It was at the international midwinter convention held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on January 23-27, 1957, that the announcement was made by the International Board that a new site for the headquarters of the Society had been found in Kenosha, Wisconsin. This came as quite a shock to those Michigan District barbershoppers who had worked quite hard to maintain the headquarters in the Detroit area. After considerable discussion and some financial juggling, it became apparent that the new site was an ideal location for the headquarters. The Board decided to proceed with the purchase at this meeting. The lease on the old location on Fenkell Avenue in Detroit had just expired, so the purchase came at an opportune time for the Society. Kenosha is still today the home of our international Society.
Other business transacted at this International Board meeting included the following: the adoption of an initiation fee; The pro-rating of per capita dues quarterly for all new members reported to the International Office after February 1, 1957, the pro-rating of the Harmonizer (Society magazine) subscription fee and the establishment of a chapter-at-large as a means of permitting members belonging to chapters who had lost their charters to maintain identification with the Society. Other matters were attended to including such things as contest and judging matters, extension and membership, etc. The 1959 annual convention was awarded to Chicago over bids from Detroit, Kansas City and Philadelphia. One item of interest concerned the Board's recommendation to the House of Delegates that it still should be left up to local chapters to interpret the word `adult' as it appeared in the Society By-Laws concerning membership requirements. This action was taken in consideration of the proposal that we consider legislating a minimum age limit of 18 years.
District membership in state of fluxIt should be apparent to our readers that during this period our chapters were in a state of flux especially during the late Forties and during the early Fifties, but were on a gradual increase both in numbers of chapters and in membership. At the end of 1956, there were 38 chapters with 1,721 members, enough to entitle the district to three quartets in the upcoming international contest in June. Some of our smaller chapters had fallen by the wayside with their charters suspended due to the fact they didn't or couldn't maintain the minimum of twenty members required at the time. One of our pioneer chapters, the Flint organization had fallen by the wayside in the Forties, but was rejuvenated and brought back into the fold in 1957 under new leadership. Other chapters included Albion and Niles, which were suspended earlier, but rejoined the district in 1957. So at this period of time, things were beginning to look rosier in the Michigan District.
Chapter parades were popularChapter shows were prevalent all over the state, and a lot of international championship quartets were being hired to really excite the audiences. A good example was the Kalamazoo show held on February 9, 1957, and they featured the MID STATES FOUR (1949 international champions), the CRACKER JILLS (Sweet Adeline champions), the MERRI-MEN and the AIRE-TONICS (both district champions), and the TOWN CRIERS and the INCIDENTALS (local quartets). This was a typical type parade of quartets which was being held throughout the district. Michigan never forgot how to have a good time. We may not have been winning many national championships, but you can bet that locally the singing was more enthusiastic than any other place in the country. That basically is still true today, as our chapters continue to have fine shows and the performances are better than ever.
Western Michigan chapters form Halley Dion |
The western Michigan chapters had formed an association of chapters (comprised of Area Eight chapters), and were meeting on a regular basis. One such meeting was held in Muskegon on March 16 with over 200 barbershoppers in attendance. Chapters that participated included Grand Rapids, Holland, Lowell, Ionia and Muskegon. At least six quartets and three choruses sang during the evening with a lot of high-spirited singing going on throughout the conclave. Many of the district officers were present including Loton Willson, Halley Dion, Cecil Fischer, Jack Klaiber, Willis Diekema, Peter Pell, Grand Rapids chapter president, and Ed Laux, president of the Lowell Chapter.
International President Davis attends "Bush League" contestThe "Bush League" contest was held on March 30, 1957, and was highlighted by the appearance of International President Rowland Davis of New York, who also served on the judging panel. Twelve quartets competed, with the SING-SING SINGERS, a former top comedy quartet from Midland (Judge Henry Hart, bass; Bud Lowry, lead; Charles Kimmel, tenor, and Doc Clark, bari), being judged the winners in a close contest.
Pontiac Chapter hosts annual "Olde Time Woodshed" contestOn March 29 the Pontiac Chapter put on an "Olde-Time Woodshed" contest. This event drew 114 barbershoppers including International President Rowland Davis of New York. The contest made up of foursomes selected on the spot, culminated in 14 quartets actually competing. The winning four was composed of Steve Vickers of Redford, tenor; Tom Pollard, Wayne, lead; Bill Carter, Detroit, baritone, and Bob Wharton, Detroit, bass. This quartet received engraved arrowhead lapel medallions. Also a highlight of the evening was the first annual award of the "Carroll P. Adams Bennington Trophy." It went to the Detroit Chapter for entering the greatest number of individual contestants. Bill Bond accepted the trophy presented by Chase Sanborn. All of the awards were designed and made by Bill Pascher. The `Bennington Trophy' is annually awarded to the chapter with the highest percentage of its total membership in attendance. This contest, always popular in the Detroit area, has continued to the present day as an annual event. It's truly one of the few remaining woodshedding meetings held in the Detroit area today.
SCHMITT BROTHERS appear at 1957 regional contestThe 1957 Michigan District regional quartet contest and annual business meeting of the House of Delegates was held in Wayne, Michigan, on May 4, 1957. The occasion was unusual in that the Wayne Chapter combined the event with a chapter show which headlined the 1951 International Champion SCHMITT BROTHERS. The headquarters was the Wayne Recreation building with contest events taking place at the Wayne High School.
The three quartets selected from the 12 contestants to compete at the international contest held in Los Angeles included the COMBUST-A-CHORDS (Glenn Van Tassell, Robert McGookey, Vic Van Yorx and Ray Sipots) from Detroit, the EXTENSION CHORDS (Don Lucas, Don Hall, Sid Helder and Cal VerDuin) from Grand Rapids, and the FORE-BEARERS OF HARMONY (Tom Pollard, Gil Stammer, Robert Mulligan and Bill Bond) from Detroit. The alternate quartet was the SHARPKEEPERS (Gordon Limburg, William Rowell, Al Rehkop and Bob Crary) of Detroit, Redford and Oakland County.
New district officers for 1957-58 were elected at the annual meeting, including Halley Dion of Muskegon as president, Cecil H. Fischer of Grand Rapids, Alvin Olson of Kalamazoo and Seaborn Lawrence of Dearborn as vice presidents, John Klaiber as treasurer and Louis R. Harrington as secretary. Other business included the passage of an amendment to the Michigan District constitution to include the district bulletin editor as an officer of the district and as a member of the board of directors. Gordon Grant of the Saginaw Chapter was presented with the Area Counselor of the Year Award and was presented an appropriate plaque in his honor. Grant, who was a past district president, international board member and one of the most dedicated barbershop veterans in the Michigan District, was the spark plug in the reactivation of the Flint and Midland Chapters.
Detroit #1 leads Society in funding new headquarters Wolverines |
The drive to raise funds to pay off the indebtedness incurred in purchasing the new SPEBSQSA international home in Kenosha, Wisconsin, was off to a fast start with a Michigan chapter leading the national parade. Detroit Chapter #1, which waged an energetic campaign to retain the headquarters in this district but lost when the Alford Mansion deal came up, sent a check for $1,050 for the fund. This chapter was the first to contribute, even before Past President Arthur Merrill had his appeal for funds in the mail. A second first was scored when international headquarters received a check in the sum of $100 from the WOLVERINES, a leading district quartet for a number of years. District President Halley Dion mailed out appeals to other chapters in the Michigan District to help in the fund raising. "The Michigan District, which we call the `pioneer district' because of so many firsts we have accomplished," Dion said, "will do its part and more I know."
The Los Angeles international convention was interestingJune 19-23, 1957, and the scene of the international convention and contests was in Los Angeles, California. At the International Board meeting, Joseph E. Lewis of Dallas, Texas, was named the new international president, and Clarence Jalving of Holland, Michigan, was named second vice president. He was replaced on the Board by Louis R. Harrington of Detroit, Michigan, then the current secretary and both past president and past secretary of the Michigan District. Other business transacted at this meeting included naming the chapter-at-large which was previously established as the "Frank H. Thorne" chapter in honor of the past international president. The $50 charter fee for new chapters was abolished and bidding for international conventions and contests was confined to the midwinter conventions. Considerable discussion was given to the urgency of strict adherence to the barbershop style in Society competition, public performances, and in commercial recordings.
Forty-one quartets vied for the international crown, with the LADS OF ENCHANTMENT from Albuquerque, New Mexico, being declared international champions. The Michigan quartet which went the greatest distance was the FORE-BEARERS OF HARMONY of the Detroit and Wayne Chapters. This capable foursome qualified for the finalist contest, or round of 15, but couldn't score enough to make the medalist or final round. The COMBUST-A-CHORDS of Detroit and Oakland County and the EXTENSION CHORDS of Grand Rapids did not survive beyond the first round. For the COMBUST-A-CHORDS Dame Fortune was looking the other way. The quartet was drawn in the number one slot, the position to open the contest, and it was an arduous task. To begin with, it was up to the Michigan quartet to demonstrate to the officials that the microphone was not adjusted properly and the floor markings for distance were uncertain. After the Detroiters were finished, the adjusting was done. That's probably why we have mike testers in today's contests. The CALIFORNIANS of the Far Western District won the international chorus contest, but Michigan was not represented in the contest. The cost of sending a large chorus to the contest was just too high for the GREAT LAKES Chorus, and alternate choruses couldn't afford it either. The International Board did pass a resolution to the effect that it was to be the district's obligation to provide financial assistance to qualifying choruses who represent them in the international competition at the international convention each year.
The Dearborn Chapter continued its visitations to the veterans' hospitals during the summer. This was an on-going event for many years for Dearborn and other chapters. The second recipient of the Oakland County Chapter's "Charley DeLong" Award for outstanding service in his chapter was presented to Bill Bruce by Charley DeLong himself on June 8. Charley held a record of attending 163 consecutive chapter meetings, and was probably the `attendingest' member in the Society at the time. At this same meeting, Charley, himself, was awarded the first award by the second recipient, Oakland County Secretary Bill Bruce.
SHARPKEEPERS win district quartet championship Sharpkeepers |
 Fruit Belt "57" |
Traverse City was the host for the Michigan District quartet and chorus contests on October 18-20, 1957. The SHARPKEEPERS representing the Metropolitan Detroit Association of Chapters (Al Rehkop, Dearborn, tenor; Bill Rowell, Detroit and Redford Chapters, lead; Gordon Limburg, Oakland County, baritone, and Bob Craig, Dearborn Chapter, bass) won the district championship. The Benton Harbor-St. Joe Chapter FRUIT BELT Chorus was declared the new district chorus champions. The Grand Rapids GREAT LAKES Chorus won the right to represent the district at next year's international chorus contest. No other information is available at this time concerning other quartets and choruses competing. The district Troubadour, a source of much of our information, was not being published during this time period, so information is sketchy.
One of the Michigan District's great barbershoppers passed away on November 5, 1957. He was George O'Brien of the Saginaw Chapter. He had been chairman of the Old Songs Committee and member of the Harmony Heritage Committee of the Society. He edited the "Ye Olde Ed" column in the Harmonizer from December of 1944 until his death, a period of some twelve years. His articles were highly informative and humorous, and he never missed an issue. In addition to the Harmonizer column, he performed an invaluable service and public relations job for the Society in conducting correspondence with literally thousands of barbershoppers concerning songs for which they were searching or on which they wished to have background information. His memory will be perpetuated by his countless contributions to preservation of the Old Songs represented in the recollections of a host of barbershoppers and an Old Songs library in Kenosha which he saw grow from a mere idea to a collection in excess of 80,000 copies of treasured sheet music.
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