Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

The thirty-first 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. The morning prayer was led by Moena Denney. Ruth Brown led song on page 146; Jeff Sheppard led songs on pages 128 and 313t; Shelbie Sheppard 336 in memory of Bob Burnham, and 269 in memory of Lessie Cates.

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; Arranging Committee—Linda Thomas and Pam Nunn.

Leaders: Nell Temple and Pearl Guier 358, 45t; Linda Thomas 34b; Leola Smith 340; Lee Rogers 351, 350; Felton Denney 503; Evelyn Harris 101t; B. M. Smith 475, 318; Lou Cotney 137, 218; Henry Johnson 138b; Mattie Townsel 159; Jimmy Cates 112; Jenny Wootten 66.

RECESS

Jeff Sheppard brought the class to order by leading song on page 203. Leaders: Roy Nelson 283; Patsy Gentle 68b; Virgil Phillips 99; Allison Ivey 82 (t? b?); Pearl Guier 143; Bud Oliver 42; Celia Carnes and Cassie Franklin 388; Lora Cargo 460; Harvey Austin 108t; Jewel Wootten and Terry Wootten 277, 370; Ruth Daniels 278t; Liz Bryant 347; Jackie Tanner and Cindy Franklin 47t; Cindy Franklin 327; Aaron Wootten 144; Carlene Griffin 37b; Sam Jones 40; Don Bowen 225t (for Margie Smith); Willie Mae Moon 500 (in memory of her father, Ed Thomas); Penny Bosarge 535 (in memory of her brother, Rodger Morrison), 224; Norma Latham 270; Richard Ivey 222; Jimmie Denney 335; Judy Mincey 540.

LUNCH

Coy Ivey called the class to order after lunch by leading songs on pages 48t and 384. Leaders: Buell Cobb 81b; Cassie Franklin 368; Karen Ivey 142; Louis Hughes, Sr. 179; Mary Florence Smith 192; Stuart Ivey 299; Milton Oliver 314; David Ivey 477; Alice Edwards 104, 73b; Jim Carnes 48b; Charlene Wallace 341; Rodney Ivey 480; Lonnie Rogers 348b; B. J. Harris 303; Hilda Morrison 276; Louis Hughes, Jr. 448t; Martha Ann Stegar 85; Teenie Moody 383; Pearl Guier, Moena Denney, and Myrtle Howard 49b; Bobby Jackson 28b; Lovella Campbell 410t; Sherrell Durand 127; Louise Nelson 87. A special session began for singers to remember those who had been an inspiration to them in their singing lives. Ruth Brown asked Shelbie Sheppard to lead song on page 106 for two daughters of the late Zera Tolleson, Eloise Edwards and Jo Hammett, who were present; Pam Nunn 200, 528; B. M. Smith 76b (in memory of Carl Hughes); Coy Ivey 101t (in memory of Leonard Lacy); David Ivey 34t (in memory of all singers from Liberty Church, especially for his grandfather and grandmother, Eulas and Helen Ivey); Bud Oliver 73t (in memory of his dad, Clarence Oliver, and in honor of Edith Tate); Pam Nunn 365 (in memory of Jimmie Causey); Karen Ivey, Stuart Ivey, and Rodney Ivey 454 (in memory of Andrew Ivey); Cindy Franklin and Cassie Franklin 111b (in honor of Hadyn Creel and Essie Calvert, and in memory of Vernice Calvert); Don Bowen 470 (in memory of E. G. Akins, Loyd Redding, and his dad, E. C. Bowen); B. J. Harris 445 (in memory of Henry Kerr, Lee Jones, Millard McWhorter, and Pearl McWhorter); Linda Thomas and Jewel Wootten 39t (in memory of the following families: Greens, Phillips, Alexanders, Battles, and singers from Hopewell Primitive Baptist Church in Oneonta, Alabama); Lora Cargo 340 (in honor of her husband, F. P. Cargo).

Announcements were made. Ruth Brown and Jeff Sheppard led song on page 46 for the closing song. The class was dismissed with prayer by Felton Denney.

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