Schools, Music and
Religious Services.
As elsewhere related the first school
ever taught here was by Mrs. John Vardy in her own house. The first
Sunday School was also established in this house, Mr. Vardy, and Mr.
Shearer, and Mr. Joseph Greene, and Mr. Alexander L. Ely acting at
different times as superintendent, although my impression is that none
of them were formally elected to the office, the school not having as
yet become fully organized. Both the day and Sabbath schools were
begun in 1843, as nearly as Mr. Henry Vardy can recollect. Later these
schools were carried on in the building elsewhere described as the
"Long Ornery" on the ground now occupied by the "Granby," corner of
Third avenue and Second street. The day school in that building was
taught by Miss Susan Abbe, daughter of Esquire Abbe, whose name is
mentioned in other places in these records.
The Sabbath school, after being transferred to this building, was
properly organized, and I believe, Mr. Alexander L. Ely was the first
superintendent, and Mr. Joseph Greene assistant.
The first school building erected was the work of private enterprise,
N. B. Brown, George Greene, Alexander L. Ely and others being the
active agents in its construction. It was erected in 1846-7, and was
afterwards sold to the district. It stood on the corner of Second
avenue and Fifth street, diagonally across the street from the
Congregational church. The first teacher of the winter school in this
building was Mr. Charles Taylor, a man well fitted for the position,
and highly regarded by both pupils and their parents.
Miss Sarah Weare taught school in this building in a very early day.
This building was used by all Christian denominations for their
services and for public gatherings of all kinds.
On April 6, 1848, the Presbytery of Des Moines met in this building,
one part of their work being the ordination to the Gospel ministry of
Mr. Glen Wood, a recent graduate of Yale College, and Yale Theological
Seminary. This was the first ordination service, so far as I know,
that ever occurred in this city. Certain it is that it was the first I
ever witnessed.
The First Presbyterian church was organized in this building July 9,
1847, by Revs. Julius A. Reed and Bennett Roberts, the charter members
being John Vardy, Frederick Grambo and wife, Barnet Lutz and wife,
Isaac Listebarger and wife, and Alexander L. Ely and wife.
Rev. Bennett Roberts was the first stated minister, his home being in
Marion. He was a man of marked ability and of the purest Christian
character. He was a very diffident man, and hardly had the confidence
to look his audience in the face.
His sermons, however, were often very powerful, his singular
expressions of countenance, and his peculiar manner of delivery
seeming to make his discourses all the more impressive.
His reading of hymns was unlike anything I ever heard, but at the same
time deeply impressive. Those who had the privilege of hearing him
will never forget the solemn expression of his countenance and the
peculiar intonations of voice when he read the old hymn so often sung
in years gone by:
"Behold a stranger at
the door,
He gently knocks has knocked before,
Has waited long, is waiting still,
You treat no other friend so ill."
The services were very simple and
unostentatious in those early days, but I doubt if there has ever been
a truer devotional spirit, or more acceptable worship offered to the
Most High, in the more elaborate and stately worship of recent years.
Music of Early
Times.
I do not think our music in those
primitive times would have been considered first-class by our modern
educated musicians. Pipe organs and pianos and reed organs were rarely
to be though of, much less to be possessed by anybody in this region.
In fact there was no place to put them even if they had been furnished
free of charge. And yet let no one think that we were without any
music of any kind.
There were some very sweet voices among our pioneers, although the
variety of music was somewhat limited. Of course there were then, as
there are now, persons whose voices were anything but melodious, and
they were usually the loudest singers, and their selections were often
the most grotesque and singular character.
It would sound very strange to cultivated ears in our modern religious
assemblies to hear some good old woman with faltering voice, break out
in a voluntary solo, with words and tune such as few ever heard
before, or would ever wish to hear again. Still they seemed to enjoy
it, if nobody else did, and no one had any desire to abridge their
privileges or interfere with their enjoyment. One venerable woman
would break out with that very unique old song which somebody had at
some time imagined to be poetry:
"There was a man in
ancient times
The Scripture doth inform us."
Nor would she cease till the whole
six or eight verses had been sung to the end.
And then at another time we would be treated to that other memorable
piece of composition, one verse of which ran as follows:
"Oh where is good old
Daniel?
Safe in the promised land
By and by we'll go and meet him,
Safe in the promised land.
This of course could be run out
indefinitely including all the major and minor prophets, as well as
the later worthies of the New Testament. And, as any one could add to
it at will; when it was once begun, there was no telling when or where
it would end. Nevertheless with all these minor infelicities we had
some very good singing. In our religious gatherings the singing was
often hearty and sincere, and full of the spirit of worship, although
not so artistically rendered as some might wish in this critical age.
And then in our own homes and around our own family firesides the
singing of songs and hymns was no uncommon thing, and the music seemed
to be as thoroughly enjoyed as that which is now practiced in our more
cultured circles.
My father and mother both possessed very good voices. My mother's
voice was especially clear and musical. Of course, to me, it was the
sweetest voice I ever heard.
Others might have thought quite differently about it, but as I recall
it from my present standpoint I am inclined to think that my boyhood
estimate of her musical talents was not much exaggerated.
There was a little song she used to sing, the tune of which is still
fresh in my memory, but I can only recall a few sentences of the
words, but they were words of hopefulness and good cheer, and were so
characteristic of her that I feel inclined to give them. They ran
something like this:
"With an ambling pad
pony to pace o'er the lawn,
While I carol away idle sorrow,
As blithe as the rose which each day hails the dawn,
Look forward with hope for to-morrow."
Then there were some of the good old
hymns that still find a place in many of the collections of our
present day hymn books, such as:
"Oh for a thousand
tongues to sing
My Great Redeemer's praise" and
"Am I a soldier of the cross."
And many others which are familiar to
us at this time. And then there were others that for some reason are
seldom seen now, although they had in them thoughts that were very
inspiring. Among these were:
"Peace, troubled soul,
thou needst not fear
Thy great Provider still is near:
Who fed these last will feed thee still,
Be calm and sink into His will."
And then that other one so full of
consolation to the believer.
"Though troubles
assail and dangers affright,
Though friends should all fail and foes all unite,
Yet one thing secures us whatever betide
The promise assures us, the Lord will provide."
And so it was that many pleasant
hours were spent, as we sang in our pioneer homes and public
gatherings.
A little later in our history more attention was given to vocal
culture, and singing schools were organized and very good teachers
were secured to train and cultivate the voices of our young people.
One of the best teachers we ever had, and who did more than any other
to elevate the standard of music, was the Rev. Williston Jones. At
first the only musical instruments we had were the base viol and
violin, together with the ever present and indispensable tuning fork,
which were all that were necessary to hold the young musicians up to
the required pitch, in their rehearsals.
These singing schools became quite popular, and Mr. Jones succeeded in
arousing an interest on the subject of music such as had not been
known up to that time.
He always had a large choir in his congregation, and the improvement
in singing from that time on was as marked as it was pleasing to note.
Of course from our present standpoint these early efforts at vocal
culture may seem quite crude and unimportant, but yet it was an honest
effort in a good cause and in the right direction, and who can say but
that the good effects of those early efforts are not being felt to
some extent even now? At any rate, I am sure that much good was
accomplished at the time, and the sum total of pioneer enjoyment was
greatly increased by the music and musicians of those early days. |
