Title: Symposium on Rural Hymnody Collection, 1974-1982
Predominant Dates:1978-1982
ID: RG 11/11.02
Primary Creator: Berea College
Extent: 1.9 Linear Feet
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged in the series as follows:
Series 1: Symposium Planning - This series consists of grant-funding information, call for papers, arrangement correspondence, and ephemera relating to the planning of the Symposium on Rural Hymnody. The materials are arranged chronologically and they cover the period from July 18, 1974 to November 24, 1980, the last date of correspondence with the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Series 2: Symposium Publication Project - This series consists of papers presented, presentation responses, correspondence with participants, publication correspondence, and materials distributed at the symposium. Most of the files are arranged alphabetically by presenter. Correspondence with potential publishers is arranged chronologically.
Series 3: Manuscript - This series consists of an edited manuscript of symposium presentations. Files are arranged in the chapter order envisioned by editor, William Tallmadge. It contains an appendix with participant biographies.
Series 4: Reel-To-Reel and Cassette Audio Tapes - Follow the links in the box list to listen to the recordings. This series consists of reel-to-reel and cassette audio tape recordings of Symposium presentations, responses, and related musical performances. The performances and presentations are arranged in the same order as the symposium. Also included are recording of Sunday morning and afternoon worship and singing at the Left Beaver Old Regular Baptist Church at Martin, Floyd County, Kentucky April 29, the last day of the Symposium.
Subjects: Berea College -- History, Hymns -- Metrics and rhythmics., Jackson, George Pullen -- 1874-1953, Jones, Loyal -- 1928-, Phipps Family (Musical group)., Revival hymns -- History and criticism., Revival hymns., Tallmadge, William H.
Languages: English
The Symposium on Rural Hymnody was hosted by Berea College on April 27-29, 1979. Follow the links in the Series 4 box list to listen to the recordings of Symposium presentations, performances, and a worship service. Presentations were given by seventeen participants. The symposium also featured performances by the A.L. Phipps Family of Knox County, Kentucky and the Wiregrass Sacred Harp Singers of Dale County, Alabama. The group also traveled to Floyd County, Kentucky, to attend the Sunday worship service of the Left Beaver Old Regular Baptist Church.
The symposium was conceived by Loyal Jones and William Tallmadge as the beginning of a new examination of hymnody. Presenters looked to challenge the pioneering work of George Pullen Jackson by suggesting that lining hymnody was still being performed by white singers after 1850. In addition, they looked to prove that lining hymnody represented the mainstream of rural hymnody from 1650 to 1850.
The possibility of a symposium publication was not considered as part of the initial planning stages. Nevertheless, the event was perceived as quite successful by many of the participants, and Tallmadge and Jones expressed their desire to publish the proceedings as an anthology. However, the manuscript tha tresulted from extensive editing by Tallmadge, was not well received by both the University Press of Kentucky and the University of Illinois Press.
The primary barrier to acceptance was what reviewers perceived to be the difficulty of publishing “proceedings” in a way that would appeal to non-attendants. Further attempts to publish the work were conducted by University of Kentucky English professor Thomas A.Adler in 1982, but again a publisher could not be found. Individual Symposium papers have been published inacademic journals.
Berea College -- History
Hymns -- Metrics and rhythmics.
Jackson, George Pullen -- 1874-1953
Jones, Loyal -- 1928-
Phipps Family (Musical group).
Revival hymns -- History and criticism.
Revival hymns.
Tallmadge, William H.
Repository: Berea College Special Collections and Archives Catalog
Access Restrictions: Records can be accessed through the Reading Room, Berea College Special Collections and Archives, Hutchins Library, Berea College.
Use Restrictions: Federal copyright regulations apply. Please cite materials.
Preferred Citation: [Object identification], RG 11.02: Symposium on Rural Hymnody Collection, Berea College Special Collections and Archives, Berea, KY.
Finding Aid Revision History: The finding aid was updated in October 2015. Links to digital items added in 2018.
"Songs in Vogue with the Vulgar" by Arthur F. Schrader. 1 of 2
"Songs in Vogue with the Vulgar" by Arthur F. Schrader. 2 of 2
"Black Shape-Note Singing in Southern Alabama" by Doris Dyen. Singing by Wiregrass Sacred Harp Singers.
Wiregrass Sacred Harp Singers (Continued) \
Wiregrass Sacred Harp Singers (Concluded) [shape-note singing demonstration lesson]
Demonstration of Lining Hymnody by Members of the Mt. Olivet Regular Baptist Church Blackey, Letcher County KY, Led By Elder Elwood Cornett. 1 of 2
Lining Hymnody by Members of the Mt. Olivet Regular Baptist Church Blackey, Letcher County KY, Led By Elder Elwood Cornett. 2 of 2
Program of Gospel Hymnody by the A.L. Phipps Family of Barbourville, Knox County KY. 1 of 2
Program of Gospel Hymnody by the A.L. Phipps Family of Barbourville, Knox County KY. 2 of 2
"Sampler": Excerpts from Symposium Presentations Including Papers, Singing and Worship Services.
Closing Summary and Observations by Archie Green, April 28, 1979.
Sunday Morning Worship Left Beaver Old Regular Baptist Church, Martin, KY. April 29, 1979: 1 of 4
Sunday Morning Worship Left Beaver Old Regular Baptist Church, Martin, KY. April 29, 1979: 2 of 4
Afternoon Singing Left Beaver Old Regular Baptist Church, Martin, KY. April 29, 1979: 3 of 4
Afternoon Singing Left Beaver Old Regular Baptist Church, Martin, KY. April 29, 1979: 4 of 4
Introduction by Daniel Patterson. "The Old Way of Singing: Its Origins and Development" by Nicholas Temperley.
"The Old Way of Singing: Its Origins and Development" by Nicholas Temperley. (Continued)
"The Old Way of Singing: Its Origins and Development" by Nicholas Temperley. (Concluded) "Thoughts on the Growth of the Old Baptist Song Repertory" by Terry Miller.
"Thoughts on the Growth of the Old Baptist Song Repertory" by Terry Miller. (Concluded)
"Hymnody of the Fellowship Independent Baptist Church of Stanley Virginia" by Jeff Titon.
"Hymnody of the Fellowship Independent Baptist Church of Stanley Virginia" by Jeff Titon. (Concluded)
Open Discussion.
"Joshua Leavitt's Christian Lyre and Other Developments of Revival Hymnody in the North" by Alan Buechner.
"Joshua Leavitt's Christian Lyre and Other Developments of Revival Hymnody in the North" by Alan Buechner. (Concluded) Respondent: James C. Downey
"Joshua Leavitt's Christian Lyre and Other Developments of Revival Hymnody in the North" by Alan Buechner. Respondent: James C. Downey (Concluded) "Jackson's White and Negro Spirituals: Thirty-six Years Later" by Dorothy D. Horn.
"Jackson's White and Negro Spirituals: Thirty-six Years Later" by Dorothy D. Horn. (Concluded) Respondent: William Tallmadge. "Black Spirituals: A Manifestation of the Black Aesthetic Concept" by Portia K. Maultsby.
"Black Spirituals: A Manifestation of the Black Aesthetic Concept" by Portia K. Maultsby. (Continued)
"Black Spirituals: A Manifestation of the Black Aesthetic Concept" by Portia K. Maultsby. (Concluded) Respondents: Melonee Burnin / Robert Stephens. "The Black in Jackson's White Spirituals" by William Tallmadge.
"The Black in Jackson's White Spirituals" by William Tallmadge. (Concluded) Respondent: Portia K. Maultsby
"The White and/or Black Spiritual and Rural Revivalistic Religion" by James C. Downey.
"The White and/or Black Spiritual and Rural Revivalistic Religion" by James C. Downey. (Concluded). Respondent: Darius Thieme. "Wyeth's Wellsprings" by Richard H. Hulan.
"Wyeth's Wellsprings" by Richard H. Hulan. (Continued)
"Wyeth's Wellsprings" by Richard H. Hulan. (Concluded). "Peripheral American Hymnody" by Harlan Daniel.
"Peripheral American Hymnody" by Harlan Daniel. (Continued)
"Peripheral American Hymnody" by Harlan Daniel. (Concluded). Conclusions: Archie Green
Excerpts Illustrating Various Hymn Traditions by Participants
