Sixty Years of California SongAlverson, Margaret Blake
History
Sixty Years of California Song
Alverson, Margaret Blake
Music -- California -- History and criticism
"I returned once more to Benicia to sing at a concert given by the
Methodist Church. I sang in the same old Courthouse Hall where so
often we had our closing exercises. It was in this hall, June 12,
1856, that I sang Schubert's Serenade for the first time with
Johanna Lapfgeer, soprano, afterwards Mrs. Dr. Bryant of San
Francisco. I still have the programme which today is fifty-five years
old. My return was in 1898. After the concert I hoped to see many of
my old friends of Benicia, but there were but six present of all I
knew long years ago. I marveled at the small number left. The next day
I visited the old school. As I stood at the door I slowly surveyed the
scene and my thoughts went down the vista of time and filled my heart
with sadness at the dreadful dilapidation of the school where so many
bright minds had been educated and gone forth to make names and
reputations among the most honorable women in the state. After I was
admitted and allowed to survey the place I stood in the entrance of
the old schoolroom. In my mind I could recall the faces of the girls
as they sat at their desks long ago. The decay of the school was all
so dreadful to me I could not hold back the tears. I turned quickly
away and sought the old well where we had so often quenched our thirst
as girls, when life was young and hopes high. I found the friend of
long ago, but, like all the rest of the place, it was also in the last
stages of decay. I had become so sad at all this passing away I did
not feel the pleasure I had anticipated in visiting the school again.
The teachers that were employed during my time at school were: Prof.
P. Pioda, music and language; Mary Atkins, principal; Miss Cynthia
Vaughn, assistant; Mrs. Reynolds, teacher of the younger day pupils;
Miss Pettibeaux, painting and drawing; Miss Johanna Lapfgeer, piano
and German; Samuel Gray, bookkeeping; Margaret Kroh, writing and
drawing. The directors were: Dr. S. Woodbridge, B.W. Mudge, Samuel
Gray, Dr. Peabody, Captain Walsh and J.W. Jones.
"As far as I can recall them, the names of the former pupils were:
Emily Walsh, Benicia; May Emma Woodbridge, Benicia; May Hook, Benicia;
Mary Riddell, Benicia; Josie Latimer, Stockton; Minnie Latimer,
Stockton; Elizabeth Manning, Stockton; Frances Livingston, San
Francisco; May Livingston, San Francisco; Kate Grimm, Sacramento; Mary
Bidwell, Chico; Mary Church, Chico; Rose Reynolds, San Jose; Sallie
Tennant, Marysville; Mollie Tennant, Marysville; Althea Parker,
Stockton; Miss Rollins, Martinez; May O'Neil, Sacramento; Aggie Bell,
Sacramento; Maggie Kroh, Stockton; Sophia Dallas, Stockton; Mary
Dallas, Stockton; Nellie Meader, Stockton; Mary Vincent, Sacramento;
Ella Hunt, San Francisco; May Warren, San Francisco; Georgia Warren,
San Francisco; Grace Woodbridge, Benicia; Ruth Vaughn, Sacramento.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account