More Misty History

Labour Day Morning 2012 and I don't have time for something fresh so I'm reaching back once again to Labour Day 2004 when I was writing about November of 1962. Who says we don't have time machines?

I was sorting through a file filled with material from my early years at Carthage College, back when it was located in Carthage, Illinois, into and out of which there was not so much as a Greyhound Bus. And wow! Before I read the Wiki, I didn't know it had once been part of the Lutheran Church of the Far West. Sounds like a mini-series. Joseph Smith, founder of Mormonism, was offed in the local jail, so I guess that gives it current significance of a vague sort.

Where was I - oh, right. 1962. Fishing a few things out of the file:

"On Sunday, November 11, at 8:00 P.M., the music department of Carthage College will present the oratorio Elijah, by Felix Mendelssohn.

I'm writing for the college paper. I do reviews, and other artsy stuff. I'm nearly always late. On the back is a schedule of Deadlines. "...a dramatics review to be written at a Wednesday dress rehearsal would be deadlined for 8 AM Thursday." I remember being at those dress rehearsals. I don't remember their names. I can't imagine I ever panned anything. I wish now that I had. Just for the sake of it.

And here is the program for said oratorio - The ushers are courtesy of Beta Phi Epsilon (my fiancee's fraternity). William Pieper was on the tympani. I like the name. I wish I remembered more about this. I wish it conjured up a meaningful memory. It does do something - more like nostalgia. Nostalgia for a more innocent, peaceful time. I had never heard of born-again Christians. I was an atheist. But I could listen to the music, and not think of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir (and, therefore, Mormons). All of this has a flavor of Thanksgiving about it, of trees without leaves, of early snow, of simple beauty. It's as far away as Hobbiton now.

There's a beanie in here. I knew there was a beanie someplace, but I thought it was a Carthage College beanie. I remember wearing the Carthage College beanie. But it has a big M on it. MacArthur High School? I don't remember a high school beanie, much less wearing one, much, much less keeping one, but once again, the girl I used to be surfaces, and it appears I don't remember much about her either. If it is a MacArthur High School beanie, it is now 47 years old. (Truth compels: That was written in 2004 - so now it's 55). Can a beanie be an antique? What a road show that would be. But hell, it doesn't even fit. Did my hair get bigger? My head didn't swell, did it? If it did, it should shrink a bit now, remembering that I was once a girl who wore a silly high school freshman beanie.

Culchah. November 16, 1962. 9:20 A.M.???? Music Convocation, beginning with A Royal Fanfare by Josquin des Pres (1450-1521), followed by Canzon duodecimi toni by Giovanni Gabrieli (1557-1612). This is followed by La Capinera, Julius Benedict (1804-1885) and French Suite No. 5, Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750). All this early morning merriment is grandly concluded with excerpts from Camelot, Frederick Loewe (1904-he hadn't died yet). Camelot would have offered us info and advice on "The Simple Joys of Maidenhood," "Follow Me," "The Lusty Month of May," "How to Handle a Woman," "If Ever I Would Leave You," "I Loved You Once in Silence," and "Camelot."

Whadda way to wake up!