The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1937-10-22

some of our greatest march compost
tiOnS. Every university and high school
has a pet march. The "Notre Dame
Victory March," "On Wisconsin," An
chors Aweigh," Fight On for Old
U. S. c." the Princeton Tiger" Yale's
college songs were written to arouse
the emotions, before, at. and after foot
ball games. There are numerous march
airs that do something to your ner-
Gus system-something you thrill to.
The Notre Dame Victory March"
ON Wisconsin, These two march
W to Butte folk. ON Butte High
School, is note for note of "On Wis
conSin." The Christian Brothers high
schools battle hymn is none other
than Notre Danes Victory March,"
DO YOU KNOW
That the "Notre Dame Victory
March" wa given its first tryout
in a Congregational church?
Not many people know the story.
One of the authors, Father Michael
Shea, S. j., was scheduled to pass
through Butte a few weeks ago, en-
route to the coast. The writer of this
column didn't know then that the
reverend Father composed the music
of the Victory March, OF that a brother,
John Shea, wrote the words. The Shea
brothers. Johnny and Mike, and the
writer, attended the same parochial
school, in a Massachusetts, town IS
years ago. We were schoolmates-not
classmates as the Shea boys owned
less years than I did. A friend signaled
me that Father Mike was headed west.
Would I 60 down to the depot and
say hello? I would. 1t was 80 years
ago that I last saw Michael Shea, 20
the mar I wanted to see would be wear
ing a cleric's collar. That collar was
to be my identification cue.
Check Up on Old Friends
I met a train On a certain day but
didn't get to say Hello, Father" nor
"How's everything, Mike?"
I waited on the platform while the
discharge of Butte-bound and stretch"
passengers took place. I hunted up the
pullman conductor.
ANY priests on the train today?"
was my question.
His reply was in the negative.
And so the writer dispatched a note
to the friend who signaled that Father
Mike was enroute west. I reported that
a train had been met and the Shea
I wanted to see wasn't aboard. The
note also asked for information about
the Shea boys.
Back came a letter from Joe Doyle,
city editor of the Holyoke, Mass,
Transcript-Telegram Joe's letter gave
the story of the songs first tryout.
Here's the Doyle letter-Ill share it
with you:
Sheas Wrote Irish March
Johnny Shea and Mike Shea went
to Notre Dame. Johnny was captain
and shortstop On the Notre Dame base
ball cam. Johnny came home to enter
politics and was senator from the
second Hampden district here for sew
eral terms, a brilliant speaker and
writer. His brother, Mike, turned to
J. Shea, S. j., and a teacher at the
Jesuit seminary at Dunwoodie-on the
Hudson. John and Mike wrote the
now famous, Notre Dame Victory
march. The Notre Dame song was
given its first 'tryout' in the Second
Congregational church in this city,
and that's a story.
Johnny wrote the words and Rev.
Michael, the music. Father Shea is
a brilliant musician. He was organist
at St; Patrick's cathedral in New
York for some years before he went
to Dunwoodie seminary. Seems like
Father Mike used to take piano lessons
from Prof. William C.. Hammond in
his school days and later when he was
organist at St. Patrick'S cathedral
and Hammond, you know, is one of
the best organists in the east-they
had much in common.
Tried Out on New Organ
Professor Hammond met Father
Mike on the street one winters day
when the priest was here on a vaca-
ton. Father Mike told about the o
Hammond wanted to hear it and in
vited Father Mike to come down to the
Second Congregational church that
afternoon at 5 o'clock and try it out
on the church's new organ. So Brother
Johnny Shea invited myself, Gordon
Powers and Billy Kelly to attend the
private organ recital.
There were the four Irishmen,
Kelly, Doyle, Shea and Powers, sit
organ was Father Mike Shea-a Pro-
testant church, mind ye-and behind
him, near the organ, sat Professor
Hammond. The only light in the church
was hat over the organ keyboard. The
first thing Father Mike did was to
swing into the Notre Dame march.
We-that is, Kelly, Powers and Doyle
ae,perked up and whispered to John
Shea as to the name of the selection.
And says Johnny, That's going to be
Notre Danes No. l song. Notre Dame
doesn't know about it yet
First Audience Enthused
while the stirring tune was rolled
off the organ, a group of men wan
dered into the chancel. They walked
single file into seats. They looked
toward the organ keyboard and were
no doubt given the surprise of their
lives when they spotted a man wear
ing the Roman collar humping away
at the keys. 1t happened that one
of the men-they were the church
deacons gathering for a special meet
high school with Father Shea, and he
introduced the priest to his brother
deacons. Also, at the request of Pro-
lessor Hammond, Father Michael again
played the Victory march for the
deaconS.
you've got something there one
of the deacons said to the brothers.
I'll tell the world they have was
the reply of yours truly-Joe DOYLE"