City High alma mater saved

By CHARLES W. JOHNSON

Fortunately for those who want to preserve McMinnville history, Helen Elkins, who helped write the accompaniment, had a copy of the original manuscript of the City High School alma mater penned by band director Bob Daniel and lyricists Elizabeth Womack and Edith Bryan, wife of noted composer Charles Faulkner Bryan.

Former City High School band member Rachel Killebrew is making an effort to preserve the composition and bring it to a new generation of local history enthusiasts. Killebrew took the document to Womack Printing Company who reproduced it.

“We’re going to get a lot of copies made, about 100 to 200 copies,” Killebrew said. Plans are to have the Silver and Gold Band play it at a future performance.

Jeff Golden, who was class president at the time, 1957, remembers how the alma mater came about.

“It was the first year that we had school there at City High School,” Golden said. “Some of us, as students, knew that there was an alma mater being prepared, but it was a big day when we first heard it. That was quite exciting.”

Golden recalled the students actually had input on whether the alma mater would be used.

“And, of course, the student body did accept it,” Golden said. “We thought it was very good. We were quite proud of it.”

Though Golden was a football player and not in the band, he recalled the composers fondly.

“I knew Mr. Daniel well at the time,” Golden said, “and still know him today. He lives here locally. A great fellow, and Mrs. Elkins as well.”

Golden says he is pleased at the attention the composition is getting.

“It brings back a lot of very nice, pleasant memories,” he said.