The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1944-12-07

VI any OIIt WHO HJuuIeu uuueI utI WHO
is still forging ahead.
The Rasche family will be best re-
membered as a family of instrument
talsts. Two of the five still live in
Oakland. They played violin, cello,
piano, baritone, clarinet. | wish | had
heard this ensemble as a child. All |
know is what | have heard from 9TH
ers. Mrs. James Treacy, one Of the
ensemble, is the organist at st. Peters
and has always been a dependable
support of good music. Harry | re-
member, played baritone in the band
in the exciting days when William
/ McIlWee of Keyser NOV of Winches-
ter, Va was Bandmaster There is
no doubt about the musicianship of
/ McIlwee, one of the outstanding band
leaders of the East. He was an eX-
cellent teacher, good performer, and
director that made the boys sit up
and foot. Besides McIllwee knew his
band music like a child its Mother
Goose rhymes. He could play a viz
tuoso piece with the same fnnesse as
popular march
Miss Lottie Loar shares with Miss
Grant the distinction of being the
/ first people of local origin to receive
an education in music from an ac-
credited school. Miss Lottie went to
New England Conservatory. If | re-
call Miss Daisy was a graduate of
Peabody. Miss Lottie was not teach
er. She knew in advance what de-
partment of music would be most use
full to the purpose she had in mind.
She was largely motivated by her
sense of social responsibility. That is
why she prepared to play the pipe
organ. She served st. Paul's faith
fully and efficiently for many years
and she was followed by worthy
successor in Julius Littman.
There are two choirs in Oakland at
the present time that are developing
along sound musical lines, the choir
of St, Marks, under the direction of
Mrs. Donald Sincell, and that of st.
Pauls, under Mrs. Frederick Thayer,
,Ir. The present standards are of the
best. These choirs have had most in
tcrcstng cvolutons. Under their
present leadership predict that their
influence in restoring honest musical
values to Oakland will be the most
decisive.
1t is an anomoly perhaps that it
was thru a local church that Oakland
suffered its first serious relapse And
this was done unintentionally. Many
years ago one Of the daughters of
Lutheran minister wanted to stage
benefit show She decided to use pop
ular music. 1t was called ragtimc,
Her show was bowling success. She
packed the house to the rafters. OF
course there were more Of them.
After that it was impossible to inter
est the local people in performance
Of serious music. 1t is just as much
crime to lower the standards of art
as the standards of morals. Our cul-
tural leaders should at all times be
an inspiration rather than cater to
vulgar tastes. This of course is done
in order to make d success. But what
is success if you fail to maintain your
standards? 1t is in the same category
as a fine, clean girl marrying an old
roue for his money. There is only
one way to advance in the arts-and
that is to hold up the highest stand
ards BY doing so-lifc itself is en-
nobled, For after all dignity, refine
mcnt, and all the sweet amenities of
living are interviewer with our best
artistic traditions.
SO all those who IN the past have
held high the escutcheon of the Music
Masters | can only say that you will
lave deep satisfaction in having
had small part in laying the foun-
dationS for new American art.
None of our local musicians were
great performers; none were compos-
ers. But the spirit which animated
their art is permanently reflected in
the best, distilled memories of our
enduring history.