Music In The Air

Chapter XVII

     The Aeolians recent production, “Sound of Music” under the able baton of Mr. Larry Kelley, was a smash hit.  Rave reports filled the air all over town and always with the joyous addenda, “Oh those children!  Weren’t they marvelous!  They stole the show!”

     The superb coordination of talent, the rapport on stage, back stage and in the orchestra surely made this production the Aeoleans finest hour.  It has added a brilliant page to the musical history of this part of the state with so many surrounding towns represented in the cast and in the orchestra.  Your Historical Society takes pride in the thought that another page of high musical attainment will be recorded in its archives.

     The Aeoleans were organized in 1953 by John Driggs and they have sung before many organizations and gatherings in the mid west.  Their espirit de corps has always been of the highest. From 1955 to 1967 they have produced 12 great musical plays and always with well-nigh flawless finesse.

     “Music is the fourth great materials want of our nature, first food, then raiment, then shelter, then music, “ --Bovee

     Lucas County was musically inclined from its earliest years.  In 1897, music was first introduced into the schools by way of girls’ glee clubs, musical plays and then an orchestra conducted by Amanda Westling, sister of Albert Westling.  In 1899 Chariton took its first significant step when a musical was given in the Mallory Opera House by Mrs. Carrie Jacobs Bond.  This brilliant event was sponsored by Mr. and Mrs. S. H. Mallory, their daughter, Mrs. Jessie Mallory Thayers, and Miss Buell.  Mrs. Bond’s program was entirely of her own compositions.  Following the program, the guests adjourned to the Noxall Club for refreshments and dancing.

     The building of the opera house by Mr. Mallory (where the Montgomery Ward building now stands) attracted groups of musicians and encouraged the development of home talent.  In 1921 the Chariton Student Band was formed and directed by Mortimer Wilson who later arranged the music for “The Birth of a Nation”.  Mr. Wilson was a fine violinist.  He was the protégé of Mrs. Jessie Thayer.  The Student Band was followed by the Chariton City Band under the direction of Mr. Herbert Johnson and sponsored by the American Legion.  Memory recalls with tremendous pride, the marching and drilling of that band around the square in their beautiful uniforms with Leck Young as drum major, the Martin twins as majorettes dancing, prancing, and stepping in absolute precision drills directed by Oscar Stafford to a point of showmanship unsurpassed in the nation.  This was the official band for the Sidney Rodeo for several years.  In competition they took second place in St. Louis in 1935, second in Chicago in 1939 and from Cleveland in 1936 they returned with the coveted National Champion Band Award.  That night they appeared in our football stadium where they put on their dazzling performance of music and precision drills in a display that made every heart leap in justifiable pride.

    At one time in the long ago, Chariton had a ”Ladies Mandolin Club” of eight members and in 1917 there was the Chariton Choral Club of some 50 mixed voices.  No names are available.

   While all this progress was making its way in Chariton, our neighboring town of Lucas was joyously making its own musical history.  The great majority of Lucas immigrants were English, Welsh, with some Scotch and Swedish and they all knew and loved music.  Peter Welsh was a professional musician and a very fine one.  He, along with others of high musical taste, did much to promote musical groups in the town.  There were all kinds of musical programs and “literaries,” all of which the people eagerly supported.

     One of the wry twists in human affairs concerns two Lucas gentlemen:  Thomas Hopkins and John T. Evans, Elizabeth Johnson’s grandfather.  Both were natives of Wales; both graduated from the “Tonic Sol Fa College” in Wales under the same instructor.  Mr. Hopskins in 1880 and Mrs. Evans in 1885.  The two men never met in Wales but upon graduation, Mr. Hopkins announced to his teacher: “Now I’m going to America.”  When Mr. Evans graduated five years later, he said to his teacher, “Now I’m going to America”. and the teacher said, “That’s strange.  I graduated a man just five years ago who said he was going to America.”

     Both men came to Lucas – five years apart and there they met, both working in the mines and both working in music.  Later the quartet was doubled and still later a male chorus was formed, also under the direction of Mr. Hopskins.  They sang in the church choirs of Lucas community affairs around about, in Christmas and Easter programs.  They traveled about and gave concerts.  Like our own Aeoleans, they were motivated solely by their love of music and the pleasure it gave to others and to themselves.  Mrs. Sarah Hervy, Elizabeth Johnson’s mother, tells of a certain play, “The Family Row” in which all parts were sung.  This play was repeated every two or three years and always to a packed house – not even standing room was left.  (There was no fire ordinance then and this was on the second floor of the big opera house buildings on the hill northwest of Lucas.)

    Lloyd Mikesell, an excellent musician and a fine director, organized a Lucas Male Chorus and they traveled about singing in churches, school houses and various gatherings.  They sang over the air from the Shenandoah station several times.  William Hunter of Lucas is, so far as we can discover, the only survivor who was in Mr. Hopkins double quartet and also in Mr. Mikesell’s Lucas Male Chorus.  Mr. Mikesell also organized a Chariton Male Chorus of some 16 to 20 voices and they sang in many towns and over WOI, Ames and WHO, Des Moines.  Of the original group, only three members remain locally – Joyce Tennant, Ralph Downs and Frank Lunan.  From them we have the following episode:  It was in 1935.  They were in Chicago to sing over NBC National Farm and Home hour.  They were under the lights, ready to give their all when the lights were cut and a voice announced the arrival in New York Harbor of the NORMANDIE on her maiden voyage – three days late.  The voice continued: ‘Boys don’t get excited.  Remember it took seven million dollars to get you off the air!

   The Deep Rock Oil Company learned of the situation and then Dave Evans, an employee of Deep Rock and a member of the chorus, arranged to pick up the 16 members in taxis and took them to Wrigley Field to see the game between the Cubs and Cardinals.  Then a complete tour of the city on the “El”.  Next morning back to NBC where they were given a full half hour on the air.  Following that appearance, they received congratulatory cards from countries all over the world showering them with praise for their singing.

     Derby built its opera house in 1900.  The late Dr. Lynn Chapman as a boy, drove the horse that hoisted the bricks and mortar to the ascending heights as the buildings grew to two stories.  This was the “gay nineties”, when road shows were so popular and performed everything from minstrels and vaudeville to such classics as “East Lynne” and many others.  Mrs. Myrtle Garton McEndry, Dr. Garton’s mother, with her sister Verna and other young people, sang often from that stage, accompanied by Mrs. Fred Throckmorton.  The two sisters, Myrtle and Verna sang duets, on of which still clings to memory.  “Beautiful Moonlight.”  It was always demanded an encore which the girls dreaded because the favorite encore required lifting their skirts a tiny bit from the knee.

     One of the fine music teachers of derby was Mrs. Ada Blizzard Grimes who held a degree from Valpariso University.  She played for public gatherings, she taught private pupils for many years, was church organist and she organized the “Old Fashioned Singing School” that was quite popular.  Another noted musician of Derby the aforesaid Mrs. Fred Throckmorton, mother of Dr. J. Fred Throckmorton now of DesMoines but who does not forget his boyhood home.  Mrs. T hrockmorton was Mayme Pennewell, aunt of Mrs. George Dunshee of Chariton.  Derby was a music loving town.  They had a band, quartets, sextets and choruses and they conducted evening music classes each year at a cost of $1 per pupil for the course.

     In 1963 the Aeoleans bought the old building and restored it, faithfully preserving the warmth of its atmosphere.  The theatre looks out upon a charming little park, maintained by the Derby Garden Club.  Summer concerts were given during several seasons and were well received.  Occasional displays of paintings by local artist have been an interesting and attractive feature.

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    Russell also had a musical history.  In June of 1874 the Russell Musical Association was organized for the purpose of cultivating local talent.  The society was very popular with a membership of about 75.  They met ever Saturday evening, studied music and sang under the leadership of I. N. Davis, James, the station agent, and J. B. Ferguson.  The following year they held an eight-day music convention in which 90 persons took part under the leadership of Mr. Ferguson.  IT closed with a concert at one of the church.  In 1885 Russell had an 11-piece band.  We have the picture but no further data.

     Williamson was the musical area headquarters for the rural schools in its immediate vicinity.  Each autumn there was a meeting of all the schools under a special supervisor from Cedar Falls for instruction to the teachers in choir work so popular at that time.  The following spring a competition was held generally on the east side of the square in Chariton where the children sang from a raised platform.  ‘Brush College’ a fanciful name for a rural school in English township taught by Mrs. Helen Wood took top honors in one of these contests.

     Much more can be said about the musical history of Lucas County and will be said as time brings further columns.  This column is indebted to Larry Kelley whose thesis “MUSIC IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF CHARITON” has been drawn upon for some excerpts and to many others who have so kindly share their knowledge and experiences.  Mr. Kelley has designate that his thesis become the property of your Historical Museum.

Pages 68-72