New Britain herald., 1925-11-28
THE OBSER YER.
Makes Random Observations
On the City and Its People

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Writing-that is, the ability to
write--is such commonplace
achievement that no one gives It a
passing thought. Everyone writes,
whether 1t be a letter to a friend or
a literary jewel that sparkles forth
to dazzle the world with its bril-
lance.
1t Is difficult to imagine the time
when writing was not accepted as
matter Of course, Yet writing is
comparatively q recent art, consid-
ering the age OF the world. The
first known writing, and then 1t was
nothing like the writing of today,
was couple of thousand years be-
fore the Christian era when the an
cient Egyptians began TO express
their thoughts through the means of
hieroglyphics, or pictures. 1t re-
quired some skill secured only after
long training and a writer In those
days was a person of distinction.
Soon came a sort of alphabet, GER
tain pictures being recognized as
representing certain sounds. This
was the beginning Of writing. La
ter, in the country popularity called
! Babylonia, cuneiform writing came
/ into use. From that time on, al
though the process was slow and
painful, people began to write more
and more and today We enjoy the
| h prifape IF fhair in6uctry
Writing has been as important rs
any other factor In the spread OF
civilization. 1t enabled peoples of
different countries TO communicate
with each ether and 1t had a re-
markable effect on promoting COM
merce.
Today writing is an unappreciated
art. Mother, father and the chill
dren write. Everyone cherishes the
ambition TO put pen on paper and
produce a short story. And nearly
everyone is satisfied that he could
write better scenario than those
produced on the screen today. Quite
a number believe they can turn out
poetry acceptable to the editor. This
probably accounts for the good bust
ness reports from the post office de-
partment from year TO year. There
are books and pamphlets on all sub
jects. Writing is a powerful weapon
In the hands of skillful propaganda
list. From being an accomplishment
with large money returns, writing
has dropped in prestige in proper
ton to the numbers engaged In it.
The writer who arrives" may still
hope for big gain but the ordinary
lplodder could probably make more
lie he threw away his pen and grab
bed pick.
All this in less than four thousand
years-a mere breath In the history
Of the world.
Meet Edwin f. Laubin. Or perhaps
you don't know the gentleman. In
! which case you do not belong to the
New Britain Choral society.
Director Laubin formerly lived In
New Britain, coming here when q
young man. The reason for his COM
needed musical culture; at least, his
friends say so. BE this as il may. he
t did a big bit to bring about that
musical culture, but just about the
time when he had the culture thor
oughly in hand he moved to Hart
ford. He had been there often before
and doubtless thought Hartford also
was in need Of the uplifting influ-
cnce of music.
But down here in New Britain
they still think we'll of Mr.. Laubn.
The Choral society would never be
the same without him and the likeli-
hood is it will cling to the estimable
director as long as he can swing a
baton, which will be long time.
He takes the Choral society over
the rocks Of melody, harmony,
rhythm and counterpart like an
ancient and adept mariner in charge
Of a liner. (Only mariner never
takes a ship over the rocks; but
nevertheless, the smile, hyperbole,
metaphor, parable or illustration still
holds good to a certain eXtent). AS
stated, he leads the Choral society
like an expert.
The *" in expert" sometimes
stands for an unknown quantity like
it does in algebra: but in Mr.. Lau-
bins case it stands for excellent.
Here Is how he does it:
The singers will please come 10
order. We will now sing "All We
Like Sheep. "a chorus in Handel's
Messiah" which the society Is
mastering). Don't be too much like
sheep, however, trying 10 follow the
other fellow too much; know when
to attack and lead the sheep rather
than follow. Bases will put more Of
an accent on the first and third
notes of the bar; and altos the same.
In choral societies altos are always
called altos, and not Contraltos, as is
the case in concerts. The difference
between an alto and a Cortralto is
that an alto knows her Ilace while
contralto DOESN'T. The sopranos
gosh, words fail. The sopranos will
pine up more; less talk and moro
sing; less fear and more confidence.
Hit those high notes with a bang.
And every last one of you, watch
my stick "a directors playful way of
referring to his baton; club" would
do Just as Weld. No use in me stand
ing up here waving 1t like wig
wagging COB in the navy if nobody
IA