Harlan Boys Choir - Harlan Daily Enterprise
Transcription
Harlan Boys Choir - Harlan Daily Enterprise
Harlan Boys Choir Singing Sons of Appalachia A tribute to the members of the Harlan Boys Choir, both past and present, who, through dedication and a genuine love for music throughout half a century have aided in elevating the choir to international prominence 50th Anniversary 1965-2015 Supplement to the Harlan Daily Enterprise September 4, 2015 Harlan Boys Choir 2 Friday, September 4, 2015 Harlan Daily Enterprise Since 1965: A tradition of excellence By Mark Bell Contributing Writer Editor’s note: Adapted from an article written in honor of the Harlan Boys Choir’s 40th anniversary. While there are the traditional three R’s in school, Harlan County has become well-known around the world for its three M’s: Miners, mountaineers and musicians. One of the most acclaimed and recognized musical groups to come from Harlan County is the Harlan Boys Choir, nationally renowned and celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. The story of the choir’s creation, in fact its entire history, can be found in the mixture of the personalities and talents involved in the group over the years. (That and a couple of gentlemen named Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, but more on them later.) The Harlan Boys Choir has always been made up of its many members, past and present, strongly influenced by an ever-changing school administration, and the generations of parents and community supporters who shard in the same experience. It’s more than a little story about how some dedicated teachers directed and inspired young men and boys to some great performances of wonderful music. It’s also about how one small group of people from one small and increasingly desperate town, pursued a unique opportunity, climbed the mountainous obstacles they round in front of them every day, chased after their rainbows, and, in the process, found a dream that needed all the love they could give. FINDING A DREAM It was 1965 and David Davies had recently returned to his hometown to be a teacher. He’d always been involved in music, was well-recognized for his vocal talents and was also very much engaged as a church musician. So naturally one of his jobs as a member of the faculty, in addition to his primary duty of teaching junior high English, was to direct the junior high chorus, coach junior high basketball, etc., etc. President Lyndon Johnson had been in office for a couple of years, but the Vietnam War had not yet turned the nation against itself. Astronauts were heroes. The Beatles were young and hot. Appalachia was also big news. Johnson’s push for “War on Poverty” programs had brought national attention to the region in general and eastern Kentucky in particular. Harry Caudill’s “Night Comes to the Cumberlands” was still somewhere close by on every politician’s bookshelf. Also in those days, the work of two very accomplished artists was familiar to everybody. Those two were, of course, Rodgers and Hammerstein, who between 1942 and 1959, had produced some of the most successful and acclaimed Broadway musicals of the age. Their later adaptations as feature films spread the teams’ artistic triumph to a mass audience. Their works garnered numerous Tony Awards for their stage productions, Academy Awards for their film productions, and even a Pulitzer Prize for drama. See Tradition | 3 Offices also located in Huntington, WV • Manchester, KY and Harrogate, TN. 60602986 Harlan Office 62 Ball Park Road Harlan, KY 40831 606-573-4242 606-573-0034 M – F 8:30 – 4:30 Harlan Boys Choir Harlan Daily Enterprise Tradition From page 2 Even today, anyone who appreciates music, the movie musical, or is involved in the arts in any way is very familiar with the work of Rodgers and Hammerstein. In the early 1960s, they were still quite the rage. It was springtime in 1965 when a group of Harlan’s junior high boys joined as an all-boys chorus to perform some of the selections from “South Pacific,” Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Pulitzer Prize winning story involving a group of American sailors, their officers, and the island people they meet during World War II. Many of the songs from that musical are for male voices Friday, September 4, 2015 3 only, and it turned out the boys and their director enjoyed the experience so much they wanted to continue it and even expand it to include younger ones and perform music that used voices in the higher ranges. So, Davies had a list of boys who were interested in starting something new. Harlan High School had included an all-girls choir, the Musettes, for nearly 20 years. There was also an elementary choir program for the youngest students, but a choir involved only boys from ages 9 to 18 was somewhat unusual, not just for Harlan but for most anywhere. The charter group of nearly 40 boys first met at the home of Melvin and Betty Blanton on Ivy Hill. At that meeting, Davies and his colleague, Marian Maxwell, Photo courtesy of David Davies, Marilyn Schraeder and Mark Bell See Tradition | 5 The Harlan Boys Choir first performance in the fall of 1965 at the Lewallen Hotel. Kentucky Mine Kentucky MineMine Kentucky pply Company SuSu pply Company Su pply Company Everything You Need In In Everything You Need In Everything You Need 416 South Main St., Harlan • 606-573-5231 - Groceries & More - Electrical, Hardware, Mining &Plumbing, Plumbing Supplies Electrical, Hardware, Mining & Plumbing Supplies Electrical, Hardware, Mining, Paint and Supplies. Electrical, Hardware, Mining & Plumbing Supplies We Accept Food Stamps and Major Credit & Debit Cards ServingHarlan Harlan County andSurrounding Surrounding Areas Areas for over 90 Years! County and Surrounding Areas for over Years! Serving Serving Harlan County and for over 9090 Years! River Street Street Harlan, KYKY • (606) Harlan, KY •573-3850 (606) 573-3850 RiverRiver Street Harlan, • (606) 573-3850 60601226 Guaranteed Lowest Grocery Prices in this area. 60604637 Core Fitness 24•7 Health 24•7 6 AM - 6 PM / 6 PM - 6 AM 121 S. Main Harlan, KY 40831 60601078 606-574-8667 Mon. - Fri. 7:30 AM - 5:30 PM • Saturday 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM 60601896 Unlimited Tanning Harlan Boys Choir 4 Friday, September 4, 2015 LEFT: Keeping their voices sharp at summer practice in 1966. RIGHT: The Harlan Boys Choir, 1966-67. Congratulations Harlan Boys Choir on your 50th Anniversary! Harlan Daily Enterprise Photos courtesy of David Davies, Marilyn Schraeder and Mark Bell HARLAN COMMUNITY TELEVISION Cable, Internet, Telephone Services 4-MB Service 110 Professional Lane Suite 102 Harlan, KY 40831 Tel: 606.573.9539 Fax: 606.573.7390 www.ptpros.net 60535253 Improving the lives of everyone we touch. JAMES PARKER "JAKE" BOGGS GS “JAKE” BOG r Member Harlan Boys Choi 2001-2008 ALOHA! From Honolulu, HI. After graduating from Eastern Kentucky University, I moved to Hawaii to work on my Masters of Fine Art in Ceramics. I am at the University of Hawaii with a Graduate Teaching Fellowship in Art, 2015-2016. I will finish my MFA in May 2016. My parents are Parker and Marye Boggs, Harlan, KY. 60602561 124 South First Street, Harlan, KY 606-573-2945 60601184 “The Able Cable” Harlan Boys Choir Harlan Daily Enterprise Tradition From page 3 who was the elementary music teacher at the time, officially organized as the Harlan Boys Choir. CLIMBING EVERY MOUNTAIN The boys spent a lot of time over the summer of 1965 in rehearsal. When school began, the group met each morning for a half-hour before classes began. That was a pattern the choir would follow for several years until eventually being integrated into the school’s class schedule. Their initial performances involved select members of the choir singing to small groups around town. They had prepared with some of the traditional American standards of Stephen Foster and selections from the hit 1960 musical “Oliver.” The first time the entire group performed together was in October at a function of the Harlan Lions Club. By that time, the choir had prepared a few even more challenging classical pieces from composers such as Bach and Schubert to go with the more popular contemporary material. This would be one of the long-standing traditions of the choir, balancing musical styles. Davies maintained this commitment to bring “serious and substantial music” to the boys, as well as to the community and to the wider audience they would meet. Soon the choir started to get requests for appearances, so the next challenge they began to face was one of scheduling enough performances to meet the demand. They started small, with other civic clubs, church programs, public events and school functions. The next season, the choir began its longest-running performance tradition - the Fall Preview Concert. In the early Friday, September 4, 2015 5 years, the audience for that concert was limited to invited guests, including family, friends and choir supporters. Many of those supporters had been recruited by the parents of choir members. This group had also begun to organize and soon was to function as the primary source of funding for the choir, which helped them meet their expenses for basic needs like sheet music, costumes and travel costs. The ultimate result of that organizing effort was the creation of Harlan Boys Choir,Inc., in November 1966. Their work and financial contributions made it possible for the boys to travel around the state and the region, building support as they went. Before long, the boys were heading out across the nation to appear before steadily growing audiences, building a reputation for excellence, and creating in the minds of their listeners a deeper appreciation of the potential in Appalachia’s youth. One of the choir’s first “road trips” was in 1967 when they went to Lexington for a recording session at Lemco Records. The disc was given to those who contributed $5 or more to the choir and to those who shared their homes with the boys when they traveled. Additional record sales helped fill their account. As their success grew, the choir was able to purchase a change in uniforms. Their first official outfit, bought in the fall of 1965, was a maroon blazer, which was worn with black pants, a white shirt and thin black tie. What made this uniform special was the emblem that was worn over the blazer’s breast pocket. Each boy designed an insignia and the winning emblem, as crafted by seventh-grader Mike Ball, is the logo still in use today. Early on, they also borrowed a set of robes from the Harlan United Methodist Church to perform at the See Tradition | 6 Anderson-Laws and Jones Funeral Home Funeral Directors Since 1937 114 S. Third St. ~ Harlan, KY 40831 60604825 606 573-3757 78 Years of service to Harlan County and surrounding areas www.aljfh.com 60603300 See Us For All Your Propane Needs! 60601869 (606) 573-1888 [email protected] 60601922 945 N. Hwy 413 • Baxter, KY • 606-573-1380 FULL LINE MUSIC STORE Sales, Rentals, Repair, Piano Moving & Restoration, Sound, Lighting & Video Design & Installation 112 S. Main Street, Harlan Harlan Boys Choir 6 Friday, September 4, 2015 Tradition From page 5 annual football coronation ceremony and then at a Christmas concert. Early the next year, the choir held a special fundraiser to purchase the robe ensemble (called a surplice and cassock) that is still being worn at the more formal occasions. The choir began performing before prominent public figures, including a succession of Kentucky governors, from Louie Nunn to Steve Beshear. None would be so influential for them as Wendell Ford, who, as a member of the U.S. Senate, would have the group appearing before an internationally televised audience in January 1989 at the inauguration of George H.W. Bush as the 41st president of the United States. But we haven’t crossed that particular bridge yet. FORDING EVERY STREAM With the beginning of the new decade, the choir had grown to nearly 100 members, but had lost one of its founders as Marian Weiler Maxwell moved to Shelbyville where she would remain as a teacher until her retirement. Loyall native Marilyn Schraeder stepped in as the newest member of the school’s music education staff and one of her responsibilities became Harlan Boys Choir accompanist, and later assistant director. Schraeder had recently earned her degree in music education at Indiana University in Bloomington. Their college of music continues to be recognized as one of the finest in the nation. The choir began a relationship with several influential people involved in the IU music program who would provide national and international exposure for the choir in the years ahead. Harlan Daily Enterprise The choir began a near-annual trek across the Ohio River into Indiana to perform for music educators and others, enjoy performances at the university’s Opera House, and visit the very small tourist town of Nashville as a learning retreat. The boys performed before distinguished music professionals at event such as the Kentucky Music Educators Association in Owensboro, the Southern Division of Music Educators National Conference in Norfolk, Va., and the National Division of Music Educators in Anaheim, Calif. It was exposure at the professional level that opened the door for them to perform internationally when they were invited to compete in the 1972 International Youth Music Festival in Graz, Austria. During a stopover in the capital city of Vienna, the choir visited sites by Schonbrunn Palace, the imperial home of the Hapsburg family, rulers of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The choir gathered for a brief impromptu concert on the palace courtyard and later visited the home of the world famous Lipizanner Stallions, the fabled white horses once preferred by Europe’s military leaders. The city of Graz lies further south and is the small country’s second largest population center. Now more widely known in America as the boyhood home of Arnold Schwarzenegger, the city of over 300,000 people has a long history as a “student city” as it is home to five universities. As the seat of imperial power before Vienna, it has a long cultural history as well and for century’s hosted performances by many of Europe’s music notables, including Haydn and Mozart. It was a long way from the hills of southeastern Kentucky to the hills of south central Austria and into the See Tradition | 9 Jeff Brock Cardinal FinanCial ServiCeS, inC. 2374 US Hwy. 421 South | Harlan, KY | Lisa Smith, Manager GAW & ASSOCIATES, PLLC Hwy. 840, Baxter, KY • 573-5300 Tax ServiceS • Payroll • eSTaTe Planning inheriTance reTurnS • BookkeePing • Financial ServiceS TROY GAW Certified Public Accountant Harlan District Court Judge and Staff. Harlan District Court Judge and Staff The Laurels, Inc. Teetersville, KY • 606-573-5105 A NoN-profit perSoNAl cAre hoMe Come by and visit with us! Board Members, Staff, and David Mullins, Administrator 60601202 Too much Month at the end of the Money? Come by or call us today! Money for what you need when you need it! 60601882 Jeff Brock Harlan Daily Enterprise Harlan Boys Choir Photos courtesy of David Davies, Marilyn Schraeder and Mark Bell LEFT: Preparing for the first Indiana University trip in 1971. RIGHT: Boys Choir Fall preview, 1972-73. Home of New CHEVROLET and BUICK CARS and TRUCKS. 60602439 “We don’t want all the Business, but we do want YOURS.” Check out our Great Selection of Pre-owned Vehicles Friday, September 4, 2015 7 Harlan Boys Choir 8 Friday, September 4, 2015 th 0 5 Harlan Daily Enterprise Photos courtesy of David Davies, Marilyn Schraeder and Mark Bell LEFT: Harlan Boys Choir members in 1975. CENTER: Boys Choir officers, 1980-81. RIGHT: Members of the Harlan Boys Choir during their trip to Canada in 1984. Congratulations Harlan Boys Choir Members on your 50th Anniversary! HARRIS INSURANCE AGENCY 118 Eversole Street,Harlan, KY 606-573-4770 See us for all your Insurance needs! HARLAN UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 201 East Mound Street • Harlan, KY 606-573-1464 Kyle Burnett, Pastor Sunday School: 10:00 am Sunday Morning Services: 11:00 am Sunday Evening Services: 6:00 pm Wednesday Evening Services: 6:00 pm 60602023 Congratulations Harlan Boys Choir on your 50th Anniversary! 40 West Highway 72 • Baxter, KY • 606-573-4550 FAST SERVICE . FREE DELIVERY Join us in Worship 60601917 HARLAN GLASS SERVICE • Windows • Doors • Auto Glass • Frameless Shower Doors • Vinyl Siding 65 Carr Glass Road • Baxter, KY 606-573-3535 Harlan Boys Choir Harlan Daily Enterprise Tradition From page 5 performances halls of the legendary musical talents in world history, but there the Harlan Boys Choir stood in the summer of 1972, earning a superior rating and achieving the highest level of distinction in the company of such groups as the Philadelphia Boys Choir. FOLLOWING EVERY BYWAY The choir’s desire for challenge and musical excellence had taken them from Harlan County, across the country and over the sea. They had been given the opportunity to visit a different world, and it had changed their lives. The experience had also changed the life of the town they always called home. The choir continued a serious travel and performance schedule through the mid-1970s before two major disasters slowed them down. The April 1977 flood caused millions of dollars in damages in every community across Harlan County. Then Harlan Elementary School was destroyed by fire and the building they had known as their rehearsal hall and hometown auditorium was gone, along with much of the choir’s property. The choir and parents banded together, salvaged what they could, and kept building on their reputation as premier choral performers. They traveled to St. Louis for an appearance at the 1981 Six Flags Over Mid-America Choral Festival, again capturing a superior rating and the “Best in Class” award. The following year, they appeared in Canada to compete in Ottawa’s acclaimed International Music Festival. In 1987, they continued their string of success with a superior rating and Friday, September 4, 2015 9 another “Best in Class” award at the International Choral Festival at Six Flags Over Georgia in Atlanta. The choir also kept up with its tradition of appearing for prominent public events, helping Gov. Martha Layne Collins open the newly renovated Governor’s Mansion for Christmas 1985. All this success during the decade of the 1980s culminated in their being scheduled as the featured performance during the inauguration ceremony for President Bush. The many years of sustained excellence had placed them among the very best choirs in the entire world. That commitment to excellence across the generations of Harlan Boys Choir members created the confidence of influential people like Senator Ford, whose leadership position made him responsible for the inaugural ceremony. But whether it is performing in front of presidents, professional musicians or their hometown faithful, the boys in the choir, and their leaders, embrace the lyrics of one of the songs they first learned to sing together five decades ago: “Climb Every Mountain.” Tune by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II from “The Sound of Music,” 1959. “Climb every mountain, search high and low, Follow every byway, every path you know. Climb every mountain, ford every stream, Follow every rainbow, till you find your dream! A dream that will need all the love you can give, Every day of your life, for as long as you live. Climb every mountain, ford every stream, Follow every rainbow, till you find your dream!” Congratulations Harlan Boys Choir Members on your 50th Anniversary! Certified Public Accountant 307 East Central Street Harlan, KY 40831 Office Phone Office Phone (606) 573-3335 (606) 273-1633 Middlesboro Coca-Cola Bottling Works Inc. 60604336 www.cgmsw.com 60603153 1324 Cumberland Ave | Middlesboro KY 40965 60604214 Richard F. Scruggs Harlan Boys Choir 10 Friday, September 4, 2015 Harlan Daily Enterprise Harlan Boys Choir leadership JOYCE HECK Vote For and Elect REPUBLICAN FOR CIRCUIT COURT CLERK A CLERK WHO WILL WORK FOR YOU!! EDUCATION: James A. Cawood High School; BS at Eastern Kentucky University QUALIFICATIONS: 20 YEARS EXPERIENCE as Deputy Clerk in the Harlan Circuit Court Clerk’s Office. I know the IMPORTANCE and REQUIREMENTS of maintaining and keeping the Court’s records. I performed those duties in both DISTRICT and CIRCUIT Court!! The founder of the Harlan Boys Choir is David Davies, retiring in 2009 after nearly 45 years. Marilyn Schraeder, music instructor at Harlan Independent Schools and director of the Musettes, has served as associate director and accompanist. I have been actively involved in several matters dealing with the problem of drug abuse in our community. I was instrumental in establishing the Harlan Drug Court Program, and helped to bring the Recovery Center. I served as Chair & Co-Chair of the Harlan County UNITE Coalition, where I have been a member since 2004. I wrote and prepared the application for 501c3 and obtained tax exempt status for the Harlan County UNITE Coalition. I worked hard to obtain funding for Celebrate Recovery Programs, Reformers Unanimous and other drug free programs for our schools and the children in our community. My husband, Thomas Heck and I have volunteered our time since 2007 to bring to our community the HOFNOD (Hooked on Fishing Not on Drugs) Program at Martins Fork Lake. The program received the Operation UNITE’s “Rising Above” Award for inspiring leadership, purpose and passion in the region. The Award was presented by Gil Kerikowske, White House Director for Drug Policy and Fifth District Congressman Harold “Hal” Rogers. Harlan City Fire Department P.O Box 783, Harlan, KY 40831 • Linette Hutchinson, Chief (606) 573-4130 • (606) 573-1212 I ask you the voters of Harlan County to vote for a candidate who will not only be found in the office serving you, but can be found in your community working with others to combat the drug abuse problem and attempting to make Harlan County a safer place for all of us to live and raise our children. MAKE JOYCE YOUR CHOICE 60603911 60602211 ON NOVEMBER 3RD Harlan Boys Choir Christman directs the next generation By Mark Bell the district’s board of education and had been a member of the choir in his youth. He and his wife are longtime staunch Following the retirement of David supporters of the choir. Davies in June 2009, the Harlan Christman pursued an interest in developing her talents at the University Independent School System turned to a of Louisville School of Music where distinguished musical alumnus to lead she earned a bachelor’s degree as well the newest generations of the Harlan as a degree in music Boys Choir. education. She followed Marybeth Christman that with a master’s graduated from Harlan degree in education from High School in 2002 where the University of the she achieved success and Cumberlands. recognition for her musical “I was also able see what ability and considerable an overwhelming honor it vocal talent. is to be able to introduce “When I graduated (from and instill a passion for high school), being a music music,” she noted. teacher was the last thing I As with Davies before wanted to do,” she said. “It her, directing the boys took several years for me chorus is only part of her to fully grasp the incredible typical work day. Currently, power of music in a child’s Marybeth Christman she teaches music to life. children in the primary “I am blessed to be a part of the Harlan grades, has a class in music appreciation Boys Choir tradition, and I’m honored as for seventh graders, and directs the well to have the privilege of being a part middle school drama program. of our 50th year,” she added. “As a choral director, I love The daughter of Terry and Tina introducing new cultures and languages Harris, of Baxter, Christman grew up in music as well as new styles and strongly influenced and guided by the traditional pieces,” Christman said. “To musical programs offered in the school. experience so many different pieces is to experience the world.” Her father had served for many years on Contributing Writer Friday, September 4, 2015 11 Cheap Shot Photos Studio Noing t SetFee 100 Ross Drive | Baxter, KY Bra Cheand New Phot p Sho t o is Ops Studio en!!! ! Jeff Wilder, Administrator 19101 N. U.S. 119 Cumberland, Kentucky 40823 Ph. 606-589-5421 Fax. 606-589-2097 [email protected] www.tricitiesnursing.com 60601161 Vicki Harris Blakley and Randy Blakley 606-573-3116 or text me @ 606-909-0345 60604944 Harlan Daily Enterprise Harlan Boys Choir 12 Friday, September 4, 2015 CUMBERLAND VALLEY FUNERAL HOME Good Luck Teams! 20074 Medical Center Drive Comprehensive Drive, P.O. BoxKy 895, Harlan, 113 South Main Street, Cumberland, KY 606-589-5757 Locally Owned. Serving Tri-Cities and Surrounding Areas. Harlan, Kentucky 40831 (606) 573-7250 Where Your Family Is Our Family! JEREMIAH M. MILLS Guyn Accounting Services Business Valuation Services (Class of 2021) CHARLES H. GUYN, MBA, AVA Enrolled Agent Bradley Guyn, Former Harlan Boys Choir Member. Son of Charles and Kathy Guyn. 60601240 Suite 304 Hendrickson Building,P.O. Box 1566, Harlan, KY 40831 (606) 573-6261 • Fax (606) 573-6265 Beginning seventh grade at Harlan Middle School as a four year member of the choir. Plays football, basketball, baseball, and is a violin student of Lisa Abraham. He is the son of Maggie H. Mills, Harlan, KY and the Late Samuel V. Mills (Class of 1991) HARLAN COUNTY FARM BUREAU Jonathan David Heck He is a student at the University Of Kentucky College of Pharmacy, Lexington, Ky. He is working as a Pharmacy Intern and will graduate in 2016. He is the son of Bobby Heck of Harlan and the Late Elizabeth Ann Heck. Harlan Daily Enterprise 100 Walnut Street, Harlan, KY 606-573-7712 J. D. Heck Serving the needs of our community Boys Choir Member 2000-2008 Congratulations Harlan Boys Choir Members on your 50th Anniversary. Congratulations Harlan Boys Choir on your 50th Anniversary..You make us Proud! HARLAN STATION Turn right at 7th Red Light. Hwy. 421 South. Harlan, KY DONNA G. HOSKINS 606-573-7776. Harlan County Clerk and Staff. 60602562 Enjoy our Sunday Buffet. Catering Available. Fast, Friendly Service. “WE ARE HERE TO SERVE YOU!” Harlan Boys Choir Harlan Daily Enterprise Friday, September 4, 2015 13 Photos courtesy of David Davies, Marilyn Schraeder and Mark Bell LEFT: The Harlan Boys Choir performing at the Christmas Open House at the Governor’s Mansion in December 1985 for former Kentucky governor, Martha Layne Collins. RIGHT: Director David Davies directing both the choir and audience during a number at 20th reunion festivities in November 1985. Kenny Moody Joseph Brittain Howard, L.L.M. Taxation, Juris Doctor, M.B.A., & wife, Mary Greene Howard Harlan Boys Choir Member 1973-1980 Son of Ken and Betty Moody Harlan, Ky Want To Go On An Exciting Boar Hunt? Call Ken Moody, owner/guide 1-931-863-3203 • 1-800-585-4868 Wild Boar, Ram and Exotic Animals 60602277 Clarkrange Hunting Lodge Clarkrange, TN “Excellence in hunting” My wife and I Have two children, Mary Elizabeth Green Howard and William Brittain Green Howard. We live in Naples, Florida. I am a prosecutor for the State of Florida 20th Judicial Circuit. The Harlan Boys Choir has always stood for excellence. I am proud to call myself alumni of the Harlan Boys Choir. I wish the Harlan Boys Choir the best in its future pursuits. Son of Dorothy Howard, Harlan, KY and the Late Dr. R.S. Howard. 60604731 Harlan Boys Choir 14 Friday, September 4, 2015 Harlan Daily Enterprise Boys Choir has unique school-based history By Mark Bell Contributing Writer It seems obvious that it’s a really long way from Harlan to someplace on the globe like Fiji, but when it comes to finding out where the Harlan Boys Choir came from, what’s hard to believe is that you really need to start in the South Pacific. With Rogers and Hammerstein’s “South Pacific,” that is. For it was in the spring of 1965 when a group of boys at what was then called Harlan Junior High School first got together because they wanted to perform selections from the hit musical on stage during a school program. Because so many of the songs from that production are for male voices only - as much of the tale centers around a group of World War II sailors - a lot of practice was required if they were going to pull it off. They also succeeded in bringing some high school guys in to join them. Over the course of many days together, a strong bond developed between the boys and their director, David Davies, who had taken on the task as part of his teaching duties. Davies had recently returned home to be an English teacher but he had always been involved in music, was wellrecognized for his considerable talent as a baritone, plus he worked regularly as a church musician. After the program had been done, the boys and their teachers were so enthused they wanted to just keep going. So it was that 34 boys, along with Davies and their accompanist Marian Weiler Maxwell, met in the basement of Melvin and Betty Blanton’s Congratulations Harlan Boys Choir on your 50th Anniversary. Don’s Super Saver Spay & Neuter your pets & Employees Located next to Wal-Mart U.S. 421 on the Harlan Bypass Monday - Saturday 8 a.m. - 10 p.m. We accept Federal EBT Cards & W.I.C. Vouchers (606) 573-4063 60588936 home on Ivy Hill in August 1965 to discuss what it would take to build a boys choir program in the community. The group established the Harlan Boys Choir, Inc. as a not-for-profit corporation, under which community fundraising and support could continue and at the group’s accumulated assets could be managed. For the first 15 years, the daily activities of the choir were organized largely outside the school schedule, with morning rehearsals before the first bell and afternoon practice only after classes were dismissed. Boys signed up to participate because they wanted to sing, and class credit for the experience was not offered. An added benefit of the choir’s work was that its members got to travel. The school administration at the time was always supportive of the program Robert S. Howard II M.D. Wife, Teresa A. Howard M.D. My wife and I are celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary this year. We are both radiologists in practice in Clearwater, Florida since 1995. The Harlan Boys Choir provided me with a great background in music, teamwork and social interactions. I wish continued success and even greater achievements for the Harlan Boys Choir in the next 50 years. If you would like to see us in action, look us up at radiologyclearwater.com. - Smitty Son of Dorothy Howard, Harlan, KY and the Late Dr. R.S Howard. and encouraged its growth. The district’s leaders encouraged student participation in music in general, allowing students to leave school in order to attend piano and voice lessons from teachers who were not part of the faculty or staff. Later, following a change in superintendent, and not without some controversy, the rules and expectations changed and the standing of the choir’s incorporation was challenged. The choir’s routine was brought under academic control and the choir activity became one of the class choices students could have during the instructional day. Fairly quickly, the “glee club” nature and atmosphere of the group changed into one of a more “classroom” nature and style. Students began to see more See History | 15 Harlan Daily Enterprise Harlan Boys Choir Friday, September 4, 2015 15 History SCHEDULE OF EVENTS From page 14 The Harlan Boys Choir 50th integration of music as a formal part of the school day as part of the district’s overall humanities curriculum. But adding an extensive humanities program in a small school district remained a challenge for the leaders, who for years struggled with aging facilities and limited resources. The district marked a milestone achievement just a couple of years after the Harlan Boys Choir celebrated its 40th year. The board of education had worked for years to improve facilities available for their successful music programs. In 2009, the school’s leaders cut the ribbon on a unique building dedicated solely to its music students and faculty, providing the rehearsal areas and equipment storage facilities second to none for schools of their size. anniversary reunion will be held on Sept. 4 and 5. On Friday evening, the Harlan High School Alumni Association will host a meet and greet at The Portal in downtown Harlan. The schedule for Saturday includes: Rehearsal at Harlan Baptist Church, 10 a.m. to noon (Musettes will join at 11:30 a.m.); lunch, noon; meet at Harlan Baptist Church, 2 p.m.; concert, 3 p.m.; and the Dragon party at the Harlan Center (Harlan Boys Photo courtesy of David Davies, Marilyn Schraeder and Mark Bell Attendees of the 20th anniversary reunion of the Boys Choir in 1985. Auto • Home • Mobile Home Life • Health • Commercial Choir Alumni will perform), 7 p.m. CARTER HENDRICKSON Boys Choir Member 1994-1998 He received his Bachelor’s Degree from Lindsey Wilson College where he is currently working towards his Master’s degree. He is employed as Instructor/Counselor in the Harlan County Detention Center Substance Abuse Program. He and his wife, Lauren, have one child, Ila Jane, and Carter is the son of Kent and Jane Hendrickson of Loyall. JOIN A WINNING TEAM Kathy Fox Jones, Realtor 108 West Maple Ave., London, KY 606.878.0021 NAR, KAR & CVBOR CELL: 606.909.3114 Email: [email protected] www.century21advantage.com Everything We Touch Turns to Sold Call your Century 21 Realtor Today! 60601980 “DON’T SETTLE FOR LESS - CHOOSE THE BEST” Harlan Boys Choir 16 Friday, September 4, 2015 LEFT: Harlan Boys Choir member, 1987. RIGHT: Harlan Boys Choir members performed in Chicago, 2005. HF HEIGHTS FINANCE CorporATIoN CASH FOR ALL YOUR NEEDS! Harlan Boys Choir Member 1994-2002 Son of Anne Ball 711 Bailey Creek Road • Evarts, KY Soar above the beautiful majestic views of the Appalachian Mountains on our two hour canopy tour. Call and make your reservation today. 2550 W. Hwy. 72, Suite 2 Harlan, KY 40831 60604362 (606) 573-3224 Visit our website at www.heightsfinance.com to fill out an easy online application Thanks Harlan Countains for Choosing Us # 1 for Biscuits & # 1 for Burgers 60604911 Harlan Boys Choir Member 2008- Present Son of Anne Ball BLACK MOUNTAIN THUNDER ZIPLINE 11 Lines of Excitement. Come By And See Anne Ball And Our Friendly Staff EtHAn CAntini Photos courtesy of David Davies, Marilyn Schraeder and Mark Bell 606-837-3205 “Helping Families Reach New Heights” MARK BALL Harlan Daily Enterprise We Appreciate Your Business Manager, Earnie Rivers & Employees Congratulations Harlan Boys Choir on 50 Years! Harlan Boys Choir Harlan Daily Enterprise Friday, September 4, 2015 17 Photo courtesy of David Davies, Marilyn Schraeder and Mark Bell The 25th anniversary celebration of the Harlan Boys Choir, 1990. John’s Tree service Loyall, Ky Full Catering Services OPEN DAILY Mon. - Fri.: 7:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (606) 573-1271 60603794 30 Years+ Experience Insurance Jobs Welcome • 24/7 Congratulations Harlan Boys Choir Members on your 50th Anniversary. Ch lun y l i s Da Cial spe G Cer ift tifiC at ava ilab es le Good Food, Fun & Friends Congratulations Harlan Boys Choir on your 50th Anniversary! THE LITTLE INN OF HARLAN HARLAN SELF STORAGE 508 South Main Street, Harlan • 606-573-7011 “You will feel at Home when you stay at the Little Inn of Harlan.” 60604240 473 Sunshine Road, Harlan, KY t a d e t a c Lo Variety of Sizes • PH: 606-573-1817 Serving Breakfast and Lunch 119 Eversole St. • Harlan, KY 40831 • Fully Insured • Clean-Up • Tree Cutting-Removal • Roofing Work No Job Too Big or Too Small! Sports Cafe & Catering, LLC Ken and Dorinda Crider, Owners/Operators Harlan Boys Choir 18 Friday, September 4, 2015 WFSR AM Radio Station WTUK FM Radio Station Harlan Daily Enterprise CONgRATuLATIONs 105.1 FM Harlan Boys Choir Members on your 50th Anniversary 970 AM You make us Proud! 125 South Main Street Harlan, KY 606-573-1470 606-573-1470 Jewelcraft CITY OF HARLAN 60601073 125 South Main Street Harlan, KY MAYOR DANNY HOWARD and Harlan City Employees FREE PARKING 600-573-7904 • wwwy.myjewelcraft.com 60601215 Fine China and Crystal • Bridal Registry 111 North Main St., Harlan, KY harvestworshipcenterky.com 60583733 Pastor: Roland “Bo” Lee Sunday Worship 11:30 p.m. Family Ministries Wednesday 6:30 p.m. Prayer Service Monday 6:00 P.M. For More Information, Call 573-8874 In the Heart of the Village Mall Lenox • Noritake • Gorham , harvestworshipcenterky.com 336060 327672 Howard Engineering & Geology 2550 W. Hwy. 72, Suite 1, Harlan 606-573-6924 Roger Dillon, Manager Locally Owned and Operated by Alonzo "Buddy" Cornett Hours: Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. • Saturday 8 a.m. - noon Mining • Reclamation • Environmental Assessments Owned & Operated By: Tim & David Howard Howard Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. Law Offices of JOHNNIE L. TURNER, P.S.C. 138 North Highway 413 • Baxter, KY Sales & Service 60601190 606-573-2944 JOHNNIE L. TURNER, JR. Former Harlan Boys Choir Member 114 First Street, Harlan, KY Phone: 606-573-9000 Fax: 606-573-4404 ATTORNEY’S-AT-LAW Johnnie L. Turner Susan Turner Landis Sidney B. Douglass This is A PAid AdverTisemenT Harlan Boys Choir Harlan Daily Enterprise Friday, September 4, 2015 19 Photo courtesy of David Davies, Marilyn Schraeder and Mark Bell The Harlan Boys Choir performed in Washington, D.C. at the Presidential Inauguration in 1989 for George H. W. Bush. They became known has the inaugural choir after singing during ceremonies at the Capitol. The choir’s performance of “This is My Country” brought national and international attention to Harlan County. Congratulations Harlan Boys CHoir MeMBers onLUCK your 50tH TEAMS! anniversary GOOD Edward M. Pope Downtown Branch Manager Lending Middlesboro Market PO Box 520 Middlesboro, KY 40965 606-248-9605 Fax 606-248-9615 60601852 Harlan Independent School District “A tradition of Excellence” 420 East Central Street, Harlan KY 40831 Vote to Keep WENDY FLANARY Democratic Candidate For Your HARLAN CIRCUIT COURT CLERK On November 3, 2015 • Your Vote appreciated. 60604573 Paid for by Wendy Flanary, P.O. Box 853, Evarts, KY 40828 We’re So Proud of Our Harlan Boys Choir members! Marybeth Harris Christman Marilyn Schraeder, David Davies, supporters of the choir, Superintendent Charles D. Morton and staff 20 Friday, September 4, 2015 Harlan Boys Choir Members of the Harlan Boys Choir performed at Rupp Arena in Lexington, 1990s. Harlan Daily Enterprise Photo courtesy of David Davies, Marilyn Schraeder and Mark Bell Clover Fork Clinic Primary Care Center TOTAL FAMILY CARE Located in Evarts and Harlan Evarts (606) 573-1499 • (606) 837-2108 Harlan (606) 573-1975 JAMES ROBERT FLANAGAN Harlan Boys Choir Member 1992-2001 James Robert Flanagan Dr. Fred Howard, Family Dentistry, Harlan Boys Choir Charter Member 1965-1975 Evan Howard, University of Kentucky Student, Harlan Boys Choir Member 2003-2012 Kyle Howard, University of Kentucky Student, Harlan Boys Choir Member 2001-2010 graduated from UT with a major in Political Science. He sells Car Insurance and has two rental houses in Knoxville, TN. He is married to Samantha Arnett Flanagan. He is the son of Edwin and Carol Flanagan of Harlan, KY 60601177 • Family Medicine • Family Dentistry • Family Pharmacy • Full Lab • X-ray