Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Friday, April 23

A Singing School was held beginning at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 23, at The Pohick Episcopal Church, Lorton, Virginia. Taught by members of the Creel Family, it was well attended and enthusiastically received.

Saturday, April 24

The tenth annual Potomac River Sacred Harp Singing Convention was called to order at 10:00 a.m. by Cathy Tucker leading song on page 28b. Elder Steven Bloyd led the opening prayer. Janine Smith, 1998 Vice-Chair, welcomed the class, and led 30t. Tim Slattery and Miriam Kilmer, last year’s Secretaries, led 182.

The business meeting was held with the election or appointment of the following officers and committees: Chair—Janine Smith; Vice Chair—Katharine Manning; Secretaries—Miriam Kilmer, Tim Slattery, and assisted by Joanne De Voe; Chaplains—Elder Steven Bloyd and George Seiler; Arranging Committee—John delRe, Cindy Franklin, Bob Hall, Ginnie Ely, and Katharine Manning; Finance—Gillie Campbell and Cathy Tucker (assisted by Hannah Henkin, Daniel Henkin, Gilead Henkin, Kelsey Taylor, Anna Taylor, and John Daniel delRe; Memorial Committee—Edith Tate and Hal Kunkel; Resolutions Committee—Pauline Childers and Pat Temple; Registration—Marlene Levine, assisted by Donna Abrahams; Food—Claire Chapin, Tom Tucker, Kelly Macklin, and Matt Levine; New Traditions Singing—Mimi Stevens and Mary Ann Daly; Social Host—Cathy Tucker; Housing and Transportation—Gillie Campbell; Pitching/Keying—Paula McGray, Bradford West, Eric Bean, Jean Seiler, and Cassie Franklin; Clean-up—Dottie Hurley, John Taylor, and Frank Evans; Publicity—Steven Sabol, Janine Smith, and Miriam Kilmer.

Leaders: Richard Schmeidler 474; Mary Ann Daly 274 (t? b?); Henry Bizzel 159; Cassie Franklin 224; Cindy Franklin 198; Joan Aldridge 528; Leland delRe 74b; Sarah Davie 384; Ann Bosold 178; Tim Brown 66; Phyllis Gonegam 344; Lynne deBenedette 456; Rosemary Greenaway 171; Amanda Denson 277; Wanda Capps 200; Frank L. Evans 209.

RECESS

Beth Hoffman Reed called the class together leading song on page 29 (t? b?). Leaders: Dianne Mennella 379; Howard Brady 454; Hal Kunkel 426b; Edith Tate 389; Fred Beardsley 513; Kyle Greenlee 91; Karen Freund 77t; Kacy Pate, Peter Pate, and Kassidy Pate 312b; Danny Creel 269; Paul Gauthier 428; Pauline Childers 475; Seth Holloway 388; Gabriel Castelle 491; Jean Seiler 68b; Laura Clawsen 440; Eric Bean 335; Walter S. Hartley 155; Martha Lang 106; Claire Simon 47t; Steve Levine, Dick Levine, and Janine Smith 479; Donna Abrahams 272; Jason Law 481. Elder Steven Bloyd offered Grace for the noon meal.

LUNCH

The afternoon session was called to order with Katharine Manning and Kelsey Taylor leading song on page 542. Leaders: Mary De Nys 72b; Jim Pfau 300; Janet Shipman 206; Cindy Franklin 146; Creel family (Cindy Franklin, Cassie Franklin, Pauline Childers, Edith Tate, Wanda Capps, and Danny Creel) 342; Paula McGray 327; Bradford West 282; Steven Levine 350; Karen House 148; George Seiler 31t; Patricia Temple 480; Daniel Hertzler 163b; Gary Smith 569b; Roland Hutchinson 553; Dean Slaton 536; Sarah Smith 100; Doron Henkin 192; Jane Taylor 268; Craig Baugham 122; Art Broadus 535b; Laura Densmore 236.

RECESS

Peter Pate brought the singers back with song on page 37t. Leaders: Ginnie Ely 546; Bill Holt 436; John Hewes 551; Tom Tucker 142.

Junior Finance Officers Hannah Henkin, Daniel Henkin, Gilead Henkin, Kelsey Taylor, Anna Taylor, and John Daniel delRe 49b; Stephanie Hysmith 484; Marty De Nys 547; Lois Hurt 49t; Carol Werba 313b; Joyce Saxon 254; Joe Todd 270; Jim Wantland 497; Lewis Naylor 452; Dottie Hurley 271 (t? b?); Guy Bankes 441.

Janine Smith invited everyone to stay for the New Traditions Singing and to attend the social, and led 323t. Elder Bloyd closed the Saturday session with prayer.

RECESS

New Traditions Singing

Mary Ann Daly greeted the class, and led 73b from The Sacred Harp.

The songs below were led by their own composers, unless otherwise noted.

Leaders: Bradford K. West “Irving”; Tom Tucker “Pohick” (by Dan Brittain); Mary Ann Daly “Kentucky” (arrangement); Peter Pate “Heck” (by John Bayer); Mimi Stevens “Noel Nouvelet” (by E.J. Tweedy); Mimi Stevens “Cyrus”; Mimi Stevens “Billings” (by Barry Phillips); Roland Hutchinson “Liberty’s Trumpet”; Nicholas P. Schliapin “Life”; Hal Kunkel “Saving Grace”; Art Broadus “Break Forth”; Allen Gabriel Kastelle “Mount Zion (Third)”; Daniel Hertzler “Mount Hope”; Miriam Kilmer and Tim Slattery “Alexander” (by Miriam A. Kilmer); Diane Morella “Hocutt” (by John Hocutt); Ann Bosold “Bosold” and “Cherokee”; Roland Hutchinson “Kelly’s Third”; Nicholas P. Schliapin “Psalm 121”; Ann Bosold “Wapello” and “Bosold”; Allen Gabriel Kastelle “Crell” (by Timothy R. Gilmore).

A Saturday night social was hosted by Cathy Tucker and was held at the Kingstowne South Village Community Center. The sloppy Joe’s were delicious, the brownies superb!

Sunday, April 25

On Sunday morning the class was called to order by Janine Smith leading song on page 48t. George Seiler led the morning prayer. Leaders: Mimi Stevens 128; Steven Sabol 139; Jim Wantland 48b; Mary De Nys 504; Donna Abrahams 378b; Susan Bingham 107; Tommy Hall and Ella Wilcox 276; Eric Hildebrant 532; Martha Lang 117; Richard Schmeidler 120; Mary Ann Daly 138t; Marty De Nys 232; Cathy Tucker 480; Frank Evans 228; Mary Wright 337; Robert Hall 180; Lois Hurt 358; Dick Levine 102; Joanne De Voe 47 (t? b?); Joyce Saxon 299.

RECESS

The singing resumed with Katharine Manning leading song on 76b. Leaders: Joe Todd 124; Carol Werba 163b; Ginny Ely 454; Bill Holt 215; Kelly Macklin 485; Jim Brady 155; Paul Gauthier 448 (t? b?); Amanda Denson 442; John delRe 144; Stephanie Hysmith 47b; Art Broadus 147t; Laura Densmore 542; Karen Freund 56b; Tim Slattery 475; Pauline Childers 234; Daniel Hertzler 99; Claire Simon 40; George Seiler 347; Danny Creel 383; Lynne deBenedette 196; Rosemary Greenaway 324.

The memorial lesson was presented by Edith Tate with a reading from the text of “Idumea” (47b), then read the names of the deceased. Cindy Franklin led 499 for the deceased which included the following: Essie Calvert, Annie Sanders, Maude Keeton, Mae Seymour, and David Shirey—Alabama; Sharon McLeod—Connecticut; Marion Hill—District of Columbia; Joan Gordon—Maryland; Sr. Michael Kilmer—Minnesota; Judy Greenwald and Morris Lee—New Jersey; Charles Danquer and Irene Remery—New York; Grace Bizzell and Anne McCook—North Carolina; Edna Lundgren—Pennsylvania; Joy Seale, John Watford, Monica Mulrooney, and Shirley Green—Virginia; Margaret Wright (arranger of “Jacob’s Vision”)—Tennessee; Joseph Slattery and Dr. John Pate—Texas.

Hal Kunkel spoke about the mystic steps of St. John of the Cross, the highest of which is the “wound of love”; when we grieve, we share the sufferings of those we love, and read the names of the sick and shut-in’s which included: Harrison Creel, Flarce Creel, Ernie Jett, Ann Jett, Marie Aldridge, and Lucile Talbert—Alabama; Dorothy Garber—Connecticut; Jim McCarty—Delaware; Rodney Elin—District of Columbia; Perry Arnett, Lynn Googe, and Thomas Googe—Florida; Frances Duncan, Rita Cook, Walter Manning, and Alene Oestreicher—Maryland; Nicky Schnarr and Betty Nikelsky—New Jersey; Ben Hertzler—New Mexico; Judy Crow’s mother—New York; B. Hilary Dunlevy—Ohio; Cecilia Kruger and Judy Crow—Pennsylvania. Hal Kunkel then led song on page 349. Danny Creel closed the memorial lesson with prayer. George Seiler led Grace for the noon meal.

LUNCH

The class reconvened with Eric Bean leading song on page 46. Leaders: Eric Bean 34b; Nicholas Schliapin 131b; Sarah Davie 86; Steven Levine 371; Cassie Franklin 368; Karen House 362; Bradford West 376; Jim Pfau 203; Wanda Capps 546; Dean Staton 112; Paula McGray 446; Laura Clawson 80b; Henry Schuman 318; Jean Seiler 530; Cindy Franklin 507; Ann Bosold 334; Tim Brown 198; Peter Pate 326; Eric Bean and Rhonda Henderschott 70b.

RECESS

Katharine Manning and Pauline Childers brought the class back with song on page 35. Leaders: Miriam Kilmer and Tim Slattery “Kosovo” (by Miriam A. Kilmer); Henry Bizzell 127; Walter S. Hartley 24b; Cathy Tucker and Caroline Arlington 146; Pat Temple and Karen Foley 566; Dottie Hurley 191; Phyllis Gonegam 84; Hal Kunkel 61; Evan Duncan 300; Lewis Naylor and Amanda Denson 68b; Fred Beardsley 100; Gabriel Kastelle 531; Guy Banks 147b.

Committee Reports: During Saturday and Sunday, 155 different songs were led from The Sacred Harp. There were 91 leaders and many co-leaders.

The Resolutions Committee thanked the officers, committees, and all participants. “We...thank Almighty God....although we come from far and near, we can unite our voices in harmony as one.... A special thanks for the singing school [to] the Creel Family, who overcame great obstacles to get here, and left loved ones at home who were unable to come.”

Announcements were made. Janine Smith announced the dates for next year’s Potomac River Convention March 31, April 1-2, 2000.

Cathy Tucker gave Janine Smith special thanks as the Founder and Chair of the first Potomac River Sacred Harp Singing Convention.

Katharine Manning and the Creel family (Cindy Franklin, Cassie Franklin, Pauline Childers, Edith Tate, Wanda Capps, and Danny Creel) led 56t. Chair Janine Smith, Vice Chair Katharine Manning, Secretaries Miriam Kilmer and Tim Slattery led “The Parting Hand”. George Seiler closed the convention with a prayer for peace.

Chair—Janine Smith; Vice Chair—Katharine Manning; Secretaries—Miriam A. Kilmer and Tim Slattery.