Potomac River Convention
Washington, D.C.
April 23 - 25, 1999
Friday, April 23
A Singing School was held beginning at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 23, at The Pohick Episcopal Church, Lorton, Virginia. Taught by members of the Creel Family, it was well attended and enthusiastically received.
Saturday, April 24
The Tenth Annual Potomac River Sacred Harp Singing Convention was called to order at 10 a.m. by Cathy Tucker leading 28b. Elder Steven Bloyd led the opening prayer. Janine Smith, 1998 Vice-Chair, welcomed the class, and led 30t. Tim Slattery and Miriam Kilmer, last year's Secretaries, led 182.
The business meeting was held with the election or appointment of the following officers and committees: Chair - Janine Smith; Vice-Chair - Katharine Manning; Secretaries - Miriam Kilmer and Tim Slattery (assisted by Joanne De Voe); Chaplains - Elder Steven Bloyd and George Seiler; Arranging Committee - John delRe, Cindy Franklin, Bob Hall, Ginnie Ely and Katharine Manning; Finance - Gillie Campbell and Cathy Tucker (assisted by Hannah, Daniel, and Gilead Henkin, Kelsey and Anna Taylor, and John-Daniel delRe; Memorial Committee - Edith Tate and Hal Kunkel; Resolutions Committee - Pauline Childers and Pat Temple; Registration - Marlene Levine (assisted by Donna Abrahams); Food - Claire Chapin, Tom Tucker, Kelly Macklin, and Matt Levine (assisted and many others); New Traditions Singing - Mimi Stevens and Mary Ann Daly; Social Host - Cathy Tucker; Housing and Transportation - Gillie Campbell; Pitching (Keying): Paula McGray, Bradford West, Eric Bean, Jean Seiler, Cassie Franklin; Clean-up - Dottie Hurley, John Taylor, and Frank Evans; Publicity - Steven Sabol, Janine Smith and Miriam Kilmer (flyer).
Leaders: Richard Schmeidler, 474; Mary Ann Daly, 274; Henry Bizzel, 159; Cassie Franklin, 224; Cindy Franklin, 198; Joan Aldridge, 528; Leland delRe, 74b; Sarah Davie, 384; Ann Bosold, 178; Tim Brown, 66; Phyllis Gonegam, 344; Lynne de Benedette, 456; Rosemary Greenaway, 171; Amanda Denson, 277; Wanda Capps, 200; Frank L. Evans, 209.
RECESS
Beth Hoffman Reed called the class together leading 29. Leaders: Dianne Mennella, 379; Howard Brady, 454; Hal Kunkel, 426b; Edith Tate, 389; Fred Beardsley, 513; Kyle Greenlee, 91; Karen Freund, 77t; Kacy, Peter, and Kassidy Pate, 312b; Danny Creel, 269; Paul Gauthier, 428; Pauline Childers, 475; Seth Holloway, 388; A. Gabriel Castelle, 491; Jean Seiler, 68b; Laura Clawsen, 440; Eric Bean, 335; Walter S. Hartley, 155; Martha Lang, 106; Claire Simon, 47t; Steve and Dick Levine, and Janine Smith, 479; Donna Abrahams, 272; Jason Law, 481.
Elder Steven Bloyd offered Grace.
LUNCH
The afternoon session was called to order with Katharine Manning and Kelsey Taylor leading 542. Leaders: Mary L. De Nys, 72b; Jim Pfau, 300; Janet Shipman, 206; Cindy Franklin, 146; Creel Family (Cindy and Cassie Franklin, Pauline Childers, Edith Tate, Wanda Capps, and Danny Creel), 342; Paula McGray, 327; Bradford West, 282; Steven Levine, 350; Karen House, 148; George Seiler, 31t; Patricia C. Temple, 480; Daniel Hertzler, 163b; Gary Smith, 569b; Roland Hutchinson, 553; Dean Slaton, 536; Sarah Smith, 100; Doron Henkin, 192; Jane Taylor, 268; Craig Baugham, 122; Art Broadus, 535b; Laura Densmore, 236.
RECESS
Peter Pate brought the singers back with 37t. Leaders: Ginnie Ely, 546; Bill Holt, 436; John Hewes, 551; Tom Tucker, 142.
Junior Finance Officers Hannah, Daniel, and Gilead Henkin, Kelsey and Anna Taylor, and John-Daniel delRe led 49b and "passed the hat."
Leaders: Stephanie Hysmith, 484; Marty De Nys, 547; Lois Hurt, 49t; Carol Werba, 313b; Joyce Saxon, 254; Joe Todd, 270; Jim Wantland, 497; Lewis Naylor, 452; Dottie Hurley, 271; Guy Bankes, 441.
Janine Smith invited everyone to stay for the New Traditions Singing and to attend the Social, and led 323t. Elder Bloyd closed the Saturday Session with prayer.
RECESS
New Traditions Singing
Mary Ann Daly greeted the class, and led 73b from The Sacred Harp.
The songs below were led by their own composers, unless otherwise noted.
Leaders: Bradford K. West, "Irving"; Tom Tucker, Dan Brittain's "Pohick"; Mary Ann Daly, "Kentucky" (arrangement); Peter Pate, John Beyer's "Heck"; Mimi Stevens, E. J. Tweedy's "Noel Nouvelet" (arrangement); Mimi Stevens, "Cyrus"; Mimi Stevens, Barry Phillips' "Billings"; Roland Hutchinson, "Liberty's Trumpet"; Nicholas P. Schliapin, "Life"; Hal Kunkel, "Saving Grace"; Art Broadus, "Break Forth"; Allen Gabriel Kastelle, "Mount Zion (third)"; Daniel Hertzler, "Mount Hope"; Miriam Kilmer and Tim Slattery, Miriam A. Kilmer's "Alexander"; Diane Morella, John Hocutt's "Hocutt"; Ann Bosold, "Bosold"; Ann Bosold, "Cherokee"; Roland Hutchinson, "Kelly's Third"; Nicholas P. Schliapin, "Psalm 121"; Ann Bosold, "Wapello"; Ann Bosold, "Bosold"; Allen Gabriel Kastelle, Timothy R. Gilmore's "Crell".
A Saturday Night Social was hosted by Cathy Tucker at The Kingstowne South Village Community Center. The Sloppy Joe's were delicious, the brownies superb!
Sunday, April 25
On Sunday Morning the class was called to order by Janine Smith leading 48t. George Seiler led the Morning Prayer. Leaders: Mimi Stevens, 128; Steven Sabol, 139; Jim Wantland, 48b; Mary De Nys, 504; Donna Abrahams, 378b; Susan Bingham, 107; Tommy Hall and Ella Wilcox, 276; Eric Hildebrant, 532; Martha Lang, 117; Richard Schmeidler, 120; Mary Ann Daly, 138t; Marty De Nys, 232; Cathy Tucker, 480; Frank L. Evans, 228; Mary P. Wright, 337.Robert Hall, 180;Lois Hurt, 358;Dick Levine, 102; Joanne De Voe, 47; Joyce Saxon, 299.
RECESS
The singing resumed with Katharine Manning leading 76b. Leaders: Joe Todd, 124; Carol Werba, 163b; Ginny Ely, 454; Bill Holt, 215; Kelly Macklin, 485; Jim Brady, 155; Paul Gauthier, 448; Amanda Denson, 442; John DelRe, 144; Stephanie Hysmith, 47b; Art Broadus, 147t; Laura Densmore, 542; Karen Freund, 56b; Tim Slattery, 475; Pauline Childers, 234; Daniel Hertzler, 99; Claire Simon, 40; George Seiler, 347.Danny Creel, 383;Lynne Benedette, 196; Rosemary Greenaway, 324.
MEMORIAL LESSON
Edith Tate opened the Memorial Lesson with a reading from the text of "Idumea" (47b), then read the names of the deceased. Cindy Franklin led 499 for the deceased. Names of the deceased by State: Alabama - Essie Calvert, Annie Sanders, Maude Keeton, Mae Seymour, David Shirey; Connecticut - Sharon McLeod; the District of Columbia - Marion Hill; Maryland - Joan Gordon; Minnesota - Sr. Michael Kilmer; New Jersey - Judy Greenwald, Morris Lee; New York - Charles Danquer, Irene Remery; North Carolina - Grace Bizzell, Anne McCook; Pennsylvania - Edna Lundgren; Virginia - Joy Seale, John Watford, Monica Mulrooney, Shirley Green; Tennessee - Margaret Wright (arranger of "Jacob's Vision"); Texas - Joseph Slattery, Dr. John Pate. Hal Kunkel spoke about the mystic steps of St. John of the Cross, the highest of which is the "wound of love;" when we grieve, we share the sufferings of those we love. He read the names of the sick and shut-in. Names of the sick and shut-in by State: Alabama - Harrison and Flarce Creel, Earnie and Ann Jett, Marie Aldridge, Lucile Talbert; Connecticut - Dorothy Garber; Delaware - Jim McCarty; the District of Columbia - Rodney Elin; Florida - Perry Arnett, Lynn and Thomas Googe; Maryland - Frances Duncan, Rita Cook, Walter Manning, Alene Oestreicher; New Jersey - Nicky Schnarr, Betty Nikelsky; New Mexico - Ben Hertzler; New York - Judy Crow's mother; Ohio - B. Hilary Dunlevy; Pennsylvania - Cecilia Kruger, Judy Crow. Hal Kunkel then led 349. Danny Creel closed the Memorial Lesson with prayer.
George Seiler led Grace.
LUNCH
The class reconvened with Eric Bean leading 46.
Leaders: Eric Bean, 34b; Nicholas Schliapin, 131b; Sarah Davie, 86; Steven Levine, 371; Cassie Franklin, 368.
Singing resumed with Karen House leading 362. Leaders: Bradford West, 376; Jim Pfau, 203; Wanda Capps, 546; Dean Staton, 112; Paula McGray, 446; Laura Clawson, 80b; Henry Schuman, 318; Jean Seiler, 530; Cindy Franklin, 507; Ann Bosold, 334; Tim Brown, 198; Peter Pate, 326; Eric Bean & Rhonda Henderschott, 70b.
RECESS
Katharine Manning & Pauline Childers brought the singers back with 35. Leaders: Miriam Kilmer & Tim Slattery, "Kosovo," by Miriam A. Kilmer; Henry Bizzell, 127; Walter S. Hartley, 24b; Cathy Tucker & Caroline Arlington, 146; Pat Temple & Karen Foley, 566; Dottie Hurley, 191; Phyllis Gonegam, 84; Hal Kunkel, 61; Evan Duncan, 300; Lewis Naylor & Amanda Denson, 68b; Fred Beardsley, 100; Gabriel Kastelle, 531; Guy Banks, 147b. Committee Reports: During Saturday and Sunday, 155 different songs were led from The Sacred Harp. There were 91 leaders and many co-leaders.
The Resolutions Committee thanked the officers, committees, and all participants. "We...thank Almighty God; ... although we come from far and near, we can unite our voices in harmony as one.... A special thanks for the singing school [to] the Creel Family, who overcame great obstacles to get here, and left loved ones at home who were unable to come."
Convention Announcements were made.
Janine announced the dates for next year's Potomac River convention March 31, April 1-2, 2000.
Cathy Tucker gave Janine special thanks as the Founder and Chair of the first Potomac River Sacred Harp Singing Convention.
Katharine Manning and the Creel Family (Cindy and Cassie Franklin, Pauline Childers, Edith Tate, Wanda Capps, and Danny Creel) led 56t. Janine Smith (Chair), Katharine Manning (Vice-chair), Miriam Kilmer and Tim Slattery (Secretaries) led "The Parting Hand". George Seiler closed the Convention with a prayer for Peace.
Chair - Janine Smith; Vice-Chair - Katharine Manning; Secretary - Miriam A. Kilmer

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