The newly elected executive officers of the district held their first board meeting at Marshall, Michigan, on Saturday, January 13, 1962. In addition to the normal business, two items were discussed at length. The first item involved the necessity of extensive public relations efforts in the district. It was felt that most of the public relations efforts in the past had not been satisfactory mainly because they concentrated on trivia, special events, single quartets and choruses, contests, and the like, while the overall image of the Society and what it actually is had been overlooked.
 Al Burgess
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"There are many who still believe," said one director, "we are a howling foursome around a lamp pole at midnight and most certainly we are not that." Vice President Al Burgess of Muskegon told the group he had been working up a 40-minute lecture complete with slides and demonstrations that he will give from time to time to such male gatherings as Rotary Clubs, Exchange Clubs, church male clubs, and similar groups that invite him. Burgess said he planned the lecture to show his listeners, no matter who they are, that barbershopping is a hobby and an avocation for men and one that can make a man's life fuller and richer. Steps were taken by the Executive Board to set up instruction schools for chapter presidents and secretaries. The schools were to be four in number, one for each zone and directed by the zonal vice presidents. It is interesting to note at this juncture that public relations even at this stage of the development of the Society was becoming increasingly important to the leaders of our district. At this writing in 1991, the Society has embarked upon a new emphasis on the public relations aspect of our Society with the advent of chapter public relations officers being added to chapter Boards, the establishment of district public relations officers, and programs designed to elicit a better and more complete public image of what we are and where we are going.
The second item discussed at the meeting involved the financial crisis rapidly developing in the district. It was apparent that the district expenses were running ahead of income. The gloomy discussion that followed indicated that a district dues increase was imminent, and President Hansen indicated that he wanted thorough discussion of it at the chapter level and then worked out and voted at the next House of Delegates meeting.
Two chapters in the district decided to purchase homes of their own during this period. The Hudson Chapter purchased an abandoned railroad station. They obtained a lease and by inaugurating a fix-up program they have a hall for which they can be proud. The Fruit Belt Chapter conceived and built a 98' x 70' structure with a minimum of cost and a maximum of effort. The February, 1962, issue of the Troubadour featured an article on their experiences in building this fine Chorditorium, as they subsequently named it.
District faces financial problemsThe spring convention was held on April 27-29, 1962, at Benton Harbor, Michigan. The Fruit Belt Chapter hosted the convention, and the House of Delegates meeting was held at their new Chorditorium, after properly dedicating the structure. The discussion of finances was explored extensively at this meeting with particular reference to the financing of the Troubadour. Because the district had not established a per capita membership dues structure, revenues were obtained through sanction fees assessed to each chapter. The rebates to the district of $1 per member from the international office had been discontinued earlier, and this further added to the financial woes of the district.
In explaining the Troubadour cost situation, Editor Jim Davenport reported that only 65 percent of the district chapters were contributing to the fund, thus causing a shortfall. Editor Davenport reported in detail on the costs of the publication, which averaged $362 per issue, or in excess of $3600 per year for the ten issues published. The resulting action by the House was to pass a motion to the effect that the district secretary was to refuse clearance of parade and show dates to any chapter which was delinquent in the payment of its sanction fee.
Nine quartets vied for the right to represent the district at the upcoming international quartet contest, with the AUTO TOWNERS, the AIRE-MALES, and the CURBSTONE SERENADERS (Tom Rafferty, bari; Cliff Douglas, bass; Ed Lilly, lead, and Bob Marshall, tenor) selected. The STATELINERS from the Niles-Buchanan Chapter were selected as the alternate quartet. Five choruses competed in the district chorus contest, with the Benton Harbor FRUIT BELT Chorus, under the direction of Bill Hansen, winning the 1962 district chorus championship. The Kalamazoo MALL CITY Chorus, directed by Richard Peterson, was declared the Michigan District junior chorus champion, and third place went to the Holland WINDMILL Chorus under the direction of Mike Lucas.
Boyne City's "Bush League" contest on May 12, 1962, was won by the FOUR-FITS (Marv Burke, bass; Russ Seely, lead; Ray McCalpin, bari; John Prost, tenor) of the Grosse Pointe Chapter, and the STATION-AIRES of the Hudson Chapter placed second from a field of thirteen entries in a keen competition. Headlining the evening program were the CRACKER JILLS, who were past international champions of the Sweet Adelines, and the INCIDENTALS, who won the Bush League championship the year before.
The District Executive Board met in Lansing on May 20, 1962. President Hansen announced he had received a letter of resignation from Zone 1 Vice President Duncan Hannah (of CLEF DWELLER fame), due to business demands. In subsequent action by the Board, Eric Schultz from the Dearborn Chapter was appointed the new Division I Vice President. Roger Craig reported that attempts at reviving the district show at the Michigan State Fair, which was so successful in 1961, were running into problems due to a change in the state fair administrative leaders. Letters were written to the Governor and his executive secretary without much results. Secretary Harrington reported that in his discussions with several state and other fair officials he was advised that county fairs usually book their talent in January of each year at the annual Michigan County Fair Convention in Detroit. A motion was made that the District Show Committee prepare and make a presentation at their next convention.
During 1962, Bill Rowell, the district public relations officer from the Detroit Chapter, was publishing a regular article in the Troubadour reporting on successful PR events throughout the district. The increased emphasis on PR was certainly apparent and successful in the chapters, judging from the tenor of his articles.
Harmony education program expandedOn the international scene, Director of Musical Education Bob Johnson answered the challenge of expanding the Harmony Education Program School, which was so successful in Winona, Minnesota, in 1961, to five sites for 1962, using the same faculty on different dates. Sites selected included Berkeley, California; Fort Worth, Texas; Winona, Minnesota; Niagara Falls, New York, and Reading, Pennsylvania. The basis for establishing the curriculum was built around the following concept: the quartet, the chorus, the music we sing, how we present it to the public, and the reason for being a barbershopper. In order to be able to reach barbershoppers at all levels, advanced classes as well as basic courses were scheduled.
AUTO TOWNERS break into top ten Gateway 1962
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Kansas City was the site of the 24th annual convention June 21-24, 1962. Forty-five quartets vied for the gold, with the GALA LADS from Alhambra, California, taking it all. Michigan's representatives fared very well, with the AUTO TOWNERS from the Dearborn Chapter breaking into the top ten with a fine ninth place finish. The AIR-MALES from the Wayne and Dearborn Chapter finished as semi-finalists in 19th position, with the CURBSTONE SERENADERS from the Oakland County Chapter ending up in 37th position. In the chorus competition, Director Barden Borst led the Niles-Buchanan GATEWAY Chorus to an eighth place finish behind the first place finish of the Louisville THOROUGHBRED Chorus, which was Louisville's first win in international competition. [They were to repeat this fete six more times up until this printing in 1990.] It was apparent that the Michigan District was beginning once again to gain prominence in the barbershop world
Michigan chapters were very busy during the summer of 1962. The Lansing Chapter began what was to be one of the most enjoyable meetings for many years to come. It was their annual "Fish Fry" chorus, quartet, and gang-singing meeting held at the Ingham County Conservation League Hall, with chapters from throughout the entire district attending. In the Detroit area, the local chapters all had established Friday night meetings, and one could barbershop every Friday night somewhere in the area. These meetings featured woodshedding and quartet singing galore, and one attending would get a chance to sing with barbershoppers from all the other chapters in the area. In fact, one would probably see many of the same fellows at every chapter's meeting, rotating every Friday night. It was a tradition which lasted throughout the Sixties and the Seventies, but unfortunately died out in the Eighties in most instances. A good example of the type of meetings held during this era (and which still continues today) was the Pontiac Woodshed contest. This contest was started in 1957 by John Beaudin and Bill Pascher who together created the concept of quartets competing without pre-arranged numbers and without prior knowledge of song selection. The Carroll P. Adams Memorial Trophy was designed and built by Pascher to be awarded to the chapter with the highest percentage of its members participating, and is now the oldest revolving trophy in the Society. A separate medal, the Pontiac Woodshed Lapel Award, is given to each member of the winning quartet.
In August of 1962 the entire district was saddened with the loss of one of its staunchest barbershoppers, Howard Tubbs. Howard had been a charter member of the Detroit #1 Chapter and was well known over the years throughout the international and Michigan District levels. He had served in most of the offices of the Detroit Chapter including president, had served on numerous committees for his chapter and the district, served on the International Board, was a certified judge in voice expression, and in 1951-52, he was the Michigan District president. Howard had coached numerous quartets over the years, and sang in some very fine quartets, beginning as early as 1940 with the AMERICAN LEGION FOUR. This quartet was followed by his participation in the GARDENAIRES quartet which finished in international competition six times as a finalist and in 1949 as a runner-up at Buffalo in the finals. In later years he sang with the HOBBY CHORDS and the TUNE GRINDERS.
District name change suggestedOne interesting note was a comment by then District President Bill Hansen concerning the use of the name "Pioneer District" when referring to our district. It surfaced when Troubadour Editor Jim Davenport added the name to the masthead of the Troubadour. It was originated by Roscoe Bennett in the March issue of 1954, and it had been a regular part of the old Troub. Bill suggested that we consider the possibility of adopting this "label" as the official name for our district.
Plans for the annual fall convention were well underway when it was announced that International President Lou Laurel would make the key-note address to the convention, in addition to the introduction of a proposal to enact a $4 per-capita annual district dues for the first time in the district history.
Cleary Auditorium in Windsor site of '62 fall contests Curbstone Seranaders
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The Michigan District fall convention was held in Windsor on October 5-6, 1962, with the quartet and chorus contests taking place at Cleary Auditorium. A capacity crowd was on hand to hear and watch the CURBSTONE SERENADERS from the Oakland County and Pontiac Chapters (Bob Marshall, tenor; Ed Lilly, lead; Tom Rafferty, baritone, and Cliff Douglas, bass) take the marbles as the new district quartet champions from a field of fifteen quartets. Second place went to the NOTERIES (Al Rehkop, tenor; Bernie Smith, lead; Gordon Limberg, bari, and John Zinnikas, bass) from the Dearborn, Oakland County and Wayne Chapters. The INSOMNIACS (Dick Kelly, tenor; Dick Burrows, lead; Roger Valentine, bari, and Harlan Quinn, bass) from the Blue Water-South Haven Chapter were third followed by the FOUR-FITS (John Prost, tenor; Russ Seely, lead; Ray McCalpin, bari, and Marv Burke, bass) from the Grosse Pointe Chapter, in fourth place. Muskegon's OCCASIONAL FOUR (Bill Wickstrom, tenor; Fred Kendall, lead; Webb Scrivnor, bari, and Alvin Martin, bass) were declared the novice champions with the FOUR-FITS winning the junior champion award.
 Chord-O-Matics
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Twelve choruses competed in the international chorus preliminaries with the Dearborn CHORD-O-MATIC Chorus under the direction of Roger Craig winning the right to represent the district at the international contest in Toronto in 1963. Muskegon's PORT CITY Chorus was declared the alternate chorus to Toronto.
A meeting of the Michigan District House of Delegates was held at the Prince Edward Hotel on Sunday morning, October 7, 1962. Important business transacted included the all important per-capita dues assessment of $4 per member which passed by a vote of 32 to 9 after some heated discussions. The nominees for the 1963 district offices were announced and elected with a unanimous ballot. Those elected included William Hansen, president; Al Burgess, Eric Schultz, Robert Tracy, and E.A. VandeZande, vice presidents; Louis Harrington, secretary, and John Klaiber, treasurer.
District HEP school launchedA district HEP school was held in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, on November 24, 1962, and featured a talented faculty including Bob Johnson, Bob Tracy, Al Burgess, Roger Craig, Dick Peterson, Loton Willson, and Lou Harrington. The school listed three courses, those being Chapter Officer Training, Chorus Directors, and Quartet Promotions and Coaching. This event signaled the introduction of our present day HEP Schools and Chapter Officer Training Schools. It was due to the hard work of Bob Tracy, who, to this day, has been very instrumental in promoting barbershopping in the northern parts of our district.
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