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We are trying to develop a history
of the Lock Haven Y.M.C.A. Boy's Choir. It was founded in 1953 by Jimmy Stout, and was active for ten years or more. If
you have any information about the choir, or photos or news clippings you can share with us, please submit your
comments in the form below, or we will contact you if you like. THANKS!
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Lock Haven Y.M.C.A. Boys Choir 1953-54
Robert Russell
Schadt, Director Photo courtesy of my cousin, Bobby Schadt
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| Click photo to enlarge |
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Lock Haven Y.M.C.A. Boys Choir 1955
Ruth Anna Miller, Accompanist
James Spotts,
Choirmaster |
I was in the YMCA choir for
about two years, c1954 I think. Jimmy Stout founded the choir in 1953 and was the Business Manager for the
Choir for the duration. Piano accompanists were Miss Ruth Anna Miller, Miss Pamela Blesh, Miss Dana Best, Ken "Kenny"
Poorman, Mary Louide Miller . . . There were several choir directors, my cousin Robert R. Schadt, James A. "Jim"
Spotts of WBPZ Radio, Russell C. Gillam, Barry Vannauker and Chris Dwyer. Pop Ford was Manager of the Y at
that time as I recall.
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When I was in the choir, we practiced
once a week in the little gray house that the Y owned on the corner of Grove and Water Streets (where the new Y
building stands now). My most memorable performances were a television concert by Channel TV-10 in Altoona,
and one at the Hershey Park Bandshell. I remember a big white 4x6' hardboard poster that had my name on
it as accompanist at a Hershey Park concert, which Mom & Dad kept in the attic for many years. Unfortunately
I lost it in the 1972 flood in Lock Haven when I lived on Island Route (lower Water Street), four houses below the Constitution
Bridge. We also performed at Hecla Park, at Price Auditorium, and many churches in the region.
Jimmy Stout, Founder & Business Manager, used to sponsor a summer camp for us at Camp Rocky Point, near Queens Run
between Lockport and Farrandsville PA. We also went to swimming parties at the Renovo YMCA, and had many other activities.
Various parents chaperoned. |
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| Contact Ken |
If you remember any details about the Lock Haven YMCA Boy's Choir,
please share them with me.
Thanks to those of you who submitted info
about the choir and/or photos, especially Doug Andrews, Bobby Schadt, Bill Wolford and Roy Stout. I can now
add a few more photos to this page. I still need help with details of the choir, especially the time frames for each
of the Choir Directors. Please continue to submit any info you may come across . . . THANKS!
Lock Haven Y.M.C.A. Boys Choir 1959
Pamela Blesh, Accompanist
Barry Vannauker,
Director
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Some of the places the choir performed were Hershey Park, Hecla Park,
Knoebel's Grove Park, Saint Luke's Reformed Church in Lock Haven, Woolrich Community Center, WBPZ Radio, TV 10 Altoona,
Altoona Bible Church, St. Paul's Episcopal Lock Haven, Price Auditorium at the College, Evangelical United Brethern (EUB)
in Lock Haven, EUB in Jersey Shore, Renovo High School, Lock Haven Elks Lodge, Mill Hall Church of Christ, Avis EUB, Castanea
EUB, Trinity Methodist Lock Haven, Avis Lutheran, Beech Creek Memorial Presbyterian, Jersey Shore First Methodist, Sugar Valley
Area High School, Devitt Home in Allenwood, Osceola Methodist Church . . . Bill Laubscher just reminded me of Rockview
State Penitentiary (8/19/2012) . . . (Remember any more?)
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Lock Haven Y.M.C.A. Boys Choir 1960
Pamela Blesh, Accompanist
Barry Vannauker,
Director
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| Click photo to enlarge |
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YMCA Boys Choir 1961
Pamela Blesh, Accompanist
Barry L. Vannauker, Director |
Miss Blesh also playerd flute solos occasionally with
the choir. The choir members typically ranged from the fourth to the eighth grade. I'll add more info to the
site if any is received. If you want your name listed as a former choir member, I can include members' names if
you like - if you'll send yours to me in the comment form above. Be sure to include your email address for
verification. thanks . . .
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. . . an undated news
article about the Choir . . . probably about 1956 . . .
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Choir member names . . . Doug Andrews
gave me some paper clippings from his scrapbook which I scanned, but subsequently had a computer crash, and you guessed it,
I didn't have them backed up. So I'll add names as people contact me or identify people in the above photos . .
. John Caskey, Ken Yarnell, Doug Andrews, Bill Laubscher, Dave Masters . . . . help please . . .
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