Singing Schools of Days Gone By

The old singing conventions or singing school were popular in the mid 1900's.  Here is some interesting information about the singing conventions and one of their popular leaders, Prof. Guthrie Wynn Travis, who is pictured at right.

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The singing convention was held at the Blackburn Church on Sunday, June 24, 1917.  The meeting was under the control of Prof. G. W. Travis, who is recognized all over this and other adjoining counties as one of the greatest of song lovers, as well as an excellent singer and proficient teacher of vocal music.

Prof. has been teaching for more than 20 years.  He also teaches instrumental music and voice successfully.  Mr. Travis recognizes the fact that no community organization is complete without its singing, so he is doing all he can to re-establish this important factor to the communities.

There were five or six full choirs at this meeting.   Young and old a like took part in the singing.  A good day of singing, visiting and eating dinner on the ground was enjoyed by all who attended.  In all there were about 1,500 people besides horses and buggies and automobiles who came out to enjoy the day.

(no one is identified in the picture, the note on the back just said it was a singing convention)

Guthrie Wynn Travis died Nov. 22, 1963 at the age of 92.  He is buried in the Blackford Cemetery in Webster County.  He was the third child of W. C. M. and Georgiana Travis.  He was born at Bells Mines in 1871.  In his later years, he moved to the town of Providence, lived and died there with his family.