The Alaska daily empire., 1922-02-20
NATIONAL SONG
WEEK STARTING
IN JUNEAU TODAY
Seventh Annual Observance
Held During Week of
Washington's Birthday.

The seventh annual observance OF
the National Week of Song is now
being observed, starting yesterday
and continuing to next Saturday.
Each year the date falls on the week
in which Washington's birthday Qc-
ours. 1t is a campaign in the in
terest of community singing and to
awaken and develop national and
patriotic spirit by the singing of our
national and patriotic songs.
The question is often asked What
are the purposes of the National
Week of Song?" Briefly they may
be stated thus:
Ito awaken the singing spirit
and set all America to singing.
2-To cultivate a taste for songs
of the better sort.
3-To bring people together in
their various communities and de-
yelOp the community spirit.
ITO develop and strengthen the
American spirit and uphold its high
ideals by the singing of such songs
as uplift and inspire.
$40 amalgamate and give spec
'tacular expression once a year to
all of the various efforts put for
ward 10 establish community singing
by the various organizations through
out the country.
''These are some of the things that
the National Week of Song is ac-
comprising, although due credit is
given to all organizat ions which have
for their purpose the establishing
and leading of community singing"
said Superintendent LAM today.
ct should be borne in mind that
this proposal is not merely for the
seven days of singing during the
week including Washington's birth
day: it is far broader, more general
and far more permanent than that.
1t is for a program which will make
every day singing day and every
week singing week, but which shall
eliminate, uniformly, throughout the
United States, in the week which in
cludes February %. The definite
date will have t&o far-reaching and
important results. First. it will give
the daily singing preceding the event
q definite goal and a worthy aim;
second, there will be the contagious
enthusiasm which will arise from
realizing that thousands of conmuni
ties and, literally, millions of peo-
pie, are singing in unison through
out the nation"
"Plans have been laid to make
this truly singing week in juneau.
In the churches special emphasis was
placed on the singing portion of the
services last Sunday, some are max
ing arrangements for a special song
service next Sunday. In the schools
all of the singing periods and open
ing exercises during the week will
be devoted to the singing OF national
and patriotic songs. Special com
immunity sings will be held throughout
the week. Singing leaders are TAX
ing hold OF the proposal with keen
enthusiasm.
There are many other ways in
which the National Week of Song
can be celebrated A party of friends
and neighbors might be invited to
spend the evening around the home
piano singing the old-fashioned, ma
tional and patriotic songs, those
songs that stir the heart and linger
in the memory as long as memory
lasts This program might be varied
with vocal solos and duets and with
occasional instrumental selections.
Choice selections from popular operas
m 'ght be rendered on the phono-
graph. where one is available.
Besides the home party, there is
the club, lodge and other social or
carnations which can give song
party or concert, either formal or in
formal Informal singing might be