Fairbury High School - Trail Yearbook (Fairbury, NE)

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5051 Klfwfgouf cz on loe Iesher, lim Preston, Betty McKay, Nyla Vinsonhaler, Iean Harlan, Marge Huss, Dick McKenzie and LeVern Iensen waited eagerly lor their accompanist, Miss Kuslca, to give the signal to start singing. They sang tor two ol the Pre-Easter convocations and many other special occasions. The mixed octet practiced every Wednesday morning in room 300. Every Wednesday morning at nine o'c1ock, sunshine or rain or snow . . or snow . . or snow . . the only mixed small group in FHS could be heard rendering pretty little ditties which were on the agenda for future presen- tation. But one snowy morning the mixed octet, which is composed of five seniors: Ioe Lesher, Iim Preston, Nyla Vinsonhaler, LeVern Iensen and Marjorie Hussg two juniors: Betty McKay and Dick 'tMert McKenzie, and one freshman: Patty Foust, was a little delayed in starting practice. When they reported to Room 300 that morning, Miss Kuska was hunting her glasses. The whole octet started looking for them. Fi- nally they gave up the search and proceeded Page 353 to sing. Later that day one of the members of the octet noticed Miss Kuska wearing the afore- mentioned glasses. ft seemed she left them in Room 2105 that morning, so one of the faculty put them in his pocket to give to her, but he for- got and carried them in his pocket for most of the day. Since the mixed octet met only once a week, it was a hard practice, but a lot of fun, too. They accomplished a lot of work when LeVern and lim weren't trying to get their English. The music they sang varied from such ditties as Nursery Rhymes and I Know What You Know to some popular tunes, Serenade of the Bells, and 'ilrish Lullaby. Their favorite sacred numbers were 'iThe Lords Prayer and 'iWere You There. Mixed octet was very active this year. The group sang for various women's clubs, for sev- eral church organizations and at the first of the series of Pre-Easter convocations annually ob- served by the high school. The mixed octet and four other small groups from neighboring towns participating in the Fair- bury Music Clinic, March 31, were chosen by Mr. David Foltz, guest conductor and critic from the University of Nebraska, to sing at the mass concert presented that evening in the high school auditorium.

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fl lt was that tirst hot week in Septemberg early morning classes, struggling against the lethargy induced by the unseasonal heat, were suddenly aware ol just a Song at Twilight, coming from Room 300. Upper classrnen looked at each other, grinning through the perspiration. Heat or no heat, school had otticially started, and Miss Hen- rietta Kuska, vocal music instructor, was grimly holding tryouts tor glee club. The girls learned immediately that glee club was not an organization where you just hummed around. lt you did not sing a part right, then that part was gone over again and again until it was learned. The group of songs enjoyed by the glee club was mostly religious and classical. The music varied from Holy, Lord God, to Keep Your Lamps Trimmed. The glee club, a capella and Iunior College choir joined lorces to present Handels Messiah on December 19. The vocal music clinic was held at the high school on March 31, under the direction of Pro- iffi LTL on in 5fV c7l7Z.scL'zf lessor David B. Foltz ot the University ol Nc- braska. Rehearsals were conducted during the day, then all clinic entrants joined in a choir tor an evening concert. Other towns attending this clinic were: Beatrice, Deshler, Nelson, Steele City, Endicott, Daykin and Diller. This clinic was held for criticisms, not for awards. The Spring Musicale was presented in April. Otticers for the glee club were: Marjorie Huss, president, Kathleen Luby, secretary-Y treasurer. Miss Kuska not only taught singing but also good posture and gave good advice tor better breathing habits when singing. Everyone has a voice, but unless you learn how to breathe and stand correctly, you will never be a singer. When learning a song in glee club, you don't just learn the melody but the words and what they mean. Glee club lett a melody floating in the halls ot FHS as well as in the hearts ot those in glee club. BACK ROW llelt to rightl: Carlene Meyer, Marlene Gates, Marian Zwei'el. Iecm Vigen, Ioan Wilkinson, Kathryn Fitch, Betty DeBoer, leannette Hayes, Helen Eilts, Bertha Katz, Lois Zabel, Mary Louise Thompson. Merlene Iordening. Ardith Iones. THIRD HOW: Kathleen Napier, Kay Riley, Donna McCord, Kathleen Luby. Betty McKay, Dorothea Brandhorst, Nyla Vinsonhaler, Patty Foust, Georgeanne Bambauer, Carolyn Cox, Vivian Koop, Verneeda Pleis, Marilyn Pleis, SECOND ROW: Dorothy Law, Ioan Heidelk, Patty Cobb, Loretta Culp, Vonnie Smart, Mariel Lenahan, Marjorie Naiman, Shirley Ham- mond, Shirley Snyder. Betty Hohllinq, lean Harlan, Norma Hock, Marian Rossmiller. FIRST ROW: Virlene Mohling, Doris lean Henkel, Donna Wilson, Gwen Miller, Marian Shultz, Sylvia Speir. Iollnn Corbin, Marlys Hummel, Ruth Cunningham, ldonna Burkhart, Marjorie Huss, Marion Campbell. Dorothy Watson. Doris Washburn tat pianoj. PM F10 if

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These nine attractive songbirds, who sang at two Pre-Easter convocations and made several other public ap- pearances, are ready to burst forth in beautiful harmony. They are Cleft to rightjz Nyla Vinsonhaler, Marian Zweifel, Betty McKay, Bertha Katz, Patty Foust, Carlene Meyer, Marlene Gates, Betty DeBoer and Helen Eilts. This year the girls' sexet consist-- od of six juniorsfe -Betty McKay,Ma1- ian Zweifel, Doris Washburn, Ieane nette Hayes, Dorothy Watson and Marion Campbell. The girls prac- ticed every Monday at four o'c1ock and every Thursday at four-thirty with Miss Henrietta Kuska as their supervisor. For performances they Wore dark skirts and pastel sweaters. The girls worked on many types of songs. A few of their selections were Velvet Shoes, lt Might as Well Be Spring, The Nightingale, and All in the April Evening. At Fairburys first annual vocal clinic, the sextet was one of the groups that sang for the guest conductor and critic, Mr. David Foltz. One evening the sextet sang for the Lions Club and were guests at the banquet preceding the program, The girls enjoyed themselves im- mensely, but Miss Kuska was The triple trio this year consisted of altos Patty Faust, Bertha Katz and Helen Eilts, second so- pranos Betty DeBoer, Carlene Meyer and Mar- lene Gates, and sopranos Betty McKay, Marian Zweifel and Nyla Vinsonhaler. Patty was a freshman, Bertha, a sophomore, Carlene, Mar- lene, Betty McKay and Marian, juniorsg Nyla and Betty DeBoer, seniors. Miss Henrietta Kuska di- rected the group. They sang many different types of songs this year, including religious, semi-clas- sical and popular. Among the favorites were l Walked Today Where Iesus Walked and My Beautiful Lady. The girls practiced Tuesdays and Thursdays after school. On Tuesday they had to wait until 4:30. This proved to be quite boring before several remembered the candy store across the street, also the school installed a coke machine which helped to solve the problem. However they didn't Waste time in practice, for they Worked hard and felt they had accomplish- ed something when the half hour was up. Besides singing at school affairs, the triple trio sang many other places such as the Christian Church for the Birthday Tea and at Christmas for the Kiwanis Club. They also sang at the clinic March 3l. Towns represented were: Beatrice, Endicott, Steele City, Daykin, Nelson, Diller and Fairbury. slightly Worried till after the girls had per- formed for fear they had eaten too much. The sextet also made appearances before such groups as the College Club, the Laymans Bane quet and Pre-Easter convocations. These smiling lassies find magic in music. Always singing is the motto of Dorothv Watson, Doris lean Washburn, Marion Campbell, Betty McKay, Ieannette Hayes and Kathleen Luby, members of this year's sextet. Page 39