The Coolidge examiner., 1932-08-05

unframed voices to sing than Is the widerang
ing melody Of THE Star Spangled Banner"
Written originally for childrens choirs, Ii was
easy for the singing Of America" to become a
traditional observance in our public schools and
that is one reason why this unofficial national
anthem is more often heard throughout the land
than the official one.
In fact, IL was the desire for a patriotic song
which could be used in the schools which brought
America" into existence. In 1881 William C.
Woodbridge a noted educator of New York,
visited Germany's public schools, particularly for
the purpose of bringing back any idea which
might be adapted for use in the schools of the
United States. He learned what every good
German knows, that music had an important
place in the life OF the people and In school
life, as well. Consequently some OF the school
music books brought back by Mr.. Woodbridge
were passed along to Lowell Mason, a talented
musician and pioneer In the introduction OF mu-
sic in the Boston public schools.
But Mr.. Mason was not a student of German.
So he sent the books to Samuel Francis Smith,
a twenty yfour-year-old theological student at
Andover, a young man who had an extraordl-
nary facility in languages. He was asked to make
translations from the German, or to write new
verses which could be set to the German music
ION dismal day in February, 1892 looking
over one Of these books, my attention was
pie and natural movement and its fitness for
chldrens choirs," wrote Doctor Smith many
years later.
"Glancing at the German words at the foot
of the page, saw that they were patriotic and
l was instantly inspired to write a patriotic
hymn of my own.
"Seizing a scrap OF waste paper, / began to
write and in half an hour, think the words
stood upon it substantially as they sung to-
day. / did not share the regret of those who
deem it evil that the national tune of Britain
and America is the same. On the contrary, /
deem ii new and beautiful tie of union be-
tween the mother and the daughter, one furnish
ing the music (if indeed it is really English)
and the other the words
Il did not propose TO write a national hymn
/ did not think that had done So | laid the
song aside, and nearly forgot that had made
il. Some weeks later l sent ii to Mr.. Mason
and on the following Fourth of July much to
my surprise he brought it out at children's
celebration, where it was first sung in public.
when it composed, l profoundly
impressed with the necessary relation between
love of God and love of country: and l rejoice
If the expression of my own sentiments and
convictions still finds answering chord in
the hearts of my countrymen."
The Fourth of July celebration to which he
refers was held in Park Street church in Bos
ton on July T. 1882, where America" was first
sung in public by childrens choir under the
direction of Lowell Mason. History says that
Edward Everett Hale one of the children
in that young choir; and a Smith family legend
has ii that one of the passersby who heard
with profound admiration the song pouring out
of the Park Street church the girl who
afterward became Mrs. Samuel Francis Smith
She was Miss Mary White of Haverhill, Mass.
schoolmate of Whittier, whom Smith married
on September 16, 1884
America" was first published in the Juvenile
Lyre a ehildren's song book. which later, and
in the face of much opposition to the introduc-
tion of music into the schools, was adopted by
them.
The original manuscript is treasured by
the Harvard university library, to which it was
bequeathed by Doctor Smiths son. Dr. D. A. w.
Smith November IA, 1914. In accepting the
gift w. c. Lane, the Harvard librarian, wrote,
This is one of the most precious bits of orig
inal manuscript which any American library
could desire to own"
The whole life of the author of America"
centered around Boston. He was born Sheafe
street in the north end of that city on October
21, 1905 As boy he attended successfully a
dame school," the forerunner of the modern
kindergarten; the Eliot school and the Boston
Latin school, in all of which he showed unusual