The midwinter convention was held in El Paso, Texas, on January 28-31, 1959. The big concern at this convention was the Society's Expansion Fund which was the vital link to the purchase of the new Harmony Hall in Kenosha. Michigan had pledged $17,210 overall when the fund was set up, with a 1958 pledge of $9,342 of which only $7,048 had been paid up until this time.
The Society's legislative and administrative bodies met to carry on the official business. In addition to the usual business-at-hand, the International Board voted to approve the transfer of the Windsor, Ontario, Chapter to the Michigan District. It also established the Harmony Foundation as a result of a proposal by Laws and Regulation Chairman Mark Roberts of the Grosse Pointe Chapter. Another important change enacted raised the minimum number of members for obtaining and maintaining a chapter charter to 25. However, once having been issued a charter, chapters which by March 31, 1959, had not reported at least 25 members to international headquarters, will automatically be placed on `inactive status' unless fewer than ten members had been reported with payment of full per capita dues. Chapters on inactive status would forfeit all votes in area, district or Society affairs; however, their quartets would be permitted to remain registered with the Society although they would not be allowed to enter official Society contests.
District international preliminary at Grand Rapids features high school quartet contest Sharpkeepers |
 Chords Counts |
 Staff Sergeants |
A new innovation was instituted when the Michigan District international preliminary quartet contest, which was held in Grand Rapids April 10-12, 1959, was combined with the Great Lakes Invitational Annual Show and the high school quartet contest. The contests were held in the Black and Silver room, which is a small theater adjoining the Civic Auditorium hall. Twelve quartets vied for the two spots open to represent the district at the international convention to be held in Chicago. (This had been reduced from three to two because of the decline in membership, which according to the formula in use allowed Michigan only two quartets.) The winners were the SHARPKEEPERS of Detroit and the CHORD COUNTS of the Holland Chapter. The STAFF SERGEANTS from Detroit and Oakland County (they had replaced their tenor Dan Spurlin with Ed Lilly) were declared the alternates. In the high school quartet contest, although it was not reported how many quartets competed, the winners were four lads from the Unity Christian High School of Hudsonville (Gerry Kuiper, tenor; Harry Byker, lead; Roger Steggerda, baritone and Len Van Noord, bass).
The district House of Delegates meeting was highlighted with the keynote address delivered by International President Joe Lewis of Dallas, Texas. New officers elected were Cecil H. Fischer as President for his second term, Vice Presidents Alvin Olson of Kalamazoo, John Comloquoy of Jackson and C. D. Sanborn of Pontiac, Secretary Lou Harrington and John W. Klaiber as treasurer. William Hansen of the Fruit Belt Chapter was named the Area Counselor of the Year. Hansen had also arranged the song for the district Memorial Committee which was to be sung at memorial services for district members. It was called "Crossing the Bar,"1 and he introduced a quartet called the KESTERKEYS to sing the song for the delegates before they officially adopted it.
Clarence Jalving elected international president for 1960 Clarence Jalving |
The big news for Michiganders at the international convention held in Chicago on June 30–July 4, 1959, was that Clarence Jalving of the Holland Chapter was elected the new international president for the following year. Also elected to be a trustee of Harmony Foundation was Mark Roberts of the Grosse Pointe Chapter. Joe Jones was reappointed chairman of the International Contest and Judging Committee for the years 1959 and 1960. Howard Tubbs, a long-time Detroit member, was appointed the district C & J chairman.
In the chorus contest held at the convention, Jim Moses and the Pekin, Illinois, chorus was declared the winner. The PORT CITY Chorus of Muskegon, under the direction of Al Burgess, finished a commendable fourth in the fourteen chorus competition. This was the highest position that any Michigan chorus has ever attained in international chorus competition since Grand Rapids had won in 1953.
The PITCHHIKERS from Springfield, Missouri, won the international quartet contest championship, but, Michigan's two quartets, the SHARPKEEPERS of Detroit and the CHORD COUNTS of Holland, were in there pitching and each gave a very creditable performance. The CHORD COUNTS made the top twenty in the afternoon preliminaries, and ended up thirteenth overall. The SHARPKEEPERS, singing in the number one spot in the quarter finals, got off to a shaky start, and didn't make the top twenty. Apparently their first song, "I'm Acomin' Acourtin' Corabelle" wasn't up to their usual style, and cost them a chance to make the semi-finals.
At the District Executive Board meeting held at the Hayes Hotel in Jackson on June 2, membership and membership problems were discussed at length. The thinking of those men involved resolved into a plan for prepayment or a pay-as-you-go method of collecting and reporting dues so that membership dues could be kept up to date.
Charlevoix `Jamboree' revived againWhile most of the chapters were taking part in their usual summer activities, things were beginning to rev up in the northern part of the district when the Charlevoix Chapter was revived, and especially the annual `Charlevoix Jamboree,' which had lapsed several years before. September 5 was the date of the big affair, and entertainment was provided the Boyne City SNOW BELT Chorus, the AGING FOUR of Lansing, the PHD'S of Muskegon, the MERRI-MEN of Lansing, the STAFF SERGEANTS, the district champions from Detroit, the EXTENSION CHORDS, and the GREAT LAKES Chorus of Grand Rapids. District President Cecil Fischer emceed the gala affair, which was highlighted by a gaily decorated high school gymnasium, a tradition with the former Charlevoix shows. The climax of the affair was the finale with all quartets on stage with their many different colored uniforms and the GREAT LAKES Chorus standing on risers in front of the stage dressed in their Indian uniforms. This group of performers presented a very colorful picture as they sang the Society theme song "Keep America Singing,"t; directed by past District President Loton Willson. The afterglow was held in the basement of the Beach Hotel where about 350 guests were again entertained. The Charlevoix Chapter was rechartered in December of 1959.
Michigan invades Holland for fall conventionHolland, Michigan, was selected as the site for the fall district contest and convention on October 9-10, 1959. The Holland Chapter, the home chapter of the International President Clarence Jalving and Bill Diekema, prepared well for the invasion of Michigan barbershoppers. Two headquarters were established for the event, the Warm Friend Hotel for district meetings, and the club rooms of the Holland Chapter, located just across the street from the hotel, were open for all to use as needed. Don Lucas was the general chairman for the event. The contest events took place in Holland's Civic Center.
In the quartet contest, the CHORD COUNTS of Holland ruled supreme and were declared the Michigan District champions. In second place was the AIRE-MALES and the third spot went to the LANSINGERS of Lansing. The PHD'S of Muskegon were declared the junior champions and the novice champions were the SCOREKEEPERS of Northwest Detroit.
 Port City |
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 Chord-O-Matics |
The chorus contest provided chorus singing which was of a much higher level than any other contest that had gone before. Ten choruses competed, with the Muskegon PORT CITY Chorus, directed by Al Burgess, once again selected to represent the district in the upcoming international competition. The Niles-Buchanan Chorus, under the direction of Bard Borst, won second place overall, but because they were last year's district champions, they were ineligible for the title. The Dearborn CHORD-O-MATIC Chorus, under the direction of Roger Craig, became the new district champion, having out sung the nine other competing choruses.
Idea for district-sponsored package shows to aid travel fund advancedIn business meetings associated with the convention, the House of Delegates turned down an Executive Board recommendation to split future chorus contests, settling the district title in the fall and the regional, or international qualifying, in the spring. The main reason for not going along with the plan was that district and regional contests were already awarded for two years and plans for them were made based on the format of that time. Other business included the proposal that the district sponsor district package shows, involving top talent to be offered at Michigan state-wide events such as fairs, conventions, and the like. The district itself would be the agents for the shows and all profits that might accrue would go into the district coffers. A Study Committee was set up composed of Harold Sepull of Dearborn as chairman, Bill Favinger of Detroit, Frank Brown of Lansing, Robert Walker of Grand Rapids and Dr. S. Duplissis of Muskegon. It was felt that this could be a way for the district to help finance the travel fund and the expansion fund in the district.
The creation of a new area and the realignment of another was also announced. The new area, to be known as Area 13, consisted of Cheboygan County, formerly in Area 6, Alpena and Presque Isle formerly of Area 5 together with three Upper Peninsula counties, Luce, Chippewa, Mackinac and Schoolcraft. Robert Tracy of Cheboygan was named counselor for the area.
The ‘Michigan Song of the Year’ was selected by Duncan Hannah of the Oakland County Chapter and former CLEF DWELLER quartet member. It was "Girl of My Dreams," and was selected by Dunc because it was an old barbershop song that was easily taught and sung.
As we look back on the Fifties, we can truly say that this was a decade of transition for the district. The historic events recorded here certainly reflect that. We became much smaller in size as our membership decreased, and as the Society itself grew in numbers and musical acumen. But we never lost our stature organization-wise nor administratively. We still remained the most progressive district in the Society. Even though the headquarters was moved out of the district, we still proudly contributed two gentlemen as international presidents and were the first to win the chorus championship. Musically, and administratively, we still were at the top of the heap.
1Correction courtesy of Dale Bekker.| [index] | [1956] | [1957] | [1958] | [1959] | [1960] | [Contents] |
