The Girls

BLANCHE LEFFINGWELL LEEDHAM 

          The history of Grace Church Vested Choir shows that for the greater part of the time since its beginning, it has been composed exclusively of male voices, in accord with the plans of the founder.

          With the organization of the choir of male voices in 1889, the following girls’ voices were included, and they sang until Easter, 1890:

Blanche Leffingwell (Leedham) Mary M. Case (Tinker)
Mrs. Ella MacArthur Flora Elise Lund (Deceased)
Elizabeth Gardiner (Cox) Mary Jeannette Gardiner (Wisner)
Lola Ashton (Deceased)  Anice Stevens (Beers)

          Later the necessity of adding ladies’ voices was seriously debated.

          One such time came September 11, 1918, when it was found to be almost impossible to secure boys’ voices of sufficient tone and quality, and we find that the vestry reluctantly consented to permit the inclusion of the necessary number of girls, to successfully carry on the services.

          The young ladies of the parish, showed a marked interest and have rendered very efficient service.  They were and are, members of The Girls Friendly Society.

          The service of these young women, in the time of need, has been most valuable,  they have been ever ready to cooperate with the choirmaster, while realizing that the object of the founder was a Male Voice Choir; and are still hoping that a sufficient number of boys can be secured to carry on the services.

          Those who first came to our assistance at that time were:

Marjorie E. Stockley Leona Horst
Mrs. H. P. Fischer Mary Fischer
Aroline Fellows Marion Engle
Dorothy Hundley (Gradert) Isabelle Heupel
Leona Kofahl Helen Hensel
Henrietta Horst Katherine Gallagher
Mary Disbrow  Florence Peterson
Ruth Stoltenberg (McLaughlin) Thelma Fellows (Nissen)
Helen Willihnganz (Babcock) Alberta Gundelfinger (Milder)
Frances Madsen (Wulf) Hortense Lytle (Yates)
Eunice Pratt (Marquis) Dorothy McDaniels (Dockal)
Lenore E. white (Day) Helen Brandt (Murphy)
Carrie Kamer (Pulis)  Naomi Tucker (Hansen)

Since then, many others including:

Sarah Ashton Meta Ashton
Bess Sorensen Grace Sorensen
Dolores Rockrohr Beryl Tucker
Helma Kofahl  Alberta Kofahl
Margaret Ackerman Phyllis Hicks
Helen Lytle Mrs. Irene Nyberg