Inez was teaching at New Hope School during the preparations for a children’s choir at the 1930 Iowa State Fair. In at least one of her entries, she mentioned ordering records from Ames Music. No names of the albums, but after some back and forth emails from the kind ladies at the Iowa State University Library’s music department, we’ve been able to piece together the back story to this photo in Inez’s scrapbook.

Here are some articles from 3 sources describing the big event. It was raising lots of national interest as it was the first time such a gathering was to be attempted of its kind and at this grand scale. 5000 children would be breaking a record (no pun intended) for this singing in harmony with only practicing at each individual school. No huge rehearsal would be needed. Training with the records helped them keep the perfect pitch.

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Here is the song list.

Can you imagine how astounded they were by the technology the records afforded them to accomplish this one-of-a-kind feat?! How proud the family must have been to know of her involvement as well! To give you a little more info about Inez, she played the Hawaiian guitar and the accordian. I can imagine she used these items as well in the training of her pupils. Grandma played her accordian and guitar occasionally when we children requested. She was quite good. And I can tell you from my own experience, children love a little live music now and then. Music is a language we all speak.

And in my own life, I’m going to share something with you that was pure music to my ears. Seriously, I was so darn delighted when my own sister asked me to teach her how to make a baby quilt! It started as a request for a playmat. But with my time constraints, we decided a rag quilt was in order. And it is gorgeous if I do say so myself! Let me show you 🙂

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Sister Sue, did you see they sang Billie Boy in that Children’s Choir?? Here’s your sign of approval 🙂 And to my dear cousins, sewing lessons at my place, anytime!!!

“Families are like quilts….Lives pieced together, Stitched with Smiles and Tears, Colored by Memories, and Bound by Love.”