The March 1950 issue of the Harmonizer, which was dedicated to the great Michigan District, contained an article which boasted of Michigan's many contributions to our fine Society over the first ten years, as follows:
"Michigan boasts a ten-year tradition. The annual Parade of Quartets held in Detroit always attracts capacity crowds. The Grand Rapids Chapter's annual Great Lakes Invitational provides the best in quartets and two days of the finest in entertainment for visiting barbershoppers and their ladies. The `Harmony Howl' at Saginaw, an outdoor stag affair held each summer, is a function that promotes good fellowship in that area and draws visitors from the entire district. Holland, Grand Haven, Grosse Pointe, Redford, Wayne and Hamtramck have acquired a reputation for their unusual Ladies' Nights. Sturgis, Pontiac, Owosso, Lansing, Dearborn, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Traverse City and Flint are among the chapters whose Parades have become annual traditional affairs.
"Summer outdoor family picnics staged by Muskegon, Grand Haven, Holland, South Haven, Oakland County and others are popular events. Ludington stages an annual Night of Harmony each summer."
 Auto Towners
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The "Bush League" contest took hold
Organized in 1945 to promote new quartets, Boyne City's "Bush League" contest is now an annual affair. A reception for visiting barbershoppers and a Sunday morning breakfast are added attractions. The Boyne City novice quartet contest continues to this day, although it was renamed the "Loton C. Willson Bush League Contest and Show," in 1989 in honor of the founder, who passed away in May of 1990. It is still held on the first weekend in May in Boyne City. Many top quartets from the district have appeared in this contest, including the 1966 International Quartet Champions, the AUTO TOWNERS.
 UnHeard of Four
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 Harmony Halls
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"Another event in that section of Michigan had become a mecca for barbershoppers throughout the Midwest over the Labor Day weekend each year. It was the "Charlevoix Jamboree." It was started in 1943, when Charlevoix (of minimum membership), invited Grand Rapids and Muskegon Chapter members to week-end with them over Labor Day. There was little formal organization, but one Charlevoix member, Dr. Doug Nettleton, had a large basement recreation room and he set this up as headquarters. Somehow they chased out the last dinner guests for the summer at the Beach Hotel and took over their dining room for an impromptu and informal show headlined by the only two out-of-town quartets, the UNHEARD OF FOUR from Muskegon, and the HARMONY HALLS from Grand Rapids. Local Charlevoix quartets filled out the program in great style.
"The entire weekend was so genuinely appreciated by all visitors and local members it was decided to do it again the following year. Then followed word-of-mouth praise for the great hospitality of Charlevoix, which resulted in a larger number of western Michigan members plus a goodly number from the Detroit area converging on Charlevoix for the 1944 Jamboree. From this point on it was evident that the Jamboree was to become a fixture in the Society. Out-of-town members increased in numbers significantly.
"Charlevoix gave its wholehearted support in making its guests feel at home in a true barbershop community, even to decorating all its light poles with barber-pole striping. Complete homes and cabins were set aside for guests, and one year the entire Beach Hotel was reserved for exclusive use of the barbershop visitors.
"Year after year the top quartets of Michigan, including the champion HARMONY HALLS came to Charlevoix. In the years 1948, 1949, and 1950, the champion MID-STATES FOUR cavorted on both stage and street to the enjoyment of hundreds of members and guests. It was a four-day event starting on Friday and concluding on Labor Day Monday. Very few functions anywhere compared at the time with this event. Charlevoix County only has three towns—Charlevoix, East Jordan and Boyne City. Each had a chapter of SPEBSQSA. Under the direction of Loton Willson of Boyne City, the SNOW BELT Chorus was organized, including members of the three chapters. The three sister chapters had succeeded in placing their section among the leaders in Michigan.
 Ed Smith
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 Bill Diekema
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Loton Wilson
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And choruses began seriously developing
"As in other districts, many chapters boasted of excellent choruses. Grand Rapids, Jackson, Holland and Gratiot County had fine aggregations. The Metropolitan Detroit Chorus under Tom Needham was probably the largest, having in its roster men from all thirteen chapters. It had appeared at several concerts since it was organized in 1947. The TRI-COUNTY Chorus (Lapeer, Ortonville, Holly and Flint) were preparing for their debut. Francis Hodgeboom of Jackson, Arthur Farrand of Flint and Bill Diekema from Holland, were among the better-known choral directors in Michigan. Ed Smith; Bill Diekema; Loton Willson; H. O'Reilly Clint, Detroit; John Hill, Lansing; and Len Field, Jackson, gained considerable acclaim as arrangers and composers.
"Michigan was proud of its many men who have made valuable contributions to the progress of the Society. It was proud of its many excellent quartets who had distinguished themselves in international competition. There is no doubt Michigan played an important part in the development of the Society in the early years, not only from the music side, but administratively as well."
 Note Blenders
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The "Fifties", a beginning of a new era
"The regional preliminaries and the annual meeting of the Michigan District were held in Midland, Michigan, on May 6 and 7, 1950. Fifteen quartets vied for the honor of representing the district at the upcoming international convention in Omaha, Nebraska. They were the AETNA-CEMENTERS, Bay City, the ANTLERS, Flint, the CLEF DWELLERS, Oakland County, the COLLEGIANS, Grosse Pointe, the COSMOPOLITANS, Grand Rapids, the CROW-MATIX, Muskegon, the FLEXIBLES, Muskegon, THE FOUR HURON HOARSEMEN, Ypsilanti, THE FOUR KEYS, Three Rivers, the GARDENAIRES, Detroit, the INTERLUDES, Midland, the MEN OF ACHORD, Saginaw, the NOTE BLENDERS, Oakland County, the PITCH PIPERS, Grand Rapids and the TUNE VENDORS from Dowagiac. From this talented collection, the ANTLERS, CLEF DWELLERS, CROW-MATIX (Warren, Dobb, Hollar and Lund) and the NOTE BLENDERS were selected.
A new standard district constitution and non-profit status effected"On the administrative end of the meeting, the Board of Directors and the House of Delegates ratified a new standard district constitution which had been approved at the International Board's midwinter convention held in Washington, D.C., January 20-21, 1950. The "Plan for Uniform District Organization," after two years of study and a series of revisions, was adopted by the International Board, and binding on all districts, as of May 1, 1950. Under it, incorporation of districts is mandatory, and the plan itself becomes the Constitution and By-Laws of the district, superseding all previous documents and procedures.
 Mark Roberts
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 Lou Harrington
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 Clarence Jalving
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"In addition to the ratification of the new district constitution, a resolution was passed providing for the incorporation of the Michigan District as a non-profit corporation under the laws of the State of Michigan. Other by-laws were adopted at the meeting, subject to the approval of the International Board, having to do with the formal name of the district and its territorial limits, the ten areas, establishment of area counselors (formerly known as area governors) for each area to be appointed by the district president, and for proportionate representation for the House of Delegates from each chapter based on membership [the same as it is today]. A sixth by-law fixes the month of October as the time for holding of the annual district quartet contest. District officers elected at this Midland meeting included President Mark P. Roberts, Grosse Pointe, Vice Presidents Lester Davis of Lansing and Bob Newman of Sturgis, Secretary Lou Harrington, Hamtramck, and Treasurer Clarence Jalving of Holland. C.W. Coye of Grand Rapids became the immediate past president. Roberts stated upon his election as president: "Heck, it was easy! All I promised was no dues, a guaranteed membership increase formula, a tenor procurement program that would provide all the `high C' lyric tenors that we would ever need, and a district championship for every quartet." Campaign promises like that would even get him elected nowadays.
Michigan quartets score well at Omaha international"Michigan again dominated the big international quartet contest in Omaha on June 7-11, 1950, when the CLEF DWELLERS, ANTLERS and NOTE BLENDERS finished second, third and fifth respectively behind the champion BUFFALO BILLS. The CLEF DWELLERS and NOTE BLENDERS, both from the Oakland County Chapter, share with the Springfield, Illinois, Chicago and Pittsburgh chapters the rare distinction of having two international medalist quartets in the same year, from the same chapter. This, of course, has happened three more times between 1950 and 1990.
"Over the Labor Day weekend, the Charlevoix Chapter hosted the Michigan District Executive Board Meeting, which was attended by the district officers, the area counselors and the Michigan representatives serving on the International Board. The problems of weak chapters were discussed with the Board advocating more area-wide conferences to assist the weaker chapters and to promote membership. The Jamboree itself was a gala event, which included an array of talent both from within and outside the district, including the BARBER-Q-FOUR (who were international finalists and Illinois District Champions) and the MID-STATES FOUR, the 1949 international quartet champions. A show and a concert in the park were featured, along with a costume ball on Sunday evening.
 Tune Vendors
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"The district contest was held in Pontiac on October 21, 1950, with the headquarters at the Pontiac Hotel and contests at the Pontiac High School. Nothing of particular importance came out of the business meeting except a decision to have a district chorus contest. Seventeen quartets competed in the district quartet contest and the TUNE VENDORS of Dowagiac (Jim McGlynn, tenor; Bert Happs, lead; Tome Grove, baritone, and Bob Mullen, bass) was picked as district champion. The NOTE BLENDERS took second place and third place went to the CROW-MATIX. The ACCIDENTAL FOUR of Oakland County were crowned junior champs (these were four young lads from the Royal Oak High School), and the HARMONY PROSPECTORS from the Sault Ste. Marie Chapter were crowned novice champs.
"In December, a concert was given by the Metropolitan Detroit Chorus under the direction of Tom Needham at Music Hall in downtown Detroit. Choruses from Toledo, Pontiac and Milford joined with the Metropolitan Chorus in a 100 voice group.
"One other interesting note mentioned in the December 1950, Troubadour, concerned the issuance of a district directory. We don't know if there were any directories issued earlier than 1950, but apparently Secretary Lou Harrington did issue one in 1950. [Searching through all the district files, I have not yet found any copies of these early directories, although we know they were issued.]
[index]
[1946]
[1947]
[1948]
[1949]
[1950]
[Contents]
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