The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1942-06-20
Seventeen Finish Auto Mechanics For Red Cross Motor Unit
Jubilee
CONTINUED from page y

the Emancipation Proclamation In
1866. when Maggie was just eight
years old. she entered school and
went for one month 10 Daniel Wat
kins. free colored man, and then
TO Mr.. Mckee, in the colored Bap-
fist church. Later. she enrolled at
Fisk. where she was schooled for
two years. At the tender age OF IL,
she received second-grade teach
ing certificate and began teaching
at Bellvue, Tenn, in a log cabin
school with 35 pupils. This school
was later burned down. and Mag
gle went TO teach at Mt. View.
Tenn. After two terms. the school
funds gave out and the young teach
Ell accepted a school at Murfrees-
boro. Tenn. but remained there
only a short time
star Singer
AT this time, the students at Fisk
were learning 10 cantata. Esther"
for concert. Mrs. White, know
ing Maggie's natural musical power.
sent her the part OF Queen Esther
TO learn by herself. She returned
to Nashville and practiced with the
class and sang in the role OF Queen
Esther at the concert, with wonder
ful success.
That Autumn, the young singer
became a member OF the first group
OF Fisk Jubilee singers. They
started out in October. 1871.
After singing in various parts OF
the county the Fisk singers later
went on their first tour OF Europe.
under the patronage OF the Earl OF
SALISBURY. His private concert az
Willis Rooms brought out men,
bers OF Parliament, the nobility and
diplomatic corps, also favorable
comment in The London Times. In
vitations came TO sing for the
Queen and for the Prince OF Wales.
Later. the Kaiser gave them re-
ception at Pottsdam, with all but
the singers in court dress, with
flies of soldiery clanking swords
and flashing coronets. They sang.
Praise God From Whom All Bless
ings Flow" in Martin Luther's room
at the old monastery in wittenburg.
Honored BY Nobility
On the occasion OF the Sixty,
Fourth Jubilee Day. celebrated by
Fisk and its alumni. in October,
1885. Mrs. Cole was I'll and unable
To attend the ceremonies in Nash
willie. Al that time. We visited her
in her room at the Phyllis Wheatley
Home. Her room was a veritable
treasure house OF precious souve-
Mrs. She permitted us 10 share
the JOY, by seeing the tributes
from Fisk, reading the letters and
kilograms and seeing the flowers
received She also showed us ar
ticles and other souvenirs, including
autographs OF some OF the historic
men and women OF Europe. which
linked her with the glorious past
and made her an international fig-
ure.
Among other treasured souvenirs
Mrs. Cole brought out book
which she held almost reverently
and we were allowed the privilege
OF looking through the pages of a
rare autograph album. which we
beliye have few equals in historic
value.
These autographs had been show
cred upon the leading soprano Of
the original Fisk Jubilee singers.
and among the autographs We saw
the handwriting OF such famous
persons as William Gladstone and
others members OF his family: Alex
ander simpson, president OF Edin-
burg university: Muskery. an Eng
lieh nobeman: Peter Coats. owner
OF the Coats thread factory in Scot
land: Franz Abt, composer OF the
famous song. when the Swallows
Homeward Fly: the Duke and
Duchess OF Argyle; the Dean of
Canterbury, also scores OF auto
graphs from oxford students. The
book also contained an autogra ph
OF DR.. Sylvester, an American, who
was in Berlin. Germany, as dem
list TO Emperor Wilhelm. He also
presented her with loving cup.
which we saw. together with Delft
ware vase. which was given 10 the
singer in Amsterdam. Holland.
This autograph book, Mrs. Cole
emphatically informed us. was to
go TO Fisk university at her death.
Mrs. Cole was member OF the
Willing Workers club, the Detro..
Study club. and the ln-As-Much
circle and Kings Daughters. She
married Dan Cole, Canadian. who
resided in Detroit. She was the
mother OF three children, only one
still reviving. Both OF sons. Single
ton and Dan attend L. OF NJ. but
Singleton died before gradu-
ating. The other son, Dan. joined
the French forces in the first
World War and was shot and cap
tured by the Germans. He escaped
and fed TO Switzerland. where he
was interned until after the Armis-
tice. After the war, he rejoined the
French air service and was sent TO
fight in North Africa, where he was
killed by the Moors. lie was buried
at Casa Blanca. Morocco. The
singers daughter. Mrs. Imogene
Reid, resides in Detroit.