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Part one of two.

“Lift every voice and sing, till earth and heaven ring” are the first two sentences of the Negro National Anthem.

Composer James Weldon Johnson knew the power of music and the emotions it could invoke. From hundreds of years of slavery, the black man learned to use music as an outlet for communication, anger, hope, despair, fear, frustration and condemnation of those seeking to oppress them.

I think of it simply as a gift from God.

Early black churches nourished our souls with music that lifted our spirits and gave us strength to combat and overcome the evils of racism.

However, it was the Negro schools that helped us listen, learn and communicate messages through song. They knew the magic formula for getting kids and adults involved with music.

They also knew involvement in the arts would be needed for our development and survival in a world bent on keeping us as second-class citizens.

High Point Normal and Industrial Institute used to bring various musical performers to the institution for the students as well as the community.

My research indicates that music as an art form blossomed in 1933 when Sam Burford arrived at William Penn High School and the black community fell in love with expressions such as operetta, music festival, extravaganza and cantatas. All types of musical expression seemed to burst forth from the three Negro schools during this musical renaissance.

Let’s examine some of the musical programs and performances put on in the 1930s.

On March 31, 1936, the fifth- through seventh-graders at Fairview Street School presented the comic operetta “Hearts and Blossoms” in the school auditorium. Annie L. Jones directed the play, and Marie Cherry was in charge of music.

A celebration of National Music Week was held on the campus of William Penn May 1-8, 1938. At 4 p.m. the last day, the school presented the program “An hour With Music” in the school auditorium. Groups and individuals taking part were William Penn Girls Glee Club, William Penn Boys Chorus, combined choruses of Leonard Street and Fairview Street Schools, Junior High Orchestra (white school, for those of you who aren’t native to High Point), Premier Quartet of Greensboro, St. Matthew Septet of Greensboro and Principal Sam Burford. The musical presentations included “Sylvia Speaks,” “Mosquito Bliss,” “When Cats Get Up,” “Cradle Song,” “Since You Went Away,” “To Spring,” “The Beautiful Blue Danube,” “Mother of Mine,” “Deep River,” “Passing By,” “Better Be Ready,” “Winter Song,” “The Battle of Jericho” and “Medley From the Sunny South.”

The Junior High School orchestra performed “Would You Gain a Tender Creature” and “Swing Along.” Supervisor of music in the Negro schools, Gracye Waddy Lyons, supervised the program. Willie Marie Carter and Marie Cherry directed, and Julie Hall and Mrs. J.B. Neal played the piano.

The William Penn High music department sponsored their second annual operetta in the school auditorium May 16, 1938.

The 1937 theme was the “Sunbonnet Girl,” and the program for 1938 was “Betty Lou.”

Outstanding performers were Willie Louise Hines, Hood Beatty, Louise Anderson and Gwendolyn Whitted. Dancers were Willie Louise Hines, Ruth Leach, Randy Boulware, and Mable McCloud. Chorus members were Ruth Barringer, Christine Leland, Hazel McCollum, Thomas Hairston, Lee Brown and William Holt. Other performers were Mildred Oliphant, Christaphena Cobb, Roy Chavis, Una Friday, Paul Beamon, Otis Wells and Timothy Dunlap. Teachers Ethel Griffin Cobb and Mabel Beale were in charge of both operettas.

On May 1, 1939, the music department of William Penn opened a week-long celebration of National Music Week. The first program was an organ recital by Frances Berry Hill, a graduate of the Obelin Conservatory of Music and head of the music department at Morgan State College in Baltimore, at St. Mark Methodist Church on Washington Street.

The rest of the week’s musical activities took place in the Penn auditorium and featured choral groups from Penn, Leonard Street and Fairview Street schools. All programs were open to the public.
In 1939, the colored schools wrapped up the National Music Week activities with a second annual music festival, featuring students from first grade through senior high, in the William Penn auditorium May 7.

Each group sat on the stage attired in choral uniforms of various colors and styles. The Fairview Street School Choral Club’s uniforms, black cassocks and surplices, stood out.

The program included a piano duet by Julia Hall and Gracye Yokely, “Lift Every Voice and Sing” by the audience; invocation by the Rev. H.D. Smith, pastor of Washington Terrace Congregational Christian; Leonard Street first grades, “Indian Lullaby” and “Little Red Hen”; Fairview Street toy orchestra, “Daffodils Waltz” and “March Militaire”; Fairview Street Choral Club, “Song of the Morning” and “Pancake Song”; William Penn Junior Choral Club, “Italian Folk Song,” “Carmena Waltz Song” and “Weeping Mary”; Leonard Street Junior Choral Chorus, “Done Paid My Vow to the Lord” and “Will You Remember Me”; and William Penn Senior Chorus, “Prelude From Cycle of Life” and “Music in the Mind.”

Student soloists were Mary James, J.L. Sims, Obediah Williams, Decosey Williams, Mahalie McCoy, Vergeous Gould, Mary Lawrence and Yvonne Wright.

The teachers who coached those students were Marie Carter, Florida Atwater, Marie Sneed, Mattie Robinson, Lillian Merritt, Cornelia Reid, Julia Hall, Nettie Moss and Jessie Hagler. Pianists were Ethel Cobb and Mytrolene Graye. Gracye W. Yokely, supervisor of music in the colored school, was in charge of the festival.

Glenn Chavis researches and writes about High Point’s black history. Contact him at Storytime40@aol.com.