The costs of these attractions would be defrayed before the concerts
took place. Admittance was by subscription. Non-members could not
attend, so no local group would underwrite or pledge for some big name
star and be left holding the bag.
The group must have been indecisive for nothing was heard of concerts
until we learn that a contract was signed on November 11, 1941 and
signed by Mrs. I. M. Aiken whose husband was president of thc Brunswick
Bank and Trust Company, later the American National Bank, the Barnett
National Bank, and now The Bank of America. Also signing was Rev. Lee
Belfort, Rector of St Mark’s Episcopal Church and Jack H. Murrah of the
Georgia Power Company. The fourth signature is indecipherable. This was
followed on December 4th by a meeting of prominent citizens which
elected George T. Rives, President of’ the Downing Company, Inc. as
President and Mrs. A N. Shelander as Vice-President. A dinner meeting
was planned for January 12, 1942. Mrs. Edwin Fendig compiled a long list
of prospective workers, divided by territory and Mrs. Alfred W. Jones
would canvass Sea Island, Mrs. W. L. Stribling was the worker for St.
Simons Island while others would be recruited for Darien, Kingsland,
Waycross, and Jesup. The opening season brought Pianist Edward Kilenyi,
compared to a young Franz Liszt, and Baritone Igor Gorin as well as a
dramatic reading by Dorothy Crawford. Kilenyi and Gorin were refugees
from Middle Europe.
After Pearl Harbor, there was some apprehensiveness about undertaking
the concert series. Some people thought it should be dropped, but the
majority opinion prevailed, "that in a time of war, everything that
builds and strengthens morale is vital and should continue." There were
450 subscribed members. Memberships were $3.85 and students $1.65. There
followed a period of wartime shortages, gas rationing, lighting and
heating restrictions. How, it was asked, could the people of Brunswick
get to the concerts, let alone the people of Sea Island, St. Simons,
Darien, Jesup, Kingsland, and Waycross? On March 17, 1943, at the
closing concert of the 1942-43 season Mildred Dilling, one of America’s
foremost harpists, resplendent in a green gown worn for St Patrick’s
Day, took the stump at the Annual Business Meeting for the "pros" and
carried the day for continuing the concerts. New officers were Mrs. W.
A. Lindsey. President Robert Christy, General Chairman, Rex Thompson,
Vice- President and Treasurer, Margaret McGarvey, Secretary. Helen
Nathan, Shirley Altman, Virginia McGarvey, and Clell Tyler were top
membership getters.
Somehow the hardships of the war years seemed to turn to fun for the
artists and enthusiastic workers. Whether traveled by plane or train I
cannot tell you. Usually they were housed at the Oglethorpe,
occasionally The Cloister. The Oglethorpe was within easy walking
distance to the auditorium. Dinners were held after the concerts,
usually at thc homes of members or at the recreation hall of Temple Beth
Tefilloh, close to the auditorium. The artists knew that in Brunswick
they would get "real" food. The Rex Thompsons were newcomers to
Brunswick. He was vice-president and treasurer of the Brunswick
Shipyard. They had rented the Nightingale mansion on Halifax Square
which lent itself to entertaining and a number of dinners were held
there. Also, it was a short distance from the auditorium.. Anna Laura
remembers the night they entertained Lansing Hatfield, Metropolitan
baritone. Young and handsome with a magnificent voice, Hatfield leaned
against the mantelpiece and gave the guests a second, impromptu concert.
Sometimes a troupe would walk back to the Oglethorpe singing.
Symphonies were expensive, but were the most popular entertainment.
From 1958 to 1969 we had six: the Detroit, Memphis, National, Baltimore,
and twice the New Orleans Symphony. Before retiring to St. Simons, Mrs.
Matthew Reu had lived in Washington, D. C. and had been a director of
the National Symphony. She invited the symphony and concert members to
an al fresco dinner at her home, Black Banks Plantation. Mrs.
Alfred Jones entertained the Westminster Choir of Dayton, Ohio at Altama
Plantation Her mother had been a founder of this choir.
|
PAST PRESIDENTS of THE BCCA
|
| 1941-42 George Rives |
1973-75 Ronald E. Dempsey |
| 1942-43 Edwin Fendig |
1976-78 Thomas E. Dennard |
| 1943-47 Mrs. W. A Lindsey
|
1979-81 Mrs. A. A. Nathan |
| 1947-48 Rex Thompson |
1982-85 Dr. Morgan Stapleton |
| 1948-49 Dr. Howard Coc |
1986-87 Paul B. Salters |
| 1949-64 Clell Tyler |
1988-89 The Rev. Joe Walters |
| 1964-69 Nelson Westbrooks |
1990-99 Bruce Faircloth |
| 1970-71 Bruce Faircloth
|
2000-2011 George K
Dorsey |
| 1971-72 Tom Green |
|
In recent years, the tradition has continued, even though a number of
cultural organizations has been added to our communities. The
State of Georgia has added a Convention Center on Jekyll Island which
brings a number of attractions, and the old Grand Opera House which is
now the Ritz Theatre has been renovated and houses attractions. One
of our most active members, Carolyn Mattingly, wife of Senator Mack
Mattingly, died in 1997 and a Memorial Fund donated by her friends and
admirers sponsors an annual Outreach Concert for elementary and middle school
students which began in 2001-2002.
