The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1920-04-12
By ED. r. sHuMwAY.


Before entering into this last war.
little was known about community
singing or the value to fighting men
OF singing. but the great morals and
pep-giving value OF singing was quick
ly appreciated by those in military
power and a rush order was prompt
" DISPATCHED for experienced song
leaderA
Military orders were posted and
read in each post and cantonment,
designating certain periods each day
COR group, company, battalion and
cften. regirnental sings. The Official
sonr-ieaders in the different camps,
cOn duct ed song LEADERS schools, teach
ing song Heading to volunteers and
then appointing song-leaders for each
company.
! The result was wonderful-hard
i,otled sarg'ts sang who always eusset'
before Iieutenants, captains ana COZ
orels, to say, nothing Of privates ana
x. P's brought into action. vocal CORDS
that had never before been used but
for manual labor, and the Long,
Last Mile to the beat of ill ana
Jane" ."rhe Infantry" etc many
times was the most cheerful or the
lighter because of the singing soul or
the marching service man.
A singing army meant so much 10
General Pershing that he asked for
additional song-leaders TO be sent
peross the water Such a wonderful
pei to- rether feature could not re-
main hidden in the camps SO soon
different communities were having
great outdoor and indoor sings. where
pepple got together and sang the old
songs and the ones the boys were
singing In the camps and across the
water This means OF expressing one
own feelings and thoughts brought
neighbors closer together and they be
ca me better acquainted. Army song
leaders were sent to the different camps
by the Fosdick commission. for the
army and navy comm isstons on train
ing camp activities. The communities
we're taken care OF by song leaders
sent nv war camp community service.
We had the best fighting army and
the best singing army and the queS
lion is heard. What are we going 10
DO with such singing nation? Are
we going to sit by passiyely and rlsh
the chance OF n reaction setting in
reaction such may cause our peo-
pie 70 loose forever the greater part
Of the musical inspiration that the war
has brought TO them. or do we mean
to take this vocal self expression anu
build upon it a solid structure, WIN
che result that We shall not have mere
~ singing nation but thorough
musical one. Every professionat
musician. aud every american, who's
soul has been touched by tho beauty
~ music should devote earnest
thought Il these questions.
some say. We'll The var is ever
W. sang for patriotic reasons but
people are tired os singing n0W
Thank cod HI war ia over Thank
Sod thu! His Wisdom drought tD Us,
thu suutd &C music the desire to sing
AMI the pleasure derived from sing
ing We admit that war enthusiasm
stimulated In, ~est in community sing
ige and ma, this possible. hat so
great is the momentum given I" tht
singing impulse. thar even wi,hou,
stimulation. il aid possible eon-
tirue FOR some time bat the scope
anil style Of the singing would scarce
y advance unless It's eoutS" were
properly directed, Community sing
irg does not 81 on with group or mass
singing This singing Is Ia be used as
an entering wedge toward the eud "
crsat!ng choral groups. community
bands and rrchestras. opera, Elee
clubs quartz .s. etc.
An extensive community singing
prexranl 10 Richmond viii need many
volunteers and tu be prepared for
this thor ugh course IF study VIII
be given through the medium of
song-leaders' school which viii be
conducted here by the community
Recreation association. The school
will net only be for those that wish 10
learn the art OF song leading and
wash 10 be song leaders but for ac-
t-eIn pa nists also fer many volunteer
accof, panlsts will be needed 10 carry
en- the Richmond program. Diplomaes
VIII be given TO those that complete
tine course This is great opportunity
u assist in carrying on the very in
:sr,sting program that viii be given
IN this city,
IN one city. III which there were
twelve different Fairgrounds, every
playground supervisor was q mem
her Of the song leaders class inelud-
ing the city commissioner, who was
in charge OF the Fairgrounds az this
city The following interesting re
marks and after thoughts. show
what the value of community singing
meant to different department store
managers. and others who saw tho
value to their workers and their es-
tablish nlent,
At a large telephone exchange
where community singing was held
three times each week. the manager
said it was the greatest feature. that
had ever been introduced in the es-
enlistment. These sings started.
Nth only two per week, but the girls
that could not attend these two signs
asked the manager IL another sing
hour could he given them so ono more
was added
During these sing programs excel
lent talent was taken to sing for these
girls and entertain them
manager of one of the large de-
rartment stores said he could always
trh the days On which sing had been
held because of the changed atmos~
rhere in the store throughout the day.
eyen though he had not been in
formed that the sing had occurred Al
one of the large kress stores, the
manager always attended the sing
and one morning the song-leader asked
all the workers TO sing the "Howdy
song" and shake hands with the man
ager as they marched around him
singing this song.
This manager said that this was the
first time in twenty years that he had
had the opportunity to shake hands
with all OF his workers.
IN another store. in which one
half hour of the stores time was taken
e~,sc, nor uaal- for siupiup tha