Books › The official blue book of the Jamestown Ter-centennial Exposition, A.D. 1907. The only authorized history of the celebration. Illustrated, 1909 › scan 781
Scan 781
The official blue book of the Jamestown Ter-centennial Exposition, A.D. 1907. The only authorized history of the celebration. Illustrated, 1909
25 lines. Read by computer on 29 August 2026. Printed page 767. See the scan on archive.org.
1Congresses and Special Events.
3MME. ROSA LINDE
4Contralto
6DAVID BISPHAM
7Baritone
9MRS. B. A. WEINSCHENCK
10Soprano
12it. Finally Mr. Wrightson found it impracticable to bring the chorus to the Exposition, for the reason that the Governors did not feel that they were in a position to guarantee the heavy expenses of the concert as well as to provide for the transportation and entertainment of the chorus. Mr. Wrightson visited the Exposition upon several occasions, giving a song recital and assisting at several concerts. He received no salary or compensation for his valuable services.
14FESTIVAL CHORUS
16Mr. Whiddit was engaged as Superintendent on the first of March, 1907, and entered upon his duties at once. His first work was the organization of a festival chorus of five hundred voices to sing at the dedicatory exercises on opening day. He visited the cities of Suffolk and Newport News and in those places as well as in Norfolk had frequent rehearsals. The Superintendent of Music states that he met with considerable opposition on the part of several of the local choir directors, who not only refused to lend their services but endeavored to discourage the movement. Notwithstanding the opposition, the chorus might well be considered a success. Owing to the fact of the crowded condition of the transportation lines and the inadequate terminal facilities, especially for the landing of boats, the chorus did not arrive at the Exposition Grounds in time to sing at the opening exercises. They did, however, arrive in time to sing "America" at the close. Following the grand review of the troops, the chorus gave an hour's concert from the reviewing stand on Lee's Parade. The President and members of the official party remained to listen. The selections sung and directed by Mr. Whiddit were "America," "The Heavens are Telling," from the Oratorio of The Creation, and the Official Hymn—the words of which were written by William M. Pegram and the music composed especially for these words by Wilberforce Owst, both of these gentlemen from Baltimore.
18Mr. Whiddit pays a high tribute to the words and the music of this opening ode and to Hobart Smock, the noted tenor of Baltimore, who sang the ode as a solo. In the trio of "The Heavens are Telling," Mrs. Blanche Armstrong Weinschenck of New York was soprano, Hobart Smock the tenor and Sydney Lloyd Wrightson, baritone. Following this, the "Alleluia Chorus" from "The Messiah" was sung, Mr. Wrightson conducting, and the concert was concluded by the singing of the National Anthem, "The Star Spangled Banner."
20CHILDREN'S CHORUS
22In speaking of the children's chorus, Mr. Whiddit states that altogether over fourteen hundred children sang at the Exposition at different periods. The plan of the Superintendent was to visit daily the public schools of the cities of Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk and Newport News, selecting singly the children who would form part of the chorus. Rehearsals were then held and from three to five hundred gathered together and rehearsed in a body. The first appearance of these children was on May 30, known as "Patrick Henry Day," when over six hundred children sang in Convention Hall, when William Jennings Bryan and other distinguished speakers addressed the meeting.
24The next appearance was upon June 7—"Tidewater Virginia Day"—when eleven hun-
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