Name/Title
AU Harris, James Lowell - XXXX-XX-XX letter to Richard Lambert HarrisEntry/Object ID
1989.1.32Scope and Content
[Otterbein College YMCA Letterhead]
Huntington, W. Va.
Friday P.M.
Dear Dick:—
For once we have the afternoon to ourselves, so I'm taking some time to tell you of a few of the highspots of the trip. The letter I wrote to mother will give you an idea of the first part of the trip.
Yesterday we were at Ansted, W. Va which was a little mining town. This concert was for our open date and it made a convenient stopover. It was situated right in the mountains and Liver and I stayed in the home of an old man and his wife. It was a rickety place. The kitchen floor sloped so much that the gravy almost ran over the dish and with the dawg and cat in the kitchen, the floor would jog up and down every time the dog would walk across the floor and cause the dishes to jingle. We gave the concert in the Lyric "Theatre" which looked like a big shed. Our concert went over big in spite of the fact that there were some old hicks spitting and babies crying. The room was packed and the "balcony" which was just a raised place across the back was jammed as well. A lot of these people did not know what a glee club was and severalold gazooks called it a "band." Oh yes! Just as our bus was about to roll into town, a truck loaded with kids tooting all sorts of instruments welcomed us. A big sign was on either side of the truck saying "Big Glee Club Show tonight." We all felt pretty good at being welcomed by the town "band."
On Wedndesday we drove from Harrisonburg on sown to Staunton. However the Staunton pastor met us this side of Staunton and told us that we were to stop at the Augusta Military Academy and sing and get our dinner for it. This was quite a wonderful academy. About 350 boys from 10–18 were in this school. It is one of the best military academies for boys in Va and they have wonderful buildings. We gave a program for these boys who filed in the academy auditorium in strict order, in uniform with shoulders back and chins up. The made a wonderful appearance. I wish you could have heard them cheer and cheer for Otterbein as we started to sing! The Major gave orders that we were to have anything we wanted, he was so pleased with our program. They fed us a huge dinner in their dining and my how systematic they are. We saw them drilling for some time on the parade grounds and with the drums beating it was an impressive sight! After a swim in their new indoor pool we left for Staunton 5 miles below. Liver and I were assigned to an old Va homestead farm. The people were very simple Southern farmers. The wife was a great big tall strapping lady and very strong. She would carry big armloads of firewood for the stove and help her husband with the chores. She reminded me a lot of that servant woman Watson Harris tells about with the tail of hair hanging down her back. They treated us wonderfully and they had a very beautiful daughter about 17 or 18 and LeVere and I almost had to take turns in talking to her. At Harrisonburg, there were two twin girls and so you see we've had pretty good luck.
We had a wonderful time in Washington. Tell mother I got the laundry alright. Our concert made a very good impression. The director of the George Washington University Glee Club (National Contest winners) was there and he gave many words of praise concerning our concert & I had quite a nice talk with him. While in Washington, I saw about everything and I wished that you could have been along. At Harrisburg, Pa we had a very large audience. The concerts on this trip have been of a higher standard, musically and otherwise, of any trip I have ever been on. The music editor of one of the Washington DC papers on giving us a good write-up in the papers said our club was "famous" in that city.
I've been hearing this Southern dialect so much that I'm beginning to say "you all" etc.
I hope your work goes well. Every minister I meet on the trip knows dad and they all speak highly of his work. Try to keep mother from getting drunk on thyroid. Liver and I had wine for supper on night and it surely had a kick to it.
Well I must close and get ready for the concert.
Lovingly,
your brother
Jimmie
