Singing School at Hood's School house and Shady Grove

Hoods Singing School - 1911 

Singing Schools in Crittenden County

In the 1900s, singing schools were a significant part of American communities. These were essentially short, intensive courses in music instruction, usually lasting for a few weeks led by itinerant "singing masters." 

 

Singing school was a brief course of musical instruction devoted to the teaching of note-reading and sight-singing, with a focus on sacred music. The primary purpose was to improve congregational singing. Printed manuals, or tunebooks, containing instructions, scales, etudes and sacred choral music were used as teaching materials.

 

Singing masters taught basic musical literacy and the mechanics of singing. This often involved the use of shape notes, a simplified system of musical notation where different shapes represented different pitches, making it easier for those with limited musical training to read music. (This sounds difficult to me, but I never was able to carry a tune, even with music. I can’t imagine trying to sing a song by just looking at the shaped notes.)

 

Generally these schools lasted two weeks. The opening night would see the school divided into two groups. The beginner's group would be instructed in note reading, singing the scale and then singing by note. The advanced group would be composed of those who could do the above. They would be instructed in harmony and in "singing by parts", tenor, bass, alto and soprano in their individual classifications. The results accomplished were amazing. 

 

Singing masters went out to train people how to sing and to encourage young people to further their education. What these persons learned by the end of the school remained with them and enriched them for the rest of their lives. They knew the rudiments of singing. They taught others. The elementary training continued to bear fruit and help church singing wherever they went. They could get a few people together, select those with a little talent and soon had them singing as a choir.

 

Singing schools were more than just music lessons. They were important social gatherings that brought communities together, providing opportunities for interaction and even courtship.

 

From the archives of The Crittenden Press we can re-visit some of these musical affairs from the past.

***

August 9, 1917 A Big Time At Shady Grove

The singing school convention at Shady Grove, Sun. July 29, under the management of Guthrie Travis was a grand success.

Although the weather was uncomfortably warm there was a large crowd gathered early in the day. there were six choirs present, Shady Grove, Blackburn, Cave Springs, Enon, Crewswell and Beckner’s Chapel.

Dennie Hubbard leader of the Shady Grove Choir, in his welcome address, made us feel like we had come to the right place. And James Canada, from Walnut Grove in a few well chosen words, made responses to Mr. Hubbard’s hearty welcome.

Then we had singing by the different choirs, and at the noon hour after we had refreshed ourselves by eating dinner, we spent the remainder of our intermission in having a good time speaking with our friends.

In the afternoon we had more singing by the different choirs interspersed with some special singing and then general discussion of the singing convention. After this all the choirs joined in singing that grand old song, "Sweet By and By," then we were dismissed and all went home with gratitude to Mr. Travis and the good people of Shady Grove for the nice time we had enjoyed.

***

Guthrie Travis

Guthrie Wynn Travis, the leader of these Singing School Conventions was the 3^rd child of W. C. M. and Georgiana Travis. He was born at Bells Mines in the year 1871. In his later years he and his family lived at Blackford and Providence, KY.

He taught how to read music and also trained many choirs in Crittenden and adjoining counties. He also wrote music for several songs, some of which found their way into books used in Sunday schools and church work. Guthrie Wynn Travis died Nov. 22, 1963 at the age of 92. He is buried at the Blackford Cemetery in Webster Co. KY.

A Visit to Dycusburg in 1880

 

 The Press advertising man, makes a visit to Dycusburg in 1880, he shares his visit with the paper.

Dycusburg, the most business town in our county.  They have four immense warehouses, dealing largely in grain, bacon, etc., but chiefly in tobacco, which they stem and prize for the Liverpool market.

The employee twenty-five hands, pay8ing them on an average of two dollars per day.  One firm paying out $300 per week to hired help in the town among the hills.

The firm of Gallatly, Martin & Co., is perhaps the largest store in Crittenden County, they deal in all kinds of produce and in general merchandise.  

J. H. Clifton does a general merchandise business and keeps a good hotel, so does T. T. Martin.

The Yancy Bros. sells groceries and liquors.

Frank Bennett runs a grocery and liquor store.

Mr. Cole Bennett runs the post office and sells liquors.

Edgie Gregory runs the drug business.

Edgar Bozeman teaches the young idea.

Bob Clifton does the smithing.

The hotel is kept by Mr. Martin, it is a well-kept house, where your wants are anticipated and well supplied. 

W. F. Hogard Remember's Marion

This interesting article was from The Crittenden Press, May 27, 1921, and titled "Marion".  It doesn't say the year that Mr. Hogard was speaking of in his article, but it had to be in the very early days. 

I have known Marion all of my life. My father J. P. Hogard came here on horse back to the old horse mill when Marion was not a town, not even a village, only the old mill and one residence. the first time that I can remember coming to Marion was on an ox cart with four bags of corn across the front bolster.

Some of the men I learned to know were David Stinson, Judge Wager, Cub Bigham, William Carnahan, and Mr. Douglas who kept the tavern on the corner where Douglas Carnahan now sells goods, Robert Fulton Haynes, J. W. Blue Sr., Nathan R. Black, J. N. Woods who sold goods on the corner where the Farmers Bank is located, Charlie Higginbottham, who ran a saloon where the Marion Bank is, W. N. Rochester, Hick and R. N. Walker and other whose names I can not recall. Most all these men were highly respected.

I never did like the business of the Higginbothams and never had much admiration for Judge Wager.

For the first time that I came to church here was in the old brick out by the old grave yard, so called then. The house was well filled and I sat by Judge Wager. While H. M. Ford was preaching Judge Wager turned and spat on me. A thing I have not forgotten to this day. Then I was sure that town people looked down on country people.

Some way country people get to believe that people in town think themselves about them. But this is a mistaken idea. They may be a few now and then who really think so but they are few only and these few are rather to be pitied than blamed. For the salvation of this county, socially, religiously and politically depends largely on the great common people, most of whom live in the country.

Marion is the county seat of Crittenden County, the only town of any size in the county. It is here that all litigation's etc., have to be settled, the great common center.  The town people can not get along without the country people, nor can the country people get along so well without the town people. It must be mutual, we must live to benefit each other.

I have lived in several counties in the state and none of these counties have a better citizenship than Crittenden. Take the families like the Hunt, Paris, Wheeler, Travis, Crider, Dowell, Rankin, Baker, Hughes, Adams, Walker, Hill, Minner Hodges, Asher, Sullenger, Pickens, Deboe, Lamb, Wilson, Crayne, Guess, Gass, Cook, Daughtrey, Conger, Dean, Gahagen, Postlethweight, Franklin, Wilborn, Carter, Conger, Harpending, Ordway Pogues, and space will not allow me to call the names of families whose names stand for good citizenship.

Then we have in Marion a citizenship equal to the best. The Marion bar is made up of good citizenship, the Moores, Henderson, Bennett, Rochester, Blue, Nunn, Deboe.

Marion merchants are all good citizens as well as good business men. In fact in all walks of life no town will excel Marion for citizenship.

Marion can be made one of the most beautiful town in Western Kentucky. Let our motto be United we stand, divided we fall. Let us all put our shoulders to the wheel and push.

W. F. Hogard

Crittenden Press Marion's Oldest Business now at 146 yrs.

 The article first appeared in The Crittenden Press on October 11, 2001, it was for Marion's Sesquicentennial Guide.  At the time the Press was 122 years old.

A chronological history

The City of Marion's oldest business wasn't around when the city was created in 1851, but if it were, you can bet the city's incorporation would have been on the front page of The Crittenden Press.

Its establishment in 1879 makes The Crittenden Press the oldest, continuously operated Marion business.  A close second is Henry and Henry Monuments, which began two years later. 

The Crittenden Press was founded by R. C. Walker. In those first days, it's hard to imagine the long, painstaking process required to produce even a few lines of type, not to mention several pages eight columns wide.

History of the business has been passed down to each of the eight owners, including the descendants of Evers Mick, whose family continues to publish the weekly newspaper and The Early Bird Shopper's Guide.

According to history, the newspaper was distributed to as few as 200 subscribers in 1879.  Growth was rapid, as subscriptions reached 500 the first few years and 1,800 by 1894.

Like the county's growth in the last 50 years, The Crittenden Press' growth has been steady.  Circulation today in 4,300.

Walter Walker succeeded his father, R. C. Walker, as publisher of The Crittenden Pr ess.  He was followed by S. M. Jenkins and W. F. Hogard and his son Wilson Hogard.

 The Hogards sold the newspaper to J. Brown, who owned it until 1955 when it was purchased by Charles Pepper.

Current ownership by the Mick family started in 1960, when Evers Mick branched out of his role as a radio announcer in Madisonville to embark on a career in print media.

Evers Mick, was editor and publisher for nearly 10 years, with assistance from his wife, Lucille, and high school-age son - a 1969 graduate of Murray State University - took the reins.

While Lucille Mick was not involved in the day-to-day operation of The Crittenden Press between 1969 and her death in 1989, she maintained close ties to the family business helping out in the newspaper office from time to time. 

 Through the 1970's and 1980s, a third generation of Micks, Allison, was introduced to the newspaper.  As a teenager, she took photographs, worked in the darkroom and delivered newspapers.

Paul Mick published the newspaper until his tragic murder in 1990.  At that time, John Lucas, a long-time Press editor, took over daily operations.  Mick's wife, Nancy, remained as the company president and eventually took over as publisher in 1993.

Also in 1993, Ms. Mick hired Chris Evans to become just the second editor in more than 20 years at the newspaper. Evans had worked at The Press in the late 1980s as a reporter before joining the Paducah Sun staff.  He returned to Crittenden County and married Paul and Nancy Mick's oldest daughter, Allison.   

A strong commitment to community news and professional reporting is testament to The Crittenden Press' longevity. 

Early Pictures of The Crittenden Press office when it was in the basement on East Carlisle St.

 

Church Gatherings of Long Ago

 Those wonderful old days when church gatherings were so special and a much looked forward to event.  

This wonderful old picture is worth a thousand words.  It was shared by Orville Truitt.  The time period was from 1908-1912 and possibly a homecoming at the old Mt. Zion Church.  His grandfather, Marvin Truitt, is the middle man in front with a guitar.

All the folks are dressed in their Sunday go-to-meeting clothes, men, women and children gathered around the wooden tables laden with food and listening to the music.  

Here are a couple of those events taken from the archives of The Crittenden Press. 

July 1913 - Children's Day at Mt. Zion

Sunday morning at an early hour wagons, buggies, horseback and footbackers began to arrive till several hundred people had gathered, then came the auto with R. Kemp as driver with some of Marion's best citizens as passengers. 

 

At 9:30 the house was called to order by the pastor Rev. J. A. Wheeler. He introduced Rev. W. Pl Gordon of Marion, and with eloquence he addressed the people for about fifteen minutes.

 

A song by the choir. Bro Wheeler called for prayer by Bro. Th. H. Cochran The program was then turned over to the children. The session represented the highest morals of literal and spiritual life.

 

At 12:15 in the beautiful grove such as surrounds a county church, dinner was spread. Some wondered how this multitude could be fed, it was like the five loaves and fishes, there were plenty of as fine dinner as the writer ever saw, and everybody seemed to enjoy it.

 

The day was closed by Sister Duvall who by this time was so filled with the holy ghost that she gave us an old fashioned holy ghost talk. To say the least of it we had an all around good time that will dwell with the memory through time and eternity.

***

Sept. 11, 1913 - County Singing Convention

The county singing convention met at Repton Church Saturday. A large crowd was present, and the exercises were opened by singing by Repton choir followed by devotional exercises by Rev. B. F. Hyde, who also delivered the welcome address.

 

Cave Springs choir then took charge of the singing. This choir did good singing and showed they had good training. They were followed by Rosebud choir who also delivered some excellent music led by Desmond Crowell. 

 

After a song by the entire congregation, the choir from the Second Baptist Church, of Marion, with George Gass as leader were next, and many comments were made upon the spirit with which they sang. This was followed by a recitation “The Gift of God to Fallen Man” by Miss Lockie Powell, and Mrs. E. M. Duvall made an interesting talk on the “Blessings of Music.” 

 

More music followed by Messrs. Travis, Crowell, O'Neal and Crowell, and a solo by Guthrie Travis.

A Look Back at 1985, 40 years ago in 2025

 

A Look Back at 1985

The year 1985, that sure doesn't sound like all that long ago, but in reality it is now 40 years ago. Hard to believe that the years have gone by so quickly. Let's take a look back at some of the things that were happening in that year through the pages of The Crittenden Press.\

January

* Weather dominates the front pages during the first of the new year. Temperatures in the county plunged to 20 degrees below-zero or colder as an arctic cold front moved through western Kentucky dumping an additional two to five inches of snow on the area. Strong winds produced a wind chill of 50 to 60 below zero. Heavy rains from last fall and now cold and snow have kept farmers from finishing the work of harvesting their crops.

* Councilman Bernard Wood became mayor following the resignation from that post of Bobby R. Fox, who had served as plant accountant at Marion's Moore business Forms, who plans to move to that company’s administrative unit at Dento, Teas.

* The first baby of the new year was born at Crittenden County hospital on Jan. 3^rd, 1985. Mr. and Mrs. Paul E. Wheeler were the proud parents of Troy Woodson Wheeler.

* Gas dips below $1.00 at area stations. For the first time in about seven years, gasoline prices in Marion have dipped below a dollar a gallon. I was surprised to see it get back under a dollar, said Randall Chandler, operator of Randall's Repair on South Main Street. Chandler lowered his price to 99.9 cents a gallon for full-service regular last week.

* Crittenden County students have already missed 16 days of classes this month due to bad weather and slick roads and will probably be in school until mid June.

February

* Continuing cold temperatures have created floating and slushy ice in the Ohio River.

* The week of Feb. 14^th, brought six to eight more inches of show accompaniment by 30 mile per hour winds which whipped up to four to six feet high in some sections, closed some roads, shut down schools and interrupted businesses and postal services.

* Two long-term projects finally see some good results. The Crittenden-Livingston Water District finally secured funding to begin construction and the first public event was held in the newly -renovated Fohs Hall.

* For the first time in three years, the United States Postal Service is raising its rates. It will now cost .22 cents to mail a letter.

March

* Three New businesses open in Marion. 1. Sport It, offered uniforms and equipment for ball teams. It was owned and operated by Kathy and Jeff Allen and Edna Thurmond, and was located on East Bellville Street in the site formerly occupied by Granny's Kitchen. 2. Nick's Restaurant owned and operated by Nick Hatfield was located in the former Cruce's Coachman on the Princeton Road and 3. Hook's Drugstore opened in Marion's Darben Plaza. Donald Perry was the store's pharmacist and the pharmacy was to be equipped with the latest state-of-the-art pharmacy computer.

* Marion's Beaver's Brothers Texaco will be flying a new company flag within six months, according to co-owner Jerry Beavers. Texaco notified Beavers, that it is planning on closing most of its stations in Kentucky, Indiana, and Illinois because of heavy competition. We've been with “Texaco for 25 years, and it's be a pretty big change for us, said Beavers. They will still sell Texaco brand motor oil and grease, but will find a new gasoline and diesel fuel supplier.

April -

* Wind gusts estimated at up to 50 miles per hour downed power lines in the county, interrupting electrical service to about 100 households serviced by Henderson-Union RECC.

May

* State closes Marietta's Cafe, owned by Marieta Stallins of Marion, has been closed by the Kentucky Division of Unemployment Insurance for alleged non-payment of more than $2,000.00in taxes.

* Chrysler Corp. dealership is slated to open here April 1^st. It will occupy the former J. R. Chevrolet-Buick-Chrysler location on on the Sturgis Road. Larry Buckman, is general manager for the dealership.

June

* Business continues as usual this week for Marion's Potter and Brumfield plant even though it was “sold” Friday when a Minneapolis, Minn. based company achieved a buy out of its parent, AMF. The sale of the AMF stock was agreed to after Minstar sweetened its original offer. AMF spokesmen also had no projections on what might happen to any of its various divisions.

* The long awaited boat ramp construction project at old Lock and Dam 50 may be completed within three weeks, according to a representative of Louisville's Kamex Construction Co.

July

* Two drown swimming in Ohio River. Two Tolu residents – Shannon Wade Todd, 20, and his 12 year old nephew, Larry Kenneth Todd, drowned Monday evening while swimming in the Ohio River at the old Elizabetown ferry landing.

* Our community was saddened this by the passing of Dellar E. Woodall. By the measure of most, Mr. Woodall, 99, had observed the happenings of Crittenden County for a long time. Maybe his greatest days were when he was a custodian for the Marion school system. More than one graduating class adopted him as one of its own. Many of the leaders of the community testify of the the time, Mr. Woodall, although not a member of the faculty, taught them a lesson more important than history or geometry. His texts covered subject such as integrability, honesty and hard work.

* Marion's Police Chief William Ollie Brown, is Kentucky's longest serving police chief. When Brown was named, chief in 1957, there were only three full-time officers in Marion. Brown said the city had no radio communications system, there was no dispatcher. When an officer had to leave his post to check out a complaint or crime, there was no way to get in touch with the police until he returned to the telephone.

August

* Deputy Sheriff, Perry Glore unloaded marijuana at the Marion landfill where it was burned. The truckload of pot, cut by officers on Weston Road north of Marion was valued at $40,000.

October

* Work began Marion's new Shell convenience store to be located at the corner of Main and Bellville Streets, also included will be new quarters for Goodwin-Lynn Insurance and Myers Auto Parts.

November

* Democrat John May wins election, over incumbent Judge H. M. “Roni” Asbridge to win a four-year term as Crittenden County's chief elected official. Deputy Sheriff Perry Glore, a Republican, beat his Democratic opponent Ronald “Red” Howton and Republican County Clerk Danny won his post for another four years over his Democratic challenger Troy Jennings.

* The Crittenden County High School Rocket football squad amassed a 13-1 record for the season to claim the state Class A Football championship downing Paintsville in play at Louisville's Cardinal Stadium.

December

* Potter and Brumfield officials confirmed this week the company, including the Marion plant, is to be bought by Siemens A. G. a West German electronic company which already has a umber of U. S. subsidiaries.

* Boyce Moodie announced he had purchased the former Frontier Spar Co. and was preparing to reopen that mine located near Salem.

***

A look back in our past always brings back memories, sometimes good and other times not so good.

Liquor Laws Defied

 

Liquor Laws Defied – January 7, 1921

According to the Gov. Edwin P. Morrow, in an address to the Association of Circuit Judges and Commonwealth Attorneys, moon-shining and bootlegging are rampant in Kentucky, and the violations of the liquor laws are such as to challenge all of the forces of law and order.

 

"Illicit manufacture and sale of liquor has grown to an appalling extent" he said. There is today a challenge being thrown out to the forces of law and order in Kentucky, he told them, "So far as the sale and manufacture of it is concerned there has never been anything like it before." I ask the Circuit Judges of Kentucky to meet this challenge, I will help in as much as I can. I will go to the utmost of my power fighting this evil and in sustaining you. No man convicted of participating in the whiskey traffic will find any clemency at my hands."

 

Which shall be supreme in this state, the Law or the Blind Tiger?

(Blind tiger is a place where liquor is sold illegally. This term was popular during the Prohibition Era (1920-33) when alcohol was illegal in the U.S.)

It was also rampant here in our own Marion and Crittenden County. I found many, many items and articles in the old Crittenden Presses telling about the struggle to stop the manufacturing and selling of the bootleg liquor. I’ll share just a few in this post and maybe more in a later post. I find them interesting to read about this era of our past history.

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Crittenden Press, Oct. 2, 1925 – Case Of Booze In Monument Shop?

A supply of alleged liquor, supposedly being stocked for disposal on circus day, was accidentally discovered last Friday night about ten o’clock by Policemen Joe Barnes and Hugh Norris. The officers were doing some sleuthing in the vacant lot behind the marble shop of Henry and Henry and saw Press Hill leave the back door of the shop, it is alleged.

 

A casual glance revealed to them a dark object in the door and officer Norris turned on his flashlight and saw a man whom he recognized as Kenna Powell just inside the open door by a box that was partly open and the opening displayed some bottles in neat rows, and asked him what he was doing there at that time of the night.

 

Just at this time it is alleged that Howard Henry walked in and was asked by the officer what was in the box. He is said to have denied any knowledge of the contents. While they were thus engaged in the questioning and replies Kenna Powell made his escape.

 

The three men were later taken in custody on warrants charging them with illegal possession of liquor, it is said. Hill and Powell were released on $500 bonds each and Henry on his own recognizance. The trio is to appear for trial Saturday.

 

There is said to have been thirty-two half pints of liquor in the case, which was placed in the custody of County Judge E. Jeffrey Travis.

Oct. 9, 1925 – Jury Orphans The Case of Booze

Last Saturday occurred the trials of the three men charged with the possession of the case of alleged liquor found by Policeman Norris and Barnes on Friday night of the previous week.

 

Howard Henry was the first on to face the jury and conducted his own defense. The jury returned a verdict of not guilty.

 

Press Hill next presented his case to the courts. County Judge E. Jeffrey Travis presiding. He bound the defendant over to the Nov. grand jury.

 

Kenna Powell was tried before a jury, also conducting his own defense, and the jury was unable to agree, after which the commonwealth dismissed the case.

**************

April 5, 1929 – Sheriff Bing in "Shiner’s" Plant

County officers who searched the farm of Geo. H. Brooks Tuesday night confiscated and brought to Marion a portion of a still, some "moonshine" liquor and mash which was found concealed in the woods on the Brooks farm.

 

The raid was made at about midnight by Sheriff P. R. Taylor, Deputy B. F. Walker and Special Deputy C. F. Conger. In addition to the still over two gallons of liquor, about 400 gallons of mash, a quantity of meal and about 500 pounds of sugar were found.

 

No arrests were made as the still was deserted. It is believed that the owner of the farm did not know that the still was in operation on his place.

 

The Brooks farm is located on the Mexico and Caldwell Springs road about two and a half miles from Mexico.

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April 22, 1927 – Officers Take 3 Stills and Mash

Sheriff and Deputies Make Raids on Three Stills and Capture One Man

 

During the past week several stills have been raided in Crittenden County and quantities of mash found in every case.

 

W. H. Hardesty, justice of the peace in the Tolu magisterial district, together with B. F. Walker, Fred Hill and George Holloman raided the farm of Buckner Croft near Tolu last Friday, April 15, and found a still that had been in recent operation. The still was of forty gallon capacity and with it was found 350 gallons of mash.

 

No arrests have been made in the case but it is suspected that the moonshiner lives on the other side of the river.

 

Last Saturday night Sheriff P. R. Taylor with deputy B. F. Walker raided the J. H. King farm near Cookseyville and discovered one gallon whiskey and one hundred gallons of mash. The discovery was made in the woods on the back of the farm and the mash and whiskey was covered with a quantity of cedar brush. No arrest were made.

 

Sheriff Taylor with Deputy Walker and Chief of Police Hugh Norris located a still in Charlie Bob Sanders’ smokehouse on the Tradewater river Monday night. The still was of thirty-five gallon capacity and with it was found one hundred gallons of mash and five gallons of whiskey.. Sanders was placed under arrest and is now in jail at Marion awaiting trial.