Southern Appalachian Digital Collections

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Handbook/ 1932/ Smoky Mountains Hiking Club

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  • February 27th FOLK SONG FESTIVAL AT Y. M. C A. In ballads and folk songs of the mountain people we find the most romantic phase of American Literature. To us who have tramped over the trails of the Great Smokies, these songs and ballads have a particularly strong appeal. And the more we hear them sung, or interpreted, the greater will be their fascination. Unfortunately, most of us have not felt capable of singing these rare mountain ballads, but we all remember the enthusiastic reception given to Professor and Mrs. I. G. Greer as they sang and interpreted the typical mountain music for us at the Appalachian Trail Conference at Gatlinburg last June. They made the romances and tragedies of the isolated mountain people live again and play vividly before our imaginations. Naturally, then, we will look forward with much eagerness and zeal to February 27 when Professor and Mrs. Greer are to be with us on the occasion of our first annual Folk Song Festival. It is interesting to know that the National Park Service will make an effort to preserve and interpret the folk songs and ballads for the entertainment of visitors to the Great Smoky Mountains National F'ark. It is altogether likely that this may be done on a gigantic scale, with carefully trained singers rendering these songs and ballads while enacting the various things that the pioneers did while they sang these same ballads and songs. Our meeting on February 27 may be a definite step toward the adoption of such a program. At least, it is so hoped. Meet at the Y. M. C. A. at 7 o'clock so that we may have 30 minutes to get better acquainted with our many new members. The program starts at 7:30 o'clock. Leaders: T. S. McKINNEY (2-6157) ELIZABETH HOUSTON (5-5027) 19
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