Sumner High School - Maroon and White Yearbook (St Louis, MO)

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A Song in His Heart It is remarkable that in the period from 1840-1870, the work of a number of Negro musicians demanded recognition from the cultured people of that time. This outstand- ing group included instrumentalists, singers, and orchestral ensembles. So much attention was given to the songs of the illiterate Negro that little is known of the strenuous efforts put forth by these artists to achieve recog- nition. Thomas J. Bowers, a great tenor, expresses the identical sentiment in a letter, in which he writes: What induced me more than anything else to appear in public was to give lie to Negro Serenaders Cminstrelsl, and to show the world that colored men and women could sing classical music as well as the members of the other race by whom they had been so terribly villifiedf' Interest and achievement in vocal music was set apace. Through the combined efforts of Negroes, Cincinnati, Ohio, became a music loving center by the organization called the Mozart Circle. The circle grew out of a choir of a Negro church in that city. It should be noted that the church has played a most im- portant part in the advancement and develop- ment of choral music. An excellent example of this is the Wings Over Jordan chorus which sprang from a Cleveland church choir to national renown on the networks. The Colored Olpera Company was formed in Washington, in 1872. Their performances were attended by the leading musicians of the country, who came more for the novelty of the affair than for its musical value. They were astounded, however, by the natural grace and outstanding ability of the troupe. Another group which attained success was the Philharmonic Society of New Orleans. It Page Forty-two was organized for the study and presentation of the classics. For some time after the Civil War, extensive use of old plantation melodies were repugnant to those of African descent because of the allusion to slavery which they wished to have obscured. Then too, many Caucasians be- lieved Negroes incapable of singing classics and wished them to exclude other music to those hymns. It was this attitude that caused most Negroes to plan an inadversion on Negro folk songs. But Harry F. Burleigh and others preserved these melodies by arranging them in the form of music we now know as spirit- uals. The Folk Song Festivals by Mrs. E. Azalia Hackley drew attention to the melodic beauty of the music. It reached large groups of people in every important city in the union. Now s-pirituals, though not regarded as the finer type of music, have their place on the program of outstanding choral organizations and leading concert artists. In 1919, a National Association of Negro Musicians was formed for the purpose of stimulating progress, to discover and foster talent, to mold taste, to promote fellowship and to advance racial expression. Since the prevalence and seeming preference for a period of jazz, the work of a number of Negroes in this field must not be overlooked. The earliest Negro jazz bands were those of James Reese Europe and Will Marion Cook. Will Marion Cook composed many jazz pieces that were hits in that period. Foremost today are the bands of Fats Wal- ler, noted pianist, Erskine Hawkins, Count Basie, Earl Hines, Ella Fitzgerald, Cab Callo- way and Duke Ellington. Duke Ellington has written a number of popular pieces for movie production besides the numerous others written solely for bands. Cab Calloway has composed a number of songs but they are generally for his own per- formances and not for publication. The late Chick Webb and Ella Fitzgerald were a most successful team. Ella Fitzgerald made hits of Chickls snappy songs and after his sudden death took his place as director of the Chick Webb Band. Another female director is Etta Moten, only Negro woman on the network regularly. Fletcher Henderson is held in responsibility for a large 'part of the success of Benny Good- man, for it is he who arranges the unique presentations of the Benny Goodman Band. Teddy Wilson was formerly a soloist in the band but now is director of his own ensemble. Also to be included in this group are: Max- ine Sullivan, who has had musical comedy MAROON AND WHITE

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roles in films and whose throaty voice has been heard over the radio much of late, and the Ink Spots, now on a national tour, who make many vendor recordings. Most distinguished composer of syncopated music is William C. Handy, Father of the Blues. His most renowned blues song, the 'iSt. Louis Blues , is played and sung in all corners of the globe. In recent years, schools of music have been developed from former departments of music of the leading Negro colleges. A number of privately owned institutions are working toward the same end. Washington Conser- vatory is perhaps the oldest of these. This school was founded by Mrs. Harriet Gibbs Marshall, first Negro graduate of Oberlin Conservatory of Music. She is now working toward a Negro National Conservatory. Here young musicians may learn of the accomplish- ments of great instrumentalists, namely, Clar- ence Cameron White, Mary Europe, Helen E. Hogan, and Edward Jenkins, whose laurels have won abroad. This conservatory is also being organized for the express purpose of the study of compositions of such composers as William Grant Still. We swell with pride when we see our racial progress spotlighted in such great persons as Marian Anderson, Paul Robeson, Roland Hayes, and more recently, Dorothy Maynor. Like the race in general, their success was achieved through concentrated efforts, strenu- ous study, self-will, and high ideals. Elizabeth McAllister. 12' 1 5' ' Dream Boats Oh, we must set our little boats adrift Upon a ripple of our shallow streams, And hope a balmy breeze will fill their sails And guide us to the ocean of our dreams. Some boats may venture to a southern isle, A few may seek the charm of old Cathay, Some wander to the land of Midnight Sun, And many may not leave the tranquil bay. But to the Sovereign who keeps our skiffs We all must pray, however small they be, That some day, anchoring on that distant shore, We may announce that we have seen the sea. ART Familiar to all partons of art is the name of Henry O. Tanner, who, under the inspira- tion of his ambition and the desire to perpetu- ate his religious ideals, has set the pace for all Negro painters. Many Negro artists, using the Negro as a subject, have earned the ad- miration of the world. In his death we eulo- gize Malvin Gray Johnson who has left stories, written in oil with his paint brush, of his devotion to Negro spirituals. In life we laud Aaron Douglas, whose portrayal of the life story of Harriet Tubman may be seen on the Wall of one of the buildings of Bennett Col- lege. Likewise, no undue praise can be given to Elmer Simms Campbell, whose ability is unexcelled. These men, while only a few in number, tell the story of the development of Negro art. Elizabeth Wallace. I 2? ir -' . 54, fs MAROON AND WHITE Page Forty-three

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' 92' Q U' - , A' , f if if 1, 'YW g ', 4- 'f':f3g,.fgii f T . lil ' V ' , .,' rf W A l N t V! 3,2 tx . ' IV iff -N fx Si X' 7 l 7 f A , 'f y Y. J I! 34 Il . N ' 1' t '54 HQMQQ , W Y! 9 gl' Q' X41-f' 15: 15 ' 42742 ,fa .vu 4 .W 'ff .r-DU -5 V X! V ,I-.aw ,..s.,r-Jr r L elected to the All American football team, at Rutger College. He was an outstanding all- around athlete, being a 4-letter man. The director of athletics at Rutger says that Paul Robeson is regarded as the greatest living All-American football player and is now the greatest and the most prominent of its alumni. Men of the Negro race, taken as a Whole, seem to be the leaders along the line of phy- sical prowess but it is contrastingly notice- able that our women seem to have only a me- diocre amount of determination along that MAROON AND WHITE line. But supplimenting that mediocrity in the participation of sports is their undying in- terest in sports. No other race can produce finer, more interested or more intellectual feminine sports than those produced by our race. The names and excellent records of the fa- mous Negro sports figures will live forever and will be handed down as an eternal monu- ment to the physical and mental prowesses of the Negro race. Jerome Williams. Page Forty-one