Today, as you can see, Harley and Dr. M - are working, like really, really hard, at the Centennial Celebration in Orlando, FL. SO, Harriet Mogge is filling in for us and submits this report about activities surrounding the Keokuk II Symposium and her participation representing the MENC staff.
I was invited to attend Keokuk II to represent the MENC Headquarters office. I accepted with glee, and then started figuring out my travel schedule. It was one of those “you can’t get there from here” puzzles! However, I was determined to get there from here! After all, anyone who could attend a MENC convention at only 3 months old could certainly manage to get from Reston to Keokuk!
And what was happening in Keokuk? It was a historical symposium to celebrate the 100th birthday of MSC—MSNC—MENC! Organized by the History Special Research Interest Group of the Society for Research in Music Education, one of several research groups within MENC, it honored those who met there 100 years ago out of love for music and teaching, and a desire to learn from each other. Guess what – MENC members still do that today!
The event started with a reception Thursday evening in Meyer’s Courtyard, a very old building with a wire cage elevator to take us up to a beautifully restored reception room. The mayor came and spoke to us, as did the executive director of the Visitors Bureau. Both had been involved in the planning for our meeting. We all enjoyed beverages and "goodies." It was a good mixer for people to meet -- there were some researchers from overseas joining us also.
Friday and Saturday were sessions one right after the other, like the SRIGS schedule at convention (but no poster sessions!). Lunch both days was catered in the lobby of the hotel -- delicious! We had lots of fun with sing-alongs at lunch, accompanied by a guitar and accordion. Unfortunately, Friday’s plaque dedication was inside since the weather didn't cooperat
e. However, Jere Humphrey of Arizona State University, History SRIG national chair and organizer of this Symposium, had a grad assistant with him who is a technical whiz. A few of us went to the special centennial plaque, installed at the corner of Blondeau and 4th Street, unveiled it, and shot video. They went for David Circle's power point computer and created a little "show." Not the way it was planned originally, but a fun presentation shown in our big meeting room at the time scheduled for the unveiling. It was a great success. The Keokuk High School Choir, directed by MENC member Daniel Proctor, sang two numbers – glorious!
That evening (Friday) we had our banquet, prepared by the same church congregation that hosted our founders in 1907. This was in their "new church" built after the original burned in 1963. They enjoyed the replay as much as we did! Then into their large, beautiful sanctuary with a gorgeous three manual organ in the rear balcony -- a local MENC member is their organist and she played prelude and postlude for the concert. We enjoyed the Clark County High School Jazz Ensemble from neighboring Kahoka, Missouri, the Southeastern Community College Chamber Choir from West Burlington, Iowa, and the wonderful New Horizons Quartet “Tempered Brass” from Iowa City. These four “elders” were fantastic! Music is indeed for all generations.
The Symposium ended with two general sessions late Saturday afternoon. First was “Perspectives on American Music Education—Past, Present and Future” with our national president Lynn Brinckmeyer, national immediate past president David Circle, and national president-elect Barbara Geer, along with “Mr. MENC History” Dr. Michael Mark. The final session was “Music Education in the United States: Views from the Outside.” Panelists were researchers from Reading, United Kingdom; Mannheim, Germany; Victoria, Australia; New Brunswick, Canada; and a Michigan educator who is a native of Ireland.
Some went over to Nauvoo, Illinois, for dinner that evening, but I did not since I had to leave very early Sunday morning. It was time to reverse my travel itinerary and get from Keokuk to Reston via car and two planes. Could I get there from here? I certainly could, and was privileged to do so. Thank you for the opportunity, MENC!
Harriet Morgan Mogge, Retired MENC Staff
I was invited to attend Keokuk II to represent the MENC Headquarters office. I accepted with glee, and then started figuring out my travel schedule. It was one of those “you can’t get there from here” puzzles! However, I was determined to get there from here! After all, anyone who could attend a MENC convention at only 3 months old could certainly manage to get from Reston to Keokuk!
And what was happening in Keokuk? It was a historical symposium to celebrate the 100th birthday of MSC—MSNC—MENC! Organized by the History Special Research Interest Group of the Society for Research in Music Education, one of several research groups within MENC, it honored those who met there 100 years ago out of love for music and teaching, and a desire to learn from each other. Guess what – MENC members still do that today!
The event started with a reception Thursday evening in Meyer’s Courtyard, a very old building with a wire cage elevator to take us up to a beautifully restored reception room. The mayor came and spoke to us, as did the executive director of the Visitors Bureau. Both had been involved in the planning for our meeting. We all enjoyed beverages and "goodies." It was a good mixer for people to meet -- there were some researchers from overseas joining us also.
Friday and Saturday were sessions one right after the other, like the SRIGS schedule at convention (but no poster sessions!). Lunch both days was catered in the lobby of the hotel -- delicious! We had lots of fun with sing-alongs at lunch, accompanied by a guitar and accordion. Unfortunately, Friday’s plaque dedication was inside since the weather didn't cooperat
e. However, Jere Humphrey of Arizona State University, History SRIG national chair and organizer of this Symposium, had a grad assistant with him who is a technical whiz. A few of us went to the special centennial plaque, installed at the corner of Blondeau and 4th Street, unveiled it, and shot video. They went for David Circle's power point computer and created a little "show." Not the way it was planned originally, but a fun presentation shown in our big meeting room at the time scheduled for the unveiling. It was a great success. The Keokuk High School Choir, directed by MENC member Daniel Proctor, sang two numbers – glorious!That evening (Friday) we had our banquet, prepared by the same church congregation that hosted our founders in 1907. This was in their "new church" built after the original burned in 1963. They enjoyed the replay as much as we did! Then into their large, beautiful sanctuary with a gorgeous three manual organ in the rear balcony -- a local MENC member is their organist and she played prelude and postlude for the concert. We enjoyed the Clark County High School Jazz Ensemble from neighboring Kahoka, Missouri, the Southeastern Community College Chamber Choir from West Burlington, Iowa, and the wonderful New Horizons Quartet “Tempered Brass” from Iowa City. These four “elders” were fantastic! Music is indeed for all generations.
The Symposium ended with two general sessions late Saturday afternoon. First was “Perspectives on American Music Education—Past, Present and Future” with our national president Lynn Brinckmeyer, national immediate past president David Circle, and national president-elect Barbara Geer, along with “Mr. MENC History” Dr. Michael Mark. The final session was “Music Education in the United States: Views from the Outside.” Panelists were researchers from Reading, United Kingdom; Mannheim, Germany; Victoria, Australia; New Brunswick, Canada; and a Michigan educator who is a native of Ireland.
Some went over to Nauvoo, Illinois, for dinner that evening, but I did not since I had to leave very early Sunday morning. It was time to reverse my travel itinerary and get from Keokuk to Reston via car and two planes. Could I get there from here? I certainly could, and was privileged to do so. Thank you for the opportunity, MENC!
Harriet Morgan Mogge, Retired MENC Staff
