NFMC
History
(A Centennial Article)
by Lucile Parrish Ward
1998
In the early years of that period in American history known as the "Gay 90's" the National Federation of Music Clubs was born.
As we reflect on the 100 year musical legacy of the National Federation of Music Clubs, our thoughts return to that first assemblage of music clubs which took place at the Columbia World Exposition in Chicago, June 21-24, 1893. Thirty-five clubs came together at the invitation of Rose Fay Thomas, president of the Amateur Musical Club of Chicago, and wife of the founder of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Theodore Thomas. It was here the seed was planted for organizing a national organization.
Four years later, during the meeting of the Music Teachers National Association in New York City in June, 1897, Mrs. Russell Dorr, Miss Marion Ralston and Mrs. Chandler Starr with others in attendance, organized a temporary committee with Mrs. Theodore Sutro as Chairman.
It was not until January 25, 1898 that approximately 100 women representing eleven states returned to Chicago, met at Steinway Hall and the Federation was "born." Mrs. Edwin F. Uhl of Grand Rapids, Michigan, was elected the first president, and on February 28, 1898, a charter was granted under the laws of the State of Illinois.
At the first convention in St. Louis in 1899, the Board of Management voted that Junior clubs may become members of the Federation , and in 1902 the Vivace Junior Group, sponsored by the Beethoven Club of Memphis, Tennessee became the first Junior club to become a member of the Federation. In 1919 at the Peterborough, New Hampshire Biennial Convention, the Junior Division was organized. It was seventeen years later in 1936, in Dallas, Texas, that the Student Division became the third membership classification.
It was in St. Louis that the first blueprint called for the necessary tools for advancing the work of the new born Federation. Thus, Extension became the means of future growth. And — during these 100 years, the membership has grown from twenty to several hundred thousand. The skillfully planned departments of American Music; Education; Composition; Legislation; Music for the Blind; Finance; Scholarships and Awards; Crusade for Strings; Opera; Sacred Music; War Service — which brought musical instruments to thousands of fighting men, musical instruments to our ships, and Music in Hospitals; and more which have provided and opportunity to every group to make a positive contribution to the educational, cultural and spiritual life of America.
The American Music Department was established in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1907. At this same meeting the membership voted to "establish a biennial competition for American-born composers" offering the first cash prizes. Two years later in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the prizes were awarded to Henry Hadley, of Somerville, Massachusetts, first place, and Arthur Shepherd of Newton Center, Massachusetts, second and third places. Hadley's "The Culprit Fay" was performed by the Theodore Thomas Orchestra (today the Chicago Symphony Orchestra) at the 1909 Grand Rapids Biennial Convention with nineteen year old Hadley conducting.
Composition has been important in the Federation's program. The first commission of $1,000 in 1932 was to John Powell of Virginia, to write a symphonic work based on Anglo Saxon folk tunes. His long and exhaustive research ended with his "Symphony in A" which was world premiered by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in 1947. Since this first commission, the Federation has commissioned numerous works. Federation members will hear five commissioned works during this centennial year.
Since the National Federation of Music Clubs is the only national organization which has consistently continued the Artist program, the Young Artist and the Ellis Piano Duo Competition, these two programs alone prove the worth of the Federation's existence.
The historical sites of the National Federation were written by man: Amphitheater seats at the McDowell Colony in Peterborough, New Hampshire, in 1919; the Little Red House at Tanglewood, where Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote "Tanglewood Tales," which is used for a practice studio, built in 1948; a guest cabin at Interlochen Center for the Arts, the income which provides scholarships for the National Federation of Music Clubs, 1953; the first permanent headquarters in Indianapolis, Indiana, 1979.
The Federation's first headquarters was in Ithaca, New York, from 1931 until 1951, when it was moved to New York, and later to Chicago in 1960. On May 15, 1979, the Federation purchased the old Eden-Talbott Mansion dating back to 1873, in Indianapolis, Indiana. It was restored and with the dedication on October 19, 1980, became the permanent official headquarters of the National Federation of Music Clubs.
Each tells its own story and is important in its own right, but these landmarks are even more important in the way they relate to the promotion of music in America and the part they play in the 100 year heritage of the National Federation.
Rarely has the Federation made more brilliant history that on August 9, 1982, when President Ronald A. Reagan signed legislation granting a Congressional Charter to the National Federation of Music Clubs, making it only the third music organization in the United States to be chartered by Congress.
After the United Nations was organized in San Francisco in 1945, Mrs. Royden James Keith, president, requested and received official accreditation of the National Federation to the United Nations. This the Federation is the only music organization to have official representation to the United Nations.
As we look back over the long record of achievement of the past 100 years, the Federation has more than justified the faith of its founders. Federation members have pioneered to arouse and maintain an active interest in music in those communities where there existed no interest before. We now face a greater challenge — the challenge that those principles for which we have worked so untiringly and fearlessly for 100 years may be the inheritance of generations yet unborn.