St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1952-08-08
ChOirs & Choruses Meet
In Annual Convention;
Visitors Throng Cities

of an old time revival meeting
when the national convention
of Gospel Choirs and Choruses,
Inc, celebrated their Goth an
niversary last Sunday.
The anniversary was celebrated
day before the official opening
OF the convention that win hold
its final session tonight.
Approximately 1000 delegates
from % states and 80 local unions
have been in st. Paul attending
the convention which is In session
Aug. to s.
This is the first time that the
convention has been held In the
Twin Cities and the Twin City
Gospel Choral union are the hosts
to the convention.
Thomas A. Dorsey, president
and one OF the founders Of the
group said that the organization
was started because 1t was the
belief Of the founders that there
was a need TO revive the spiritual
inspiration of the church and one
of the best methods to do that
was by song.
He went on to state that when
the choirs were first organized in
1892 the depression was at its
worse and people were drifting
away from the church.
And another purpose Of the
choirs was to foster and teach the
spirituals and gospel songs many
Of which had never been written
and were passed down from gem
Grafton to generation, Dorsey
stated.
The national headquarters Of
the organization located In Chi
cago, Ill. maintains two buildings
and a school for future gospel
singers and composers.
The national headquarters and
the school is financed entirely by
contributions.
Also each year the choral UNI
ion gives a $3.50 scholarship TO
some youngster to help him fu-
Their study gospel music.
The convention formally opened
Monday at o a. m. After a short
devotional conservation services
were held. There was. a sermon by
Rev. II. Gore of st. Louis, Mo.
Music was rendered by the Jewel
Gospel Singers Of Newport News,
Va. and the Victorettes Of Detroit,
Mich.
The afternoon services were
presided over by the national su-
pervisor of the solist bureau, VIII
lie Mae, Ford Smith. of st. Louis,
Mo.
The Monday evening program,
under auspices of the Twin city
Union featured the outstanding
local talent Of the host union.
Mrs. Viola Cassell, Is president.
The highlight of the evening
was the procession Of the 100
voice mass chorus, which was I'M
der the direction of Bessie Gres-
ham and Silas Smith.
The highlights Of Tuesdays
meeting were the opening Of a
seminar, sermon by Rev. James
Henry, music by Tennessee and
Virginia Unions.
The organization was greeted
Tuesday evening by President
Thomas Dorsey's annual address.
Following the presidents mes
sage was the scholarship contest.
The piano musical participants
were; James Browden, ST. Louis;
Miss Ethelene Williams, Mime
apolis; and Ramsey Lewis Jr.,
Chicago, who won the $4,000
scholarship award. ....
Judges of the contest were:
Earl Rymer of the University Of
Minnesota, Hilda Nordstrom of
st. Paul, and Hattie Bell Smith
Of st. Paul. Music was furnished
by the Michigan and Illinois Un-
ions, under direction Of A. w.
Hutchins, Sally Jones, H. J. Car
rutheers and r. L. Lewis Sr.
On Wednesday evening Mrs.
Beatrice Brown Beasley, super
vison Of the Youth Department,
conducted the Youth Artist pro-
gram, which featured the address
of Dorothy Boswell, the Youth
president.
The session, with representa-
tives from IS states. win close
Friday evening August 9Th with
an Artist Night program. Ken
meth Morris Is chairman OF the
nro0rarn