Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, January 20

The eighth All-California Sacred Harp Singing Convention met at Angel’s Gate Cultural Center. The convention was called to order on January 20, 1996, at 9:54 a.m. by Carolyn Deacy leading song on page 34b. Carri Patterson Grindon offered the opening prayer. Leaders: Carolyn Deacy 114; Laura Boyd Russell 270; Chris Thorman 569b; Rick Russell 201b; Susan Turpin 290; Stephen O’Leary 76b; Janet Herman 474; Mary Rose O’Leary 300; Ted Mercer 419; Jon Rand 404; Betty Herman 421; Marc Weyl 47t; Leon Ballinger 269; Jean Schaffer 178; David Hough 73t; Eddie Huckaby 37b; Hugh McGuire 68t.

RECESS

The class was called to order by Laura Boyd Russell leading song on page 159. Leaders: Tom Tucker “Piney Branch”, by Tom Tucker. Carolyn Deacy led convention into a business meeting at this time. The following new officers were elected: Chairman—Laura Boyd Russell; Vice Chairman—Chris Thorman; Treasurer—Rick Russell. Leaders: Richard DeLong 448t; Ron Huss 50t; Carri Patterson Grindon 332; Deborah Johnson 86; Janet Brigham 106; Sue Kessel 528; Ted Stern 84; Sharon Kermiet 216; Dean Slaton 500; Shelley Phillips 380; Kay Bieszczad 95b.

RECESS

Chris Thorman called the singing together leading song on page 299. Leaders: Al Patterson Grindon “Altamont”, by Gerry Hoffman, words by Al Patterson Grindon; Jean Olson 203; Steve Warner 66.

The business meeting was reopened: Jerry Schreiber was appointed Secretary; Memorial Committee—Carla Smith and David Swarens; Arranging Committee—Carla Smith and Susan Turpin; Resolutions—Carolyn Deacy and Mary Rose O’Leary. Leaders: Katharine O’Hara 378b; Jerry Schreiber 460; Susan Turpin 327t; Chris Thorman 117; Rick Russell 280; Mary Rose O’Leary and Carolyn Deacy 383; Carla Smith 475; Carri Patterson Grindon offered the Grace before lunch.

LUNCH

Laura Boyd Russell called the class back to order leading song on page 133. Leaders: Gerry Hoffman “India”, arranged by Gerry Hoffman; Sandy Hill 454; Gordon Bigelow 31 (t? b?); Betty Herman 547; Laura Boyd Russell 40; Anita Sanders 492; John Schaffer 391; Midge Harder 532; Don Jolly and Marylou Jolly 352; Tom Ostwald 479; Vykki Mende Gray 455; Cathy Tucker 122; Victoria Ostwald 504; Jo Dell Albi 480; David Swarens 513; Barbara Saxton 192.

RECESS

Chris Thorman recalled the class with song on page 448b. Leaders: Sandy Hill 209; Tom Tucker 162; John Ostwald 268; Michael Laube 39 (t? b?); Stephen O’Leary and Beth Heckscher 171; Leon Ballinger 384; Jerry Schreiber 149; Hugh McGuire 176b; Richard DeLong 510; Jo Dell Albi and Joy Miller 278b; Ted Mercer 138 (t? b?); Katharine O’Hara 344; Sharon Kermiet 375; Eddie Huckaby 107; Laura Boyd Russell, Rick Russell, Carla Smith, and Jerry Schreiber 61. Carri Patterson Grindon gave the closing prayer.

Sunday, January 21

The class was called to order by Laura Boyd Russell leading song on page 52t. Stephen O’Leary offered the opening prayer. Leaders: Jon Rand 285t; David Swarens 128; Marilou Jolly 481; David Hough 142; Al Patterson Grindon 121; Ron Huss 311; Peter Dubois and Jordan Dubois 442; Hugh McGuire 96; Celia Brown 173; Carolyn Deacy 299; Laura Boyd Russell 189; Fred Wilke 114; Sandy Hill 497; Jean Olsen 318.

RECESS

Laura Boyd Russell recalled the class with song on page 101t. Leaders: Katharine O’Hara 85; Janice Hecksel 324; Richard DeLong 426t; Chris Thorman 120; Laura Boyd Russell and Richard DeLong 59; Carla Smith 376; Anita Sanders 474; Ted Mercer 328; Tom Ostwald 254.

RECESS

The class was called back by Rick Russell leading song on page 48t. Leaders: Susan Turpin 35; Leon Ballinger 222; Susan Turpin 501; Sue Kessel 485; Jerry Schreiber 362.

The memorial lesson was offered by Carla Smith. Carla Smith then led 260 in memory of those who had died in the past year: Dewey Williams of Alabama, Judy Mincey’s father, Randolph Mincey, of Georgia, Barbara Jordan of Texas, the victims of the Oklahoma City bombing, Thomas Davis of Illinois, Eldon of Nebraska, Hudson Hartley and Deborah Robertson of Virginia, Itzhak Rabin of Israel, Joseph Beasley of New York, Lilli Eisman, Eileen O’Gorman, Paul Moretti, Ed Lowe, Bruce Kamerling, and Rose Posin of California.

David Swarens read the list of sick and shut-in: Anne Pickett of Georgia, Virgil and Ruby Phillips of Alabama, Alice Van Camp, Alvin Haliday, and Dodge Wiggins of New Mexico, Barry Sullivan of Colorado, Johnny Jeons of Washington, Catherine Cessnia of Pennsylvania, Sue Lindner, Leon Wilson, Reena Sonshine, Margaret Clark, and Alice Gramm of California. David Swarens led 340 for the sick and shut-in. Stephen O’Leary offered the Grace before lunch.

LUNCH

Laura Boyd Russell called the class back with song on page 46. Leaders: Gerry Hoffman 48b; Mary Rose O’Leary 140; Carroll Lunsford 127; Michael Laube 133; John Schaffer 313b; Rachel O’Leary and Lucy O’Leary 168; Dean Slaton 451; Jean Schaffer 198; Midge Harder 49b; Deborah Johnson 146; Barbara Saxton 200; Betty Herman 385t; Kay Bieszczad 552 (?); Vykki Mende Gray 217; Natalie Hall 191; Laura Shafer 454; Eddie Huckaby 155; Marc Weyl 178; Ted Stern and Ellen Stern 84; Sharon Kermiet 180; Shelley Phillips 72b; Janet Herman 312b; Stephen O’Leary 445b; Laura Boyd Russell 111b; Kay Bieszczad 159; David Hough 440; Sandy Hill 236; Sue Kessel 455; Anita Sanders 267; Dean Slaton 512; Deborah Johnson 147t; Carolyn Alport 192; Leon Ballinger 358; Ted Mercer 276; Richard DeLong 439.

A business meeting was entered, and committee reports were called for. The treasurer reported that the expenses had largely been met. The secretary reported a total of 145 songs led, and 11 states represented: Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, New Mexico, Pennyslvania, Texas, Virginia, and Washington. The Resolutions Committee offered the following report: We thank God for bringing us all together at this glorious place. We are grateful for the sunshine yesterday and are grateful for the rain but wish she had held off ‘til later. We thank each of you who have come from far and near to join us in singing. We thank the convention officers and committee members. It clearly takes a whole community of people to put together a convention like this. All those who were so generous with their time, labor, thoughts, gifts of public relations, cooking, housing, transportation and financial resources, without thought of exhaustion or the poor house, without whom this convention would not have happened. Big, big thanks to Laura Boyd Russell, Rick Russell, and Betty Herman: “She loafed not, neither did she go fishing.” We appreciate the lifelong singers who come from far away and patiently and gently guide us through each convention. We hope this convention inspires you to support Sacred Harp Singers across the country by: attending as many singings as possible, welcoming new singers, supporting your local singing, and attending next year’s convention.

Laura Boyd Russell closed the convention leading song on page 62, and all who wished took the parting hand. Stephen O’Leary offered the closing prayer.

Chairman—Laura Boyd Russel; Vice Chairman—Chris Thorman; Secretary—Jerry Schreiber.