USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > New Haven > History of St. Thomas's Episcopal Church, New Haven, Connecticut, 1848-1941 > Part 6
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The newspaper gives a glowing account of the exhibition, and a somewhat technical description of the organ itself. Mr. George W. Warren of Brooklyn, L. I., a well-known organist, and Dr. Anderson of this city rendered the selections. A choir was also present. It was this same organ which was remodeled and enlarged and placed in the new church on Whitney Ave., where it is to-day. In 1878 it was supplied with a water motor, which furnished the power for many years, until supplanted by electricity.
As we follow along the years there is little to record of any great interest. The usual routine matters occupy the attention of the vestry. One or two practical things may be set down here, though out of their order. On April 7, 1857, "Engine Company No 1 while going to a fire ran their engine upon the side walk in front of the church and against one of the stone posts displacing the cap and doing some injury to the same." The iron fence with its stone posts had been erected only the year before by Mr. Joseph E. Sheffield, one of the generous benefactors of the parish.
The church was struck by lightning July 17, 1866. The damage was not heavy, a matter of about $200. But it served its purpose. The church was unprotected by rods. Imme- diately one was placed upon the tower. The damage con- sisted in one of the pinnacles, or a part of it, crashing down through the roof.
The entry in Dr. Beardsley's diary for October 21, 1857, is as follows :- "Went over to Milford-got from Mr. Carder* a large number of ivy roots which I intend to plant
* Rector of the church.
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about the church to-morrow." It may be assumed that he carried out his intention, for in time the church was covered with ivy to the very tops of the pinnacles of the tower. This was pleasanter to look at than to contemplate in its effect upon the stone.
St. Thomas's was built of Portland stone, a very satisfac- tory building material when laid as it lay in its bed. But when laid on edge it chips off with the greatest of ease. Behind the rank growth of ivy the stone and binding mortar were found, in 1906, to be in a serious state of deterioration. That meant the removal of the ivy and the pointing of the stone work. It also meant grief to those who love the pic- turesque. Ivy is a beautiful thing with which to cover- ruins. But ivy, close-matted on a building has other things than beauty.
CHAPTER X
MUSIC.
Music. That one word may fittingly stand at the begin- ning of this chapter, as covering organists and singers, choir- masters and choristers, quartettes and choruses, and anything else which pertains, if not to the "music of the spheres," yet to the music of the church. There is no consecutive record of the music in the early days of the parish. Facts are picked out here and there from the vestry records and from Dr. Beardsley's diary, and thus is the story made up to the time of the introduction of the vested choir in 1889, when the record becomes fairly intelligible.
We have seen that in less than a month after the organiza- tion of the parish, steps were taken to procure suitable music, also an organ for "the encouragement and promotion of Sacred Music and for the better assistance in the execution of the same." An organ was rented, and the treasurer was authorised to pay the boy blowing it $1.25. It is not stated how long he had to serve for this remuneration.
The first reference in the records to a choir is on April 11, 1849, when it was voted that the "Wardens and Vestry do in behalf of the society present their thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Lawton for their services rendered gratuitously in the choir of St. Thomas Parish for the past year." Presumably they were Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Lawton, members of the parish.
The next year the parish decided not to depend upon volun- teer singers, but to pay them, for on April 17, 1849, the music committee reported that they had "an interview with Mr. William Ives and that he had consented to take entire
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charge of the music for the coming year for the sum of one hundred dollars but if he procured an independent Trible Singer he should expect twenty five dollars more."
The next organist and leader of the choir seems to have been Mr. Wilcox, for on September 16, 1851, his resigna- tion was accepted, though there does not appear to be any record of his appointment. This was probably J. H. Wilcox. For the next three years, that is, from 1852 to 1855, the music was in charge of Edwin Bartram.
At the meeting of the vestry held April 3, 1855, the music committee reported that Mr. Charles S. Hall had agreed to lead the music, and that Mrs. Treat had agreed to play the organ for one year. And then on May 1 they reported that they had agreed with Miss Yale to sing. Before the month was out Mrs. Treat had tendered her resignation and Mr. Charles E. Dudley was appointed organist for the remainder of the year.
The records are so very meagre in this matter of the music that they reveal but little regarding the personnel of the choir during these years. On an old pew chart of the chapel are written the names of those who apparently constituted the choir just before the chapel was abandoned in 1854. It will be of interest to preserve those names here.
The organist was Mrs. John L. Treat, an accomplished musician, who played the organ at St. Thomas's for thirteen years, 1851 to 1864. The singers were the Misses Hattie and Julia Yale, and the Messrs. Treat, Bartram, Corbusier. Supplying Christian names to the men, they were John L. Treat, Edwin Bartram and George W. Corbusier. Mr. Treat sang for many years in the choir.
Mr. Hall continued to lead the music, as we learn from the action of the vestry on February 14, 1861, when it adopted the following preamble and resolution.
Whereas, Mr. Charles S. Hall has for several years acted as chor- ister in St. Thomas' Church without remuneration and to the entire satisfaction of the Wardens and Vestry, therefore
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Resolved, That the Music Committee be instructed to procure such testimonial as they may think proper, and to present the same to Mr. Hall with the thanks of the Wardens and Vestry for his past services, and with a copy of this preamble and resolution, and that the same be signed by the Rector and Clerk."
From the City Directory we learn that James E. Wood- bridge was the "Chorister" in 1856 and 1857, and John H. Jones served in that capacity in 1861, 1862, 1864 and in 1867 to 1871. Whether the "Chorister" was also the organist in some years there is no way of telling. From 1864 to 1865 Morris Steinert was the organist.
There is a blank now until 1877, in which year James G. Barnett served as organist, and then from 1878 to 1880 Frank H. Stiles; from 1881 to 1884 Frank W. Guion ; from. 1885 to 1887 Harry P. Earle. In the late summer of 1885 Mr. Earle went to Germany to pursue his musical studies. His death came while he was there, November 5, 1888. He was a brilliant young musician with great promise. His last composition, "Gloria in excelsis Deo" was sung at his funeral in St. Thomas's December 6, 1888, by a quartette composed of Miss Potwine, Miss Fechter, Mr. Seeley, and W. H. Munson, with Prof. R. Karl Wehner at the organ, who had succeeded Mr. Earle as organist.
All this time which has been covered in the attempt to sort out the organists, the music of the church was rendered by a quartette. But the parish was feeling the need of a reduc- tion of expenses, and on August 10, 1865, adopted the follow- ing resolutions :
"Resolved, That it is expedient to change at as early a day as prac- ticable the present system of hiring a Quartette Choir for the church.
Resolved, That the music committee be instructed to enquire and report at the next meeting of this Vestry a substitute for the present system with a view to the reduction of the Parish expenses."
The committee did not report until May 16, 1867, when they reported that "they have secured the choir at the same
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price as last year, with the exception of an advance of twenty five dollars to be paid to the Alto." It looks as if they changed the quartette rather than the system. Perhaps that was the way they took to make the change. But there was no reduction in parish expenses.
However, the desire to reduce expenses still held and in 1874 the vestry voted that it was inexpedient to appropriate the sum of twelve hundred dollars for music. A sum not to exceed eight hundred and fifty dollars was finally voted. That remained the amount until 1878, when it was reduced to seven hundred and fifty dollars.
This attempt to trace the record of the choir through these years is, perhaps, as satisfactory as could be, bearing in mind the fact that the details have been gathered from various sources, and only in part from official records. The memory of individuals has, of course, been drawn upon. One such memory is that somewhere in the seventies Prof. Frederick A. Fowler, father of the present organist and choirmaster, served as organist and leader of the choir.
In the last year or so before the introduction of the vested choir, Prof. R. Karl Wehner was at the organ, and a mem- ber of the quartette was Miss Anna F. Treat, soprano, daugh- ter of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Treat, who, as singer and organist had served the church so acceptably in earlier years. There is uncertainty as to the other members of the quartette, though memory suggests that a Mr. Harper was the bass.
We now pass out into the clearing where the light is brighter, and the going somewhat easier. During the year 1888, while the parish building was being erected, it was decided to introduce a vested choir of men and boys, and the organization and training of it was given into the hands of Charles Bonney, singer and teacher of the voice here in New Haven. He assembled about thirty choristers and trained them, and on May 1, 1889, was ready to put them into the choir stalls, which had been added to the chancel.
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Mr. Bonney was not an organist, and, moreover, the organ was in the gallery at the far end of the church. This meant that the organist and choirmaster had to be different persons. The first organist to serve under this arrangement was H. Stanley Knight, a pianist, perhaps, rather than an organ- ist, but a musician to the tips of his fingers literally, whether the keys were on the organ or the piano. He remained for a portion, if not all, of that first year. Somewhere about this time J. Hayden Waud became the organist for a while.
And then followed Howard W. Thompson. There was usually an assistant organist, as he was called, though he had little to do with the organ. He played the piano in the choir room, and was also the librarian. The first assistant organist was James MacArthur. The second was Herbert Mansfield, who, in 1900, succeeded Mr. Thompson as organist. He remained until 1907. From 1904 to 1910 Gilbert C. Peck was the assistant organist, and also sang in the choir.
An interesting experience in the life of the choir came in 1906-1907, which may be recorded here. For about nine months the congregation of Trinity Church worshipped at St. Thomas's, while the interior of Trinity was being remodeled and redecorated. The choirs alternated in supply- ing the music, each choir on duty for a month.
In 1907 to 1908, as we have seen, the organ was removed to the chancel. Now it was possible to combine the positions of organist and choirmaster into one, and the parish decided to do that. Thus after nineteen years the faithful service of Mr. Bonney came to an end, and the parish had to seek a successor.
Among the numerous applicants for the position of organist and choirmaster was Arthur L. Collins, who held that position in St. Mary's Church, Burlington, N. J. He was appointed, and served from 1908-1915. The parish would have retained him longer, but for the fact that the opportunity came to him to play the organ in a moving
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picture house. At that time such use of the organ was rapidly coming into vogue. Mr. Collins was an artist, as his series of afternoon recitals at St. Thomas's gave abundant evidence.
When he left, Harold E. Huni, who was the bass soloist in the choir, became the choirmaster. He was not an organist, and so it was necessary to revert to the arrangement under Mr. Bonney of separating the two positions. Arthur Teb- betts became the organist. These were war times, and tenure of office was uncertain. When Mr. Tebbetts was drafted he was succeeded by Theodore H. Keller, who, because of war duties, was soon succeeded by Clarence Hill. Mr. Huni retired as choirmaster in 1920. In 1921 a much needed improvement was made to the organ, when a new console was built.
On May 1, 1920, Charles R. Fowler became the organist and choirmaster. He had had large experience with the organ and in the training of choirs, and brought to his task the knowledge and enthusiasm which have enabled him to maintain the choir in a high state of excellence. As Mr. Collins had his series of organ recitals, so Mr. Fowler has had his splendid series of Cantatas.
Such is the story of the music of the parish. Some details are missing because of the inadequacy of the records, and because those whose memories might have been drawn upon are no longer here. Before leaving the subject a few general reflections may not be out of place, reflections pertaining particularly to the choir of men and boys.
Where have the boys come from, who for more than fifty years have filled up the ranks of the choir? A few, of course, came from the parish, but the bulk of them from other churches. At first the novelty of the thing drew them, and then the not too magnificent remuneration had its allure- ment. Many of the boys were glad to get the training. And always the choir has been the feeder for the Church School,
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and so for the Church, and this, though there was never any attempt to take boys from their own churches, or their own Sunday Schools. If they came to Confirmation that was their own affair. They were invited to come, and oftentimes did. There are men in the parish to-day whose connections with it date back to their choir days.
There was, of course, the lighter side to choir life. The parish, and individuals in the parish, were always willing and glad to do something for the choir to add to their pleasure, as a mark of appreciation for their faithful service. Suppers, days at the shore, camping at Block Island, trips to Lake Compounce, these are things which still live in memory. And never was there a social event in the parish to which the choir as a body was not invited.
The fifth of May, 1939, marked the fiftieth anniversary of the introduction of the choir. There was no mailing list covering the first thirty years, but Mr. Fowler with the aid of some of the older men was able to get together many addresses, and invitations were sent for a banquet in the parish house, which was furnished by the ladies of the church. About one hundred and fifty of the old boys were present, recalling the memories of the days, when, as choristers, they sang the praises of the Lord in old St. Thomas's on Elm Street.
CHAPTER XI
SUNDAY SCHOOL AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
The Sunday School and Other Organizations. Sunday School was the name in use at the time of which we are writing. Church School is the modern appellation. At the first meeting of the first vestry of the parish, held March 7, 1848, "a committee of three was appointed to procure books for the Church & Sabath School." And again, at a meeting held May 15, it was voted; "That it is expedient to have a Library for the use of the Sunday School; & that the Rector be authorized to purchase suitable books for the same."
Thus early did the parish recognize, and take steps to pro- vide for, this all important branch of the Church's work. A library was then thought to be a necessary adjunct to the Sunday School. There was more need for it then when the Public Library had not reached the importance which it now has. In St. Thomas's the library at first was more particu- larly a parish library, and was not free. It had a bookplate, that is, a printed label, on which were the rules. There were three, as follows :
"1. Persons belonging to this Library, shall con- tribute 25 cents per annum.
2. No person shall draw more than one volume at a time, nor retain it longer than two weeks.
3. All books contributed or purchased, before being placed in the Library, shall be approved by the Rector, or an Examining Committee."
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It is interesting to note that the book carrying the serial number 1, was contributed by the rector, and was Wilber- force's History of the Protestant Episcopal Church in America. That suggests a more serious line of books than those found in the library later on when it was simply a Sunday School Library. They were less edifying, of course, but they were more interesting, and they were freely taken out by the members of the Sunday School and later by the choir boys. The library was maintained until recent years, when there was little or no demand for it. It was fortunate in having a small fund which was left by George B. Bassett, the income to be used for the purchase of books for the Sunday School.
The School was organized, Whitsunday, 1848, and every year the anniversary exercises were held on that day. Much was made of this. For many years an Order of Service was printed for each occasion. After the erection of the Parish Building, a procession was formed and passed into the church, where the service was held, and the classes made their offer- ings for Missions. On Sunday, June 5, 1870, at one of these anniversary services, the Temple Organ, as it was called, was brought into the church and used, it being the organ which the School had purchased to send to the Mission at Salt Lake City. St. Thomas's was always a Missionary Sunday School. For many years it maintained a scholar- ship in St. Mark's School, Salt Lake City, and when that was closed it transferred its gift to Rowland Hall, a school for girls in Salt Lake City.
In 1857, a Teachers' Association was organized, and a Constitution adopted. Article 3 of that Constitution states that "The object of this Association shall be to further the interests of said Sunday School, to discuss all questions con- nected with the growth and spiritual good of the same, and also elucidate any subjects that may be of mutual advantage to the Teachers and Scholars."
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Here we have a forerunner of the more elaborate organi- zation of modern times, with its Teacher Training and graded classes. The record book of that organization is in the archives of the parish. It shows the method employed to create and maintain interest, particularly in the missionary work of the Church. Each class has its number and bears some distinctive name, and also has its class motto. Here is an illustration :
No. 12 The Bishop Williams Class
MOTTO-"Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."
And in that year, 1857, there was published a little pamphlet entitled, "The Missionary Offerings at the Anni- versary of the Sunday School of St. Thomas's Church, with the Rector's Address." The various classes were listed, giving name, motto and teacher, also the amount of the offerings. That particular year the offerings amounted to $63.49, divided between Foreign and Domestic Missions. That was not a large amount, but this was a day of small things and its value was by comparison.
On the afternoon of Trinity Sunday, June 11, 1876, occurred the first of the united services of the Sunday Schools of the Episcopal Church in the city. The service was always held in Trinity Church, the schools marching thither with their banners. This was an interesting and unique feature in the work of the schools, but after about twenty years it was abandoned, because with the growth of the schools it became too cumbersome, not to mention the grow- ing disinclination of both teachers and scholars to continue it. There were practical considerations which could not be overlooked.
Next to the Sunday School the most valuable and effective organization in the parish has been, from the first, the Ladies'
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Aid Society, under one name or another. It worked dili- gently and gave generously, as the records disclose, to build the church at the outset, and later on to remove the debt incurred. And always it was helping others in the Mission field.
In the fall of 1871, the Rector's Aid Society was organized, succeeding the Society which had existed practically from the beginning of the parish. On the fiftieth anniversary of its organization a reception was held at which five of the original members were present, Miss Ella Gower, Miss Mary A. Shears, Miss Josephine A. Pease, Miss Harriet L. Fitch, and Miss Emily M. DeForest. This Society is more for- tunate than the others, in that it has a small fund for the maintenance of its work. Mrs. Betsey Gildersleeve Ritter, a devoted member of the Society, bequeathed to it the sum of $2,000, the income from which to be used in the support of Missionaries in the United States and foreign countries. All the years of its existence it has nobly lived up to the implica- tions of its name.
While the parish has never been top heavy with organiza- tions, yet it has had enough to meet the needs of the varying groups. For many years The Guild, which might be called the Junior Rector's Aid, did splendid work, until it was merged with the Rector's Aid. And for many years there were the Lenten Workers, who, under the guidance of Mrs. Timothy Cowles, did excellent missionary work.
And then there was the Brotherhood of St. Andrew, which because of its aims ought to have been, and ought to be, an indispensable organization in every parish. There were the Men's Club, and the Boys' Club, which had their day and ceased to be. But they served their purpose for the time being.
For a number of years there was an organization bearing the mystic name S. T. D. A., which interpreted means, Saint Thomas's Dramatic Association. The prime movers in
-
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History of St. Thomas's Episcopal Church
its organization were the Misses Ora and Gladys Wood, Miss Elizabeth Babbitt, Messrs. Clarence Lake and Edward Burt. Its chief aim was to bring together socially the young men and young women of the parish. It abundantly succeeded in doing this, and truly marvellous was the ingenuity displayed in adapting the very limited parish house facilities to theatrical and prandial uses.
Other organizations such as Boy Scouts, St. Thomas's Guild, the Young People's Fellowship and St. Elizabeth's Guild, have come on to take the place of some of these, better adapted, perhaps, to the needs of the moment, but the older organizations served their purpose, and have passed into the parish history. And always must that organization, known under its different names as Altar Committee, Chancel Guild, Altar Guild, be remembered for its efficient work, so essential to the orderly conduct of the services. Many have been connected with it. To-day the people, young and old, have adequate facilities for their work, whether it be of a social or serious nature.
CHAPTER XII
PROPOSAL TO REMOVE; PROPOSITION FROM ST. JOHN'S CHURCH ; BUILDING NEW PARISH HOUSE; RESIGNATION OF RECTOR ; CALL OF REV. DR. FLOCKHART.
When St. Thomas's Church was completed and conse- crated in 1855, there was no thought in the minds of those who had brought that work to completion but that the church had found its permanent home. Time, however, began to work its changes, and when seventy-five years had passed disquieting signs were coming up on the horizon, which could not, in justice to the past and to the future, be over- looked. The first reference to these disquieting signs was made in the sermon, which the rector, Dr. William A. Beards- ley, preached April 22, 1923, on the occasion of the seventy- fifth anniversary of the parish. It was from the text : Psalm lxxvii, 5 .- "I have considered the days of old : and the years that are past." That sermon was printed, but a paragraph may be taken from it as an essential part of the story. It is as follows ยท
"My text has turned our thoughts back over the past. And that is where our thoughts naturally go in a historical sermon. But perhaps we have not done our whole duty in thinking merely of the past. Involuntarily the question will arise, 'What of the future?' Great changes have come to our city since this parish began its corporate life. Great changes have come to our immediate neighborhood. In spite of them all, however, the parish has held
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its own remarkably well, though we have no warrant for any self-glorying.
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