Saint Ursula Academy - Scroll Yearbook (Toledo, OH)

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All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God: sing joyfully to God, all the earth. fGradnal of the third mass for Christmas

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THE CRQLL .92 Lfuufa -gqcacfemy Toledo, Udio DECEMBER I942 VOLUIXIE XXIII NUNIBER 1 C O N T E N T S ' PAGE Frontispiece ........,..,,...-,.......... .,,..,.,.......................... 2 As First They We1'e Sung ,,.,,,... Are You lVIad? CStoryj .,....... Servant of Nlary .............. . As 'No Other NIan'... Letters of the Law .... .......... Footlight Royalty ....... .,.....,.fean Ann Syring .......P11fricia Celustzz ....,........ElFIl7I0f .lrzcomet Carolyn The Grail In America ..................,... 'As I Have Loved You, Verse In Seasol 1.......... We Give You - Bit o' Leisure Honors ..... lVIasthead ..... ....... llfflrlry Ann Vollmayer Kinsey, Paddy Purcell ............PlIffiCiH Wilde .........B1ftty Conlin fStoryj .....,... ....... L oretta Barry Editorials ...........,....,,,,,. ..., Students' Spiritual Council ........ Chronicle .....,............ ..., Campus Shots ....,.,,.,,,,,.,,,,,,.. Itls N0 Mlllf2l1'j Secret ........., Alumnae ...........,.,,.,,....,,,,, Odds and Iincls ....,

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As first Tfzey We e Sung. .. T IS Christmas Eve once again. The snow is falling softly outside my win- dow. and down the street carolers are gladdening the air with their fresh young voices. For as long as I can re- member I have loved to wrap myself to the chin, and open the window wide' so that I might drink in the full beauty of the Christmas message these song- sters of the season bring. The history of a number of the hymns I know by heart, for llimi has repeated them to me every year since I was a wee one. VVould you like me to tell you about them? The three little boys you se-e carrying the torches are about to sing HSilent Nightu. What more beautiful selection than this for the opening number! This is truly my favorite, as lym sure it is that of hundreds of others. It was com- pose-d in Obendorf, Austria on the Christmas Eye of 1818. The verses were from the pen of Father Joseph lylohr, pastor of a local church, who wanted a new song to welcome the Christ Child. So it was that he asked Franz Gruber, the organist of the church, to set his poem to music. Unfortunately the bel- lows of the organ broke down that night and a repair man from a nearby village came to fix it. He became so attached to the beauty of the hymn that he took it home with him to his valley, whence it has spread throughout the world. Now I can see lylr. Elton giving the pitches for the next piece. I know from the opening chord that it is to be Adeste Fidelesn. This hymn was used at Bene- diction in France and England during the Christmas season to invite all to come to Bethlehem to worship the New- Born Savior. St. Bonaventure is be- lieved to have written it, although some think that it is of French or German origin. An Englishman, John Reading, who was organist at VVinchester -JEAN ANN SYRING '43 Cathedral in 1675, is said to have com- posed the beautiful melody. O Little Town of Bethleheml' was written especially for school children by the rector of Holy Trinity Church, Philadelphia, in 1868, and the tune was Written by his organist, Lewis H. Red- ner. lVIimi says that although everyone loved this tune, it was not accepted as a hymn until 1892. As you see, lVIimi has taught me well, for I remember even the dates. Little Johnny Elton is singing his favorite, The First Noel . France and England are both given credit for this hymn. A shephe'rd's carol, The First Noel is a medieval hymn, the chorus of which is addressed by the angels to the shepherds. The verse is by no means perfect, but it will always be loved as a hymn having a decidedly universal appeal. They are just starting to sing f'While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Nightf' VVouldn!t it have been ex- citing to be on that hill that night! Woiild you have been frightened too at therdazzling appearance of the angels? Nahum Tate is credited with having written this supplement of the Psalms containing the famous Christmas hymn, published in 1703. One, two, three-'IO Holy Night or Cantique de Noel is heard. This was written by the distinguished French composer, Adolph Adam, and in it he seems to have caught the spirit of the first holy night, when Love Incarnate came to brighten the drab earth. lylimi always forgets that she is not one of the carolers when they strike up f'Hark The Herald Angels Singu. With all her strength she strains her vocal organs to the breaking point at the mere suggestion of the name. The Words are accredited to Charles Wesley, fContinued on page 415 THE SCROLL , 5