The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1951-04-07
Naval Station Choir Grows To 40
Voices Under Menges And Whitley

-AUeestaht cnoT OF the Memorial
Chapel. U. S. Naval Station, Key
West. has grown in about half a
years to Iull7fledged choral
group of nearly forty voices with
a professional musician as di-
rector.
Under the supervision and
guidance of Lit. Harold F. Menges,
USM CHIC, Protestant chaplain,
and THONGS Whitley. supervisor
OF music in the Key West public
schools, wives of military person
mel and Navy men from the fol-
lowing activities have been weld
ed into ATTAINED vocal group of
near, professional ,ralibre:
USS Mania lSS 299), USS Sea
Poacher tSS 4O6), USS Corporal
iSS S46), USS Sarsfield ODD s37),
USSs. Gilmore CAS- l6), USS PC
$40, u. S. Naval Station, u. S.
Fleet Sonar School, u. S. Naval
Air Station, Fleet All Weather
Training Unit Atlantic, Air OPP
irrational Development Squadron
One, Airship Operational De-
velopment Squadron Eleven, and
the Advanced Underseas Weapon
School
Chaplain Menges began re-
cruiting members for choir
shortly after he reported for duty
at the Naval Station, Key West
in August, 1850. His success is
evidenced by the monthly aver
ages of rehearsal attendances;
Aug, 8; Sept, II; Oct, II; Nov,
25; Dec, "a; Jan, IS; Feb, 80;
and Mar, IS.
About the middle of Septem-
Der, Mr.. Whitley assumed duties
as director, and began training
the choir at rehearsals every
Wednesday night from 7::30 to 9:3O
p. m.
Working with collection OF
unframed ana trained, amateur
and semirprofessionaI voices, Mr.
Whitley has merged this dissimi-
lar aggregation of musical ex-
perience into well-trained, uni
fled chorus.
eliminating a varied program
of anthems sung each Sunday
the choir. recently sang "The
Palms by Faure for Palm Sun
day services which was attended
by President Truman and party
s. Some of the musical selections
which the choir has sung include
20 Lord Most Holy" by Franck
but The Lord Is Mindful OF His
4 Own by Mendelssohn, "There
Dwell In Old Judea" by Jackson
Break Forth, o Beautious
Heavenly Light" by Bach, "Sc
Near To God Am r by Gillette,
Il Win Thank Thee, o Lord by
Moir, Rejoice Ye With Jerusa-
lem" by Spinney, Jesus Said
Unto The People" by Stainer,
and Grant Us Thy Peace" by
Gounod. - -
Chaplain Menges, a graduate OF
Oklahoma Baptist University,
Shawnee, Oklahoma and South
western Baptist Theological Sem
mary, Fort Worth, Texas, came
TO KeyaWest from the Atlantic
Fleet Amphibious Force. Prior to
that, heeserved as chaplain at the
Jacksonville Naval Hospital,
Jacksonville, Fla, with the Sea-
bees on Guam and in Japan, and
at the Naval Training Center,
Dayisyille, Rhode Island.
While at Davisville, he con-
Quoted an Easter Sunday pro-
gram over a nationwide Mutual
Broadcasting Company radio
hook-up with orchestra and choir.
He is authorized to wear the
American area ribbon, Asiatic-
Pacific area ribbon, World War
II Victory medal ribbon, and the
Japanese Occupation ribbon.
Chaplain Menges is married to
the f0rAaeis Miss Alice Hatcher nf
Shawnee, Oklahoma. They have
three sons, Harold, age is, Paul,
age IS, and James, age 10.
The Chaplain's opinion of the
choir is best exemplified by the
following direct quotation from a
recent chapel bulletin.
The Chaplain is sure he ex-
presses not only his own deep
appreciation, but that of every
member of the Chapel Congrega
ton when he gives hearty Well
Done to the choir. Perhaps no
other single factor has contributed
so much to the growth of the con-
gregation and the finG spirit of
worship we now enjoy
Choir director Whitley attend
ed Washington and jefferson Uni
versity, Washington, Pennsyl-
vania and the University of Ken
lucky, Lexington, Kentucky. His
twenty-six years of musical ex-
experience include three seasons
with thes Erie and Wheeling Sym
phonY Cfciiestras as clarinetist,
conductaah of the staff band al
radio statton VIVA, Wheeling,
West Virginia, and director of q
coaststo-coast radio program for
IIIl,C.h rr4...l .