USA > New York > Chautauqua County > History of Chautauqua County, New York, and its people, Volume I > Part 95
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The necessity of a department for boys soon became apparent, and this department was organized by a young student, Albert Johnson, who thus became the first boys' secretary. From a modest beginning this depart- ment has grown into an important factor of Associa- tion enterprise. In the evolution of events, billiard rooms and bowling alleys have been added to the recrea- tion activities. Throughout the years, a summer camp for boys and young men has been maintained, usually upon the shores of Chautauqua Lake. Several young men have been developed for Association work in the broader field.
When America became involved in the World War, Seneca B. Burchard, vice-president of the Jamestown Association, and a prominent wholesale merchant, offer- ed his services to the International Committee and was immediately detailed for service in France. P. Mac.G. Allen resigned as general secretary, and soon after offered his services, and for four years he has worn the Y. M. C. A. military uniform. He is still engaged in Y. M. C. A. work at Prague, Czecho-Slovakia.
Samuel R. Byrson, physical director in 1917, as first lieutenant led the first platoon of his company in the general attack upon the Hindenburg line, in which only four of his followers survived without injury, he him- self being severely wounded. For his bravery he was awarded a distinguished service medal.
The most intense activity of the Jamestown Associa- tion occurred during the war. On August 1, 1917, Carl F. Stratford took up his duties as general secretary. On September 1, 1917, H. T. Martin assumed the responsi- bilities of physical director and on this same date A. L. Esplin began his work in reorganizing the Boys' De- partment upon a community-wide basis. Scarcely had these officers been installed when the first big demand for welfare work was made on the country, in which Jamestown's quota was $27,000. It was also necessary to raise $12,000 for local current expenses. The two campaigns were combined, and $40,000 was raised in November. As the gigantic needs of the World War became apparent, the board of directors of the James- town Association, by unanimous action, contributed the services of General Secretary Stratford to the patriotic demands of the hour, and in some cases other members of the official force were impressed into service. The local work was given second consideration. In spite of these conditions, the interests of the local Associa- tion moved forward in strength and unfaltering pur- pose. For services of a broader character, the gen- eral secretary was loaned as follows: Director of Publicity for Chautauqua county in Liberty Loan Drive; Director for Jamestown, Wet and Dry Cam- paign ; Red Cross Campaign Director, May, 1918, $119,000 raised : United War Work Fund Director, Campaign, for Jamestown, and Chautauqua county, November, 1918, $200,000 raised; District Director for Western New York, Inter-Church World Movement, 1920; Thrift Campaign, 1920; Director, Community Chest Campaign. 1920, $91,500 raised.
In addition, the Jamestown Association was made responsible for recruiting Y. M. C. A. secretaries from Chautauqua county for war work, and in April, 1919, $25,000 was raised for the immediate needs of the Jamestown Association.
During the war. the doors of the Association were thrown open to all men in uniform and all privileges were extended free of charge. After the Armistice, every returning soldier was given the privilege of three months' membership in the Association. Free scholar- ships for vocational training have been issued to twenty- five men through the medium of the Jamestown Asso- ciation. By virtue of its connection with the United Y. M. C. A. Schools, the Jamestown Association offers instruction by correspondence in 160 different subjects. Community-wide activities have been carried on through Educational Clubs, Father and Son gather- ings, Juvenile Delinquency work in cooperation with city authorities, cooperative Sunday School work, High School "Y" Clubs, and special attention to employed boys are among the constant activities.
An outstanding feature of the religious work pro- gramme of the Association in recent years has been its shop meetings. Ten such meetings are held each week, with an attendance varying from 40 to 250. The expanding work of Jamestown Association is sustained by an annual budget of $24.000, provided by member- ship fees, rentals and voluntary contributions.
The official family at present is as follows :
DIRECTORS-H. E. V. Porter, president; L. M. But- man, S. B. Burchard, George B. Pitts. vice-presidents ; M. A. Bliss, recording secretary ; F. E. Felt, treasurer ; W. B. Broadhead, A. J. E. Larson, Austin Anderson,
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CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE
E. Snell Hall, N. O. Johnson, F. W. Bigelow, Wm. J. Olson, O. N. Rushworth, F. P. Hall, Scott Baker, F. V. Anderson, W. I. Blystone, Sidney Clark, John A. Jones, Alfred A. Anderson.
TRUSTEES-T. H. Smith, president ; F. P. Hall, secre- tary ; A. A. Amidon, S. B. Burchard, F. W. Hyde, F. J. Underwood.
LADIES' AUXILIARY-Mrs. Ella A. Lakin, president ; Mrs. D. L. Lewis, vice-president; Mrs. Nora Barger, secretary.
EMPLOYED OFFICERS-C. F. Stratford, general secre- tary; D. F. Barrett, assistant secretary ; H. T. Martin, physical director; E. C. Eckbloom, boys' secretary; Clive Wright, assistant in Boys' Department; L. A. Beckerink, office secretary.
A volume would be required to record the acts of such officials as Jerome Preston, C. J. W. Hall, A. N. Camp; Mrs. Levant Brown, of the first Auxiliary, known in her day as the "Mother of the Y. M. C. A .; " Mrs. W. H. Hickman, who organized and became first president of the present Ladies' Auxiliary; Robert L. Jones, assistant secretary, who became an evangelist ; Rev. W. H. Overs (now Bishop Overs), who vitalized the interest in foreign missions; and scores of others whose only reward is the consciousness of having done what they could to promote the facilities calculated to produce a stalwart manhood.
H. E. V. PORTER.
WESTFIELD The birth of the Young Men's Christian Association of Westfield may be placed to the credit of Rev. William Frederick Faber, D. D., then pastor of the First Presbyterian Church. He saw in the town numbers of young men whom the churches did not reach, and his desire to aid them caused him to call a meeting of citizens for the evening of May II, 1885, at the office of Edward A. Skinner, "to take steps looking toward the establishment in our town of a Young Men's Christian Association." The result was the appoint- ment of a committee to agitate the matter among the citizens and to arrange for a public meeting with speak- ers from abroad. The work of that committee resulted in a mass meeting in the Wells Opera House, June 3, 1885, with able Y. M. C. A. speakers. At that meeting it was unanimously voted to organize. The following ministers signified their willingness to support such an organization, by the payment of annual dues: A. M. Tennant, N. F. Faber, Charles W. Hayes, J. E. Chapin, A. Knight and Alfred Rose. Laymen who made the same pledges were J. H. Plumb, F. A. Hall, W. O. Ball, Edwin Rose, Spencer Skinner, R. H. Thompson, G. M. Rykert, C. R. Cosgrove, Ross Knight and R. M. Ma- teer. These men later became charter members of the Association, with additional members: G. H. Barton, E. A. Skinner, J. A. Skinner, P. W. Bemis, J. R. Fay, S. W. Mason, H. W. Blowers, Dr. T. D. Strong, Jasper N. Bacon and N. D. Tennant.
A constitution was adopted June 8, 1885, and an election held at the same meeting, when the following officers were elected : President, S. W. Mason; vice- president, P. W. Bemis ; secretary, John R. Fay ; treas- urer, Spencer Skinner. Rooms were rented in the Morse building, No. 14 Main street, which were car- peted and furnished, and on September 6, 1885, Sunday afternoon meetings for young men were begun. The matter of support was again placed in the hands of Rev. William F. Faber, the founder, and he with an associate thoroughly canvassed the field until support for a year was secured. The first general secretary of the Association was George F. Jones, who began his work December 1, 1885. On August 29, 1886, the fol-
lowing was reported as the first year's work: Member- ship, 125; reading room, four dailies, fourteen weeklies, nine monthlies; attendance at rooms, 6,919; at young men's meetings, 1,189; at two public receptions, 760; at six practical talks, 330; books in the free library, 300; money collected for the work, $863.87.
The Association prospered a few years, then was without a secretary for a year, the president, W. H. Thompson, loyally assisted by J. W. Phillips, perform- ing most of the work. This condition brought out an- other letter from Rev. W. F. Faber, published in the "Republican," April 2, 1889, plainly stating that if the village wanted a Y. M. C. A. it would have to so de- cide promptly. At a meeting held soon after, the Association took on new life, and a general line of Association work was entered upon. The Association finally was obliged to give up the rooms they had oc- cupied for eighteen years, and on May 24, 1904, a sub- scription was started to purchase a site, and erect a modern Y. M. C. A. building. A lot 50 by 208 feet was donated by Mr. and Mrs. F. B. Brewer, the former owner of the lot, James Taylor, making a rebate of $250 on the selling price as a gift to the Association. A well planned building was erected, and the Associa- tion is now well housed and is a useful adjunct to the church in Westfield. The permanent building committee in charge of the construction were: F. B. Brewer, chairman ; Dr. C. E. Welch, George W. Sanvin, John R. Ray, H. L. Munson, James E. Hall. Mr. E. J. Thomp- son, of Gowanda, was the architect, he furnishing detail drawings from plans made by the chairman of the building committee, the building standing substantially as Mr. Brewer planned it.
CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY-There are but two communi- ties in Chautauqua county supplied with Association buildings-Jamestown, and Westfield. But the county has organized a county Y. M. C. A. under the charge of a paid secretary, which brings to the ten thousand boys of Chautauqua county between the ages of twelve and twenty, many of the advantages enjoyed by the larger towns. This is done through the organization of local committees and volunteer workers, and working along a definite program and tested specialized meth- ods of work, graded to meet the needs of the employed boy, the school boy, and the farm boy, brings into the county influences which help the home, the church, the school and the community. More than one hundred and seventy-five counties maintain this Y. M. C. A. or- ganization, which co-operates with all agencies inter- ested in the welfare of young men and boys and com- munity.
The headquarters of the County Association is in the Y. M. C. A. building in Westfield; Raymond F. Rope, county secretary ; county committee : O. A. Ot- taway, Brocton; George R. Raynor, Chautauqua ; H. F. Baldwin, Falconer ; Dr. F. F. Jenkins, Falconer ; Henry Leworthy, Fredonia; George Nichols, Fredonia; O. N. Rushworth, Jamestown; H. E. V. Porter, Jamestown; E. W. Taylor, Lakewood; A. W. Sixbey, Mayville; J. A. McGinnies, Ripley; I. O. Ottaway, Sherman; Wil- liam H. Phear, Jr., Sherman; H. A. Hiller, Silver Creek; Edgar T. Welch, Westfield, O. A. Jones, West- field.
This Association is an organized effort to bring about wholesome community life with co-operative social, recreational, educational and religious activities tend- ing to make small town and country life more satisfy- ing. Chautauqua, with Allegany, Cattaraugus, Erie, Niagara and Wyoming counties, comprise the Buffalo district county work, headquarters 45 West Mohawk street, Buffalo.
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395
RETROSPECT OF MUSIC IN AND AROUND JAMESTOWN
RETROSPECT OF MUSIC IN AND AROUND JAMESTOWN.
By Gilden R. Broadberry.
The history of music in Chautauqua county during its upwards of one hundred years of establishment and organization, shows the same changes and vicissitudes as other sections of the country have met and overcome. In the early days, when the county was sparsely popu- lated, and when there were very few communities of any size, music was naturally a negligible quantity. Instruments were very scarce, and conditions were ex- tremely unfavorable for the practice or development of the art.
While it is entirely possible to individually appreciate and enjoy music, it is conceded that its progress and practice in the past in this county have been effected by combining it with the social element. Music formed a good, innocent and praiseworthy excuse for gathering social groups together. It naturally follows, there- fore, that many of the earliest musical organizations. even though formed ostensibly for the practice and study of music, largely fostered the social spirit.
Music has been found to progress more rapidly in large centers of population, where a greater number of people possess leisure and means to study the art and to meet the expense attending public musical enterprises. Chautauqua county is not favorably situated in this re- spect. Located in the southwestern corner of New York State, it is in a measure isolated, with no large cities within its confines. Buffalo, Cleveland and Pitts- burgh are the nearest large centers where music in its highest forms can be heard and enjoyed. Of late years, Jamestown, Dunkirk and Chautauqua have profit- ed from the general advance in the art, and have en- joyed more high-class musical attractions than in the past.
Through all the past years, the spirit and joy of music have been kept alive through the untiring energy and the sincere devotion of music-loving souls throughout this county-sometimes in districts the most remote from anything approaching what might be termed an artistic center. All honor to these pioneers who have kept the spark aglow, and have sustained interest in the spiritual part of living. Their attainments may not al- ways have been of the highest; their knowledge may not have been profound: their achievements may, to modern eyes, have appeared meagre, and their stan- dards, measured by those of to-day, may have seemed pitifully low-but by their love of the better things, by their sincerity of purpose, and by their persistence and enthusiasm, these pioneers have, not only in Chau- tauqua county, but through the length and breadth of our country, made possible the splendid musical status which obtains to-day, and which, at its present rate of progress, it is expected and confidently believed, will soon equal that of any other nation.
General interest in music in Chautauqua county may be traced to the travelling singing teacher, who es- tablished in centers of population the singing school. sometimes dignifying these gatherings by the name of Musical Conventions. The work undertaken in these schools or conventions consisted of an elementary course of lessons in reading music and in singing, followed by a closing concert. Several well-known leaders prominent in the music convention movement which swept over the eastern portion of our country in the two or three decades succeeding the Civil War period, visited Chautauqua county and conducted their schools in Jamestown, Dunkirk, and other centers of population. These conventions developed local leaders,
who went into the surrounding communities and car- ried on the work on a smaller scale. As an aftermath of these activities, and as an evidence of the interest they created, societies and associations more or less permanent were formed.
Such a one was the Southern Chautauqua County Musical Association, established in 1874, which continu- ed for about thirteen years. It had semi-annual meet- ings, lasting three or four days. These meetings were held in Dunkirk, Ellington, Sinclairville, Cherry Creek, Kennedy, Ashville, Panama, Sherman, Stockton, Frews- burg and Mayville. The president of the Association was A. H. Stafford. Other officers were Ludwick Dob- bin, John F. Baxter, W. D. Phelps, George L. Robbins, Oscar Partridge, and Miss Maude Whitney. The mem- bership numbered from seventy-five to one hundred and fifty. The pianist was Miss Marcia Bruce. Directors and instructors at different times were: C. C. Case, W. S. Kelso, Samuel Ames, Professor Samuel Elliott and H. R. Kirkland. A similar organization with head- quarters at Dunkirk, which extended its influence over communities in the northern section of the county, was the Forest Union Musical Association.
In 1860-61, an old-fashioned singing school was organized in the village of Kennedy, Poland township, and taught by Judson W. Breed, of Jamestown. This was broken up by the call for troops issued by Presi- dent Lincoln. Most of the male members of this choir who were of military age enlisted in Company G. 49th Infantry, New York Volunteers. The young women members organized a girls' choir, which sang in church for the first time on November 10, 1861. This choir lasted for about two years. It sang anthems, chants and hymn tunes from the old-time publications-the Diapa- son, the Jubilee, and the Sabbath Bell, relying almost entirely on the tuning fork for the key. The village boasted one melodeon, which was carried to the church for special occasions.
Amongst old-time musicians prominent in the south- ern part of the county may he mentioned Charles Crumb, of Cherry Creek, who died in 1884. He was a well known vocal instructor, and taught singing schools for a number of years. He prepared himself for this work in the Geneseo Normal, with P. B. Bliss. He had considerable musical talent and became a proficient teacher. In Kiantone, the principal musicians in the early days were the Jones families, from Vermont ; the Eben Davis family; the Paul Davis family; and the Cheneys. Three sons of Seth Cheney-Nelson, Mat- thew, and Mark-were members of a Brigade Band in the War of 1861-65.
Jamestown, being the most populous center, has had a large share in advancing the musical status of the county, and has at different times had many musical organizations which have enjoyed a more than local reputation. Some of these were choruses of the usual convention variety, organized for the production of the early popular American cantatas .- "Belshazzar." "Queen Esther," and "Nebuchadnezzar," and had only an ephemeral existence, whilst others lasted for a number of years.
One organization was the Handel and Haydn Mu- sical Association, which existed for about five years, formed in 1891. Its officers were :- President, A. H. Stafford; secretary Gilbert G. Hall; treasurer, Mrs. Robert G. Shaw ; accompanist, Mrs. H. R. Kirkland ; director, Harry J Fellowes. It produced, amongst oth-
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CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE
er works, Root's cantata, "The Haymakers," which was given in operatic form at the Opera House in Jamestown, for the benefit of James Barker. The per- formance was repeated at Randolph, and other places throughout the country.
Others were the Columbian Choral Society, Herbert Whitney Tew, director, and the Saint-Saens Choral So- ciety, Miss Mary Donovan, director. In addition, choruses were organized at different times, and di- rected by Judson W. Breed, Judge Jolin J. Kinney, Mme. Walbridge, whose society gave "The Messiah" at Celoron, directed by Strelezki, of Buffalo; and Wil- lebald Lehmann, whose chorus prepared "The Chimes of Normandy" for public production.
In the fall of 1909 a centennial celebration of the one hundredth anniversary of Jamestown was proposed. A Centennial Chorus of several hundred voices was or- ganized, with Dr. Julius Lincoln as president, and Pro- fessor Samuel J. Thorstenberg as director. The pro- posed celebration was afterwards abandoned on account of a great conflagration ; but in 1910 the chorus was re- organized under the name of the Jamestown Choral Society, with the same president and director, for the purpose of studying oratorios and other standard vocal works.
From 1910 to 1920 inclusive, the activities of the Choral Society have been as follows : Rehearsals, 467; grand concerts in Jamestown, 36; popular concerts in and about Jamestown, 17: musical entertainments, 12; open air concerts, 9; concerts at Chautauqua, co-op- erating with the Chautauqua Choir, 11; one 5-day Spring Festival. Standard works sung during this period are : "Messiah," 10 times; "Creation," 3 times ; "Rose Maiden," 5; "Jubilee Cantata." 4; "Festgesang," 4; "Swan and Skylark," 2; "Fair Ellen," 4: "Joan of Arc," 5; "The American Flag," I ; "Judas Maccabeus," 2; "Elijah," 2; "The New Earth," I; "Stabat Mater," I; "Samson and Delilah," 1; "Samson," I; as well as many standard anthems and glees.
The following persons have served as president: Dr. Julius Lincoln, Lincoln M. Stearns, P. MacG. Allen, Mrs. Herman G. Anderson, Miss Nellie Farlee, and A. L. Esplin.
The Centennial deficit of $886.76 has been paid, and charities and patriotic organizations have been benefit- ted by the work of the Society in the sum of $2, 117.80. Five hundred dollars worth of Liberty Bonds have been purchased, the latter now being used as a nu- cleus for a permanent fund, which it is hoped will be sufficiently large to insure the life of the organization indefinitely. The interest only of this fund is to be used in the work ; the principal, should the organization ever disband, to be used for local charities. Persons of any age, creed or nationality, who are interested in choral singing, are eligible for membership. The ac- tive membership at this time numbers about one hun- dred.
The palm for length of existence must be given to the Mozart Club, the oldest and largest women's club in Jamestown, which stands among the best musical clubs in the State of New York. It was organized in the early winter of 1879, by a group of devotees of the "Art Divine," led by Miss Josephine Fenton, daughter of Governor Reuben E. Fenton, now Mrs. Frank Ed- ward Gifford, a woman of wide artistic and social ex- perience. She was chosen president, and has been pre- siding officer and an inspiration to the Mozart Club for over forty years, assisted by a board of twelve di- rectors, with others consecrated to the cause.
In 1894 the Club was incorporated, and established quarters of its own, owing to the growing membership
(now about 200), composed of active, associate and non-resident. There has from the beginning been much musical talent in the Club; the ideals have been high, and through the years, at morning recitals held during the winter season, the programmes rendered by members have been delightful concerts.
The Mozart Club not only encouraged the study and practice of music among its followers, but its aim also is altruistic. It has brought to Jamestown great or- chestras, famous singers, and distinguished virtuosi. The creed avowed in its constitution reads: "For the mutual promotion of the study of classical and standard musical works and musical literature, and for the en- couragement of a wider and more liberal patronage of the Art, we hereby organize this society, to be known as the Mozart Club." With a large and strong mem- bership reaching into many circles, the influence of the Mozart Club in artistic and spiritual uplift is ever and increasingly felt in the study and love of music.
The Olio Club, consisting of about fifty of the best- known amateur musicians, was very active in the musi- cal life of Jamestown from 1891 to 1895. The members, comprising the younger set, gave monthly programmes of good vocal and instrumental music. The unique program of this society was given on June 16, 1893, at the residence of Miss Hegeman, now Mrs. Clayton E. Bailey, when the following well known artists were impersonated by members of the Club: Fanny Bloom- field-Zeisler, Lillian Nordica, James Whitcomb Riley, Ignace Paderewski, Sofia Scalchi, New York Philhar- monic Club, Emil Fischer, Marshall P. Wilder, Julia Rive-King, Adelina Patti.
The Music Study Club was organized on October 20, 1908, by Mrs. John M. Cushman and Miss Adella G. Underwood. Ehe object of the club is to study com- posers and their works, as well as the literary side of music. Meetings have been held on the second Tuesday of each month from October to April, inclusive. A musical programme, with a paper prepared on the sub- ject to be studied, followed by discussion, is given at each meeting. The club has a musical library. The presidents of the Club have been : Mrs. John M. Cush- man, Mrs. Herbert L. Hunt, Mrs. William R. Bots- ford, Mrs. Chauncey A. Moon, Mrs. Gertrude L. Moss- hammer, Mrs. Harry W. Steward, Mrs. Frank Priest, and Miss Anna A. Knowlton. Mrs. John M. Cushman was the first president, and served in that capacity for four years. She also prepared a paper and gave a talk at each meeting, from the time the club was or- ganized until 1918, when ill health prevented constant attendance. To Mrs. Cushman, more than to any other member, the club is indebted for the success it has at- tained. As a rule, the programs are given by club members, which number fifty, but at times guests are included among the performers, and occasionally a speaker is procured to lecture on musical matters. The Club has given seventy-seven private and six public recitals.
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