WE HONOR OUR PRESIDENTS

NOTES DA CAPO - By Clifford Brown
February, 1986

Since this is the 50th year of the WVMEA, it seems appropriate to review the names of those individuals who have served in the leadership position of president since 1936. That is the year the music teachers decided that they could be more effective in promoting and coordinating music education statewide if they had their own organization.

The status of this new organization was enhanced when it became the official affiliate of the Music Educators National Conference. Although progress was slow and difficult - as early past-prsidents will attest, the WVMEA now is a strong organization that is recognized for its positive influence on the youth of our state from kindergarten through graduate school. Here is the list of WVMEA presidents:

ONE-YEAR TERMS

    1936 - Oliver Edwards, Wheeling
    1937 - Frank Cuthbert, Morgatown
    1938 - J. Henry Francis, Charleston
    1939 - J. Henry Francis, Charleston
    1940 - Christine Johnson, Charleston
    1941 - Leonard Withers, Keyser
    1942 - Elizabeth Shelton, Bluefield
    1943 - Karl V. Brown, Spencer
    1944 - Karl V. Brown, Spencer
    1945 - (No meeting, no election)
    1946 - Karl V. Brown, Spencer
    1947 - Claren Peoples, Huntington
    1948 - Miriam Gelvin, Huntington
    1949 - Esther Cunningham, Parkersburg
    1950 - Esther Cunningham, Parkersburg

TWO-YEAR TERMS

    1951-53 - Clifford Brown, Morgantown
    1953-55 - Clifford Brown, Morgantown
    1955-57 - Harold Orendorff, Glenville
    1957-59 - Richard Wellock, Fairrnont
    1959-61 - Harold Ewing, Charleston
    1961-63 - Saul Fisher, Buckhannon
    1963-65 - Elinor Copenhaver, Huntington
    1965-67 - Edward Wolf, West Liberty
    1967-69 - Ronald Wood, Fairmont
    1969-71 - Nels Leonard, West liberty
    1971-73 - Al Frey, Charleston
    1973-75 - Glenn Goodwin, Elkins
    1975-77 - Robert Wolff, Huntington
    1977-79 - Patrick Fitzgerald, West Liberty
    1979-81 - Arlie Turner, Parkersburg
    1981-83 - Phyllis Osenton, Logan
    1983-85 - Don Hamilton, Bridgeport
    1985-87 - Harry Faulk, Fairmont

(Note: Since Dr. Brown wrote this article, the following
people have served as WVMEA president:)

    1987-89 - Charles Martyn, Montgomery
    1989-91 - James Pantle, Shepherdstown
    1991-93 - Michael Roberts, Morgantown
    1993-95 - David Bess, Morgantown
    1995-97 - James Guerriero, West Liberty
    1997-99 - Gary Marvel, Hedgesville
    1999-01 - Richard Lemke, Huntington

The following list includes those individuals who served as "chairman" when music was a section of the State Education Association, now the West Virginia Education Association.

    1920 - Lucy Robinson, Wheeling
    1921 - Agnes C. John, New Curnberland
    1922 - Clarence C. Arms, Clarksburg
    1923 - J. Henry Francis, Charleston
    1924 - Sarah E. Galloway, Clarksburg
    1925 - Sarah E. Galloway, Clarksburg
    1926 - Clarence C. Arms, Clarksburg
    1927 - Clarence C. Arms, Clarksburg
    1928 - Marie Boette, Parkersburg
    1929 - Karl V. Brown, Terra Alta
    1930 - Alta Cherrington, Huntington
    1931 - Glenn Sallack, Beckley
    1932 - Katherince A. Moore, Bluefield
    1933 - Ruby Anderson
    1934 - Gem Huffman, Spencer
    1935 - Lucy Jackson, Charleston

If you know of any errors in the above listings, please send the correction to John L. Puffenbarger, P.O. Box 6, Buckhannon, WV 26201. Does anyone know where Ruby Anderson (1933) lived? Many thanks to past-chairman Marie Boette (1928), former member of the music faculty at West Virginia Wesleyan and currently a Parkersburg organist, for her kind assistance on the 1920-36 list.