Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

The thirtieth session of the Bob Burnham Memorial Sacred Harp Singing was held the first Sunday in February, and was called to order by Ruth Brown, daughter of Bob Burnham, leading song on page 59. (Note: The twenty-ninth session was held in 1995, and the 1996 session had to be cancelled because of weather conditions.) The morning prayer was led by Felton Denney. Jeff Sheppard led songs on pages 82t and 122, followed by Margie Smith leading song on page 503.

The class organized for the day by electing the following officers: Chairman—Ruth Brown; Vice Chairman—Jeff Sheppard; Secretary—Shelbie Sheppard; Honorary Secretary—Nell Temple, who is unable to attend because of sickness in the family; Arranging Committee—Margie Smith.

Leaders: Shelbie Sheppard 142; Pearl Guier 303; Don Bowen 171; Pam Nunn 300; Jim Carnes 146; Judy Mincey 50b; Lamar Smith 36b; Daphene Causey 136; Jimmy Cates 137 (for his mother, Lessie Cates); Carlene Griffin 225t; Phil Summerlin 569b; Deborah Langley 155; Louis Hughes 347; Evelyn Harris 30t; Jimmie Denney 101t; Charlene Wallace 277; Bobby Bailey 35.

RECESS

Jeff Sheppard brought the class to order by leading song on page 121. Leaders: Geneva Prichard 85; Milton Oliver 145t; Louise Nelson 87; Henry Johnson 68b; Lou Cotney 222; Roy Nelson 434 (for Lola Jenkins); Phillip Langley 196; Alice Edwards 73b; Felton Denney 523b; Terry Wootten 475; Liz Bryant 384.

Ruth Brown and Pearl Guier gave the memorial lesson and made reference to the memorial given at the Pacific Northwest Convention in Seattle, Washington given by Katharine O’Hara and Marcia Stedman in 1996. The words in that memorial expressed the feelings so well of many, many people, and certainly reflected the feelings on those remembered today: Clelan Cobb, Vena Holley, Milton Wallace, Hazel Cagle, Rodger Morrison, Lois Matthews, Ewell Nelson, Malone Austin, Ola Pruitt, Randolph Mincey, Allen Arnett, and Raymond Arnett. Sick and shut-in: Sandi Sensenbach, Jane Galant, Ollie Arnett, Mike Daniels, Virgil Phillips, Ruby Phillips, Nell Temple, Eula Johnson, J. E. Allen, Jerry Sheppard, Mozelle Sheppard, and Moena Denny. Ruth Brown and Pearl Guier led song on page 45t and closed the memorial with prayer. After the memorial, Ruth Brown stated that her father, Bob Burnham, died in 1965, and her son, Robert Brown, died in 1967, and asked Shelbie Sheppard to sing for her dad. Shelbie Sheppard gave a brief talk on Bob Burnham and what he had meant to her, and led song on page 400 in his memory.

Leaders: B. M. Smith 97; Helen Bryson 411; Lonnie Rogers 389; Linda Thomas 47t; Harvey Austin 335; Lee Rogers 454. The blessing of the food was given by Roy Nelson.

LUNCH

Ruth Brown called the class to order after lunch by leading song on page 63. Leaders: Kim Cagle 186; Floy Wilder 383; Everette Denney 426t; B. J. Harris 452; I. V. McWhorter 91; Buell Cobb 138 (t? b?); Louise Holland 323b; Rene Greene 273; Jeff Sheppard and pupils of recent singing school 40, 49b; Liz Bryant 542; Louis Hughes 480; Helen Bryson 428; Terry Wootten 436; Charlene Wallace, Phillip Langley, and Geneva Prichard 532; Buell Cobb, Karen Moore, and Jack Moore 440; Phil Summerlin 430; Daphene Causey 451; Roy Nelson 380; Shelbie Sheppard, Rene Greene, and Pam Nunn 269; Lonnie Rogers 343; Floy Wilder 402; B. M. Smith 473; Judy Mincey 474; Henry Johnson 163b; Deborah Langley 299; Felton Denney 120; Lee Rogers 287; Evelyn Harris 159; Lamar Smith 76b; Pearl Guier, Jewell Harden and Floye Driskill 143.

Announcements were made. Ruth Brown, Jeff Sheppard, Margie Smith, and Shelbie Sheppard led song on page 46 for the closing song. The class was dismissed with prayer by Lonnie Rogers.

Chairman—Ruth Brown; Vice Chairman—Jeff Sheppard; Secretary—Shelbie Sheppard.