Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-09-22
SOLDIER SONG LEADERS
co TO TRAINING SCHOOL
General Pcrshing Asked for 900 o
More" and Is Getting
Them.
USE IDENTICAL GESTURE:
Students Take Hikes" Through
Streets OF New York-FightinS
Men Who Now Go Across Know
How to Sing Collectively.

NEW YORK. September 21.--Pcrsh-
ing ORIGINAL crusaders were silent
and French soldiers at debarkation
points. who spread the word through
out the lighting zones that the Amer
leans couldn't sing That was true.
perhaps, of the first veteran regulars.
but the condition is being changed rap
iH!y IN. Yankees are reported To be
holding their own now. and indicat ions
point 10 their gaining decided SUI
premacy as singers before long.
For the first time since wars were
fought "a training school for soldier
song leaders has been established in
order TO get the entire American army
singing the same songs in the same
way. Whenever two groups of khaki
wenrers chance TO meet they can cut
loose in unison and have just as much
teainwork in their lung exercise as in
The foremost musical and cheer
lending talent in the nation is he:ng
enlisted in this work. Homer Rode
ter; Frederick Gunthcr. the Metropolis
tan Opera Company basso; j. Z. Shake
speare noted lecturer, and others
skilled in swayinS "A multitude are
making good in the new field of en-
deavor.
orchestra directors. former college
cheer leaders. eloquent lawyers and
statesmen with a liking for music an
occasional erstwhile clergyman. organ
is,s' choir masters newspaper and
and just plain American business men
"ith pep" and a sense Of rhythm are
proving adept.
The headquarters ana classroom OF
The organization are located in New
York barnard Coll"r" offered the use
"f it's spa cious auditorium TO the Ma
,ional War Work Council Of the Y. NJ.
G. a, which is conducting the institu-
ton a; tn" request of the government.
General Pershing asked for more song
leaders,. "ott or more, and is getting
them
The FIRST song leaders sen, across by
the y. VI. G. \. were men picked be-
'ausc OF their Immediate fitness for tho
service. and IN" methods OF their work
we're left 10 their own individual in
renuty AS a result. many different
interpretations OF the various songs
Mere employed SO that an effort nf sep
arately trained companies to sing to-
ether produced some weird effects.
Don't get us all Dalled IN" was the
cry that came home from the soldiers
overseas. Civ" us all the songs in
n" same way, so We can sing together
whenever We have a chance"
Tho new training school carries the
d"a even further than that. Not only
. sing IN" SONGS alike. but they are
given Identical gestures and beats
\ casual visitor at the barnard au
ing a class in calis,henics. The men
are lined up in wide formation in regu-
lar rows. with plenty Of srace 70 swing
conductor--a tall. striking man, who
answers 10 the name OF Robert Law
renee. OF Ala bama-thcy go through all
sorts of antics. However. as one will
readily perceive. every little movement
has Il meaning all its own.
There are three sessions daily
morning. afternoon and evening. When
tho shades of night are falling Eonduc-
tor Lawrence escorts his charges out
doors and lining them up in column
ours takes them over the principal
streets Of upper Manhattan on "A hike.
Singing as they go, the little unit
generally about thirty mcn--rrocecds
along broadway: UP around Grants
Tomb and down Riverside Drive.
Good by. Broadway, Hello France
means what II says when these men
sing IL. for they are so carefully Sc
lected in the first place that practi-
Cally all OF them earn their passports
20 the zone where shells are falling.
Some are assigned for limited terms TO
service at the cautonmcntS in this
country, where they have an oppor-
;unity 10 drill the rockies ~ the out
set. Every company OF soldiers that
goes across now is>ab,n to give a good
account Of itself with it's collective
voice.