesday night, the middle
of the week, the enthusiasm was at
its height, and the atmosphere was
charged with interest. The Boy
Scouts of the town were recognized
in being given seats on the platform,
and the gentlemen of the town were
invited to occupy the front seats.
Yes, the people Of Hartsvllle sang
for week, and soDg was the most
popular mode of expressing thought
and feeling, and song was permls'
sible on all occasions. Now Amer
leans are to work for months in
order that all the songs they have
been singing come true, that the
boys may come home, that the stal
spaneied banner may set wave, and
in order that America may still be
my country or our country.
Singing one week we are to have
national smile, smile, smile" fol
years.
Believing that any course OF
singing official or individual, which
is to make of Us a vocal people
must begin with children in the