Page A6-The Chronicle, Thursday, November 29
Close-Up
Choristers share
By IRENE PERRY
Chronicle Staff Writer
Above the horizon, there are individual stars with
diverse backgrounds and beginnings, but when you
see them together at night, their collective presence
th#? ?Vv
voices enrapiures an audience wun tneir glorious
songs.
Under the direction of Dr. Permilla Flack
Dunston, this all-male chorus performs all kinds of
"When someone hears our music, they
know if they want to^participate, because
the music is so refreshing and different. **
-- Dr. Permilla Flack Dunston
music: Spirituals, hymns and classical music.
The ages and backgrounds of the choristers are
just as diverse as their musical selections. "The
Twin City Choristers range in age from 26 to 78,M
says Dunston. "Our members are from all church
affiliations and occupations -- from doctor to house
painter, from postal worker to pharmacist, and
from banker to funeral director/'
The Twin-City Choristers . originally were
organized in September 1957 under Dr. Dunston's
direction. Dr. A.L. Cromwell served as the first
Social Notes apw
Bass heads ||^
foundation *
Marshall B. Bass, corporate *
vice president of R.J.^Reynolds
Industries, has been elected chair- w&JM
man of the board of the Winston- ^3[
< Salem State University FoundaBass
was elected during the A }
board's biannual meeting on ^ .V
Also elected were James Mack, IHHHHI
vice chairman, and Perry Turner,
treasurer. Five new' members Marsha
were appointed to the board: Dr.
David Branch, Derrick Davis, foundation is de
Mrs. Lynn Eisenberg, Lyons and promote th
Gray and Mrs. Lynn Hill. gress and gene
A member of the foundation Winston-Salem S
board since June 1981, Bass will and to receive
serve a one-year term as chair- gifts and donatio
man of the 21-member body. The poses.
i
Gents present holiday baskets to n
Frtr tV?A fViir/4 A 1 '
- wt viiv innvi vunscvuiivc year, opunisiiwaica v.
the Sophisticated Gents Inc. their annual C
brightened the lives of the less social on Satur<
fortunate by passing out the M.C. Ben
Thanksgiving baskets to needy Center. The se
families. will include live
The non-profit organization Another imp<
delivered a total of 13 baskets of group's calei
food to families in Winston- Annual Disting
Salem. Awards, which
A . Sunday, Jan. 2'
As a community-oriented
. c .. . , Center. Alderm
organization, -Ihc?Sophisric.axgd ?
-Genta have-conducted numerous QiU, ""V
... . . . . Rudy Anderson
public service activities in the : c
f. . . master of cerem
black community. A _ .
3 entertainment u
As part of the group's fun- Cornelius, jazz
draising efforts, the Hairston and Ke
Minnie Ervin attends educations
Minnie Ervin has completed
her sixth educational seminar in m I
Birmingham, Ala. She is educational
director of Region Four
for continuing education of the
National Beauty Culturist
League.
She organizes and directs all
classes for cosmetologists and
tour stylists for seven states, including
North Carolina, South
Carolina, Georgia, Florida,
Alabama, and Tennessee, as well ll R
as Nassau, in the Bahamas. URf
Ervin says finding qualified in
structors and secretaries and serv- Minnie
ing as director of all the classes meetings and pr<
leaves her very little time to par- abroad in Switz
ticipate in the learning process and Paris. In Pi
herself. hair cutting, des
For the last few years, she has cepts and fashi<
returned from the regional for the total lool
So it is with the Twin City Choristers, a group of
32 black males from all parts of the Triad who have
various backgrounds and occupations. Yet, when
they sing together, the melodic richness of their
A . -
, 1984
Pec
?> _
Community Calendar, Close-lip
their love for song
president of the group.
The group flourished from 1957 until 1959, when
Dr. Dunston left the city. The group continued tc
perform under various directors, but only
sporadically. Eventually, in the latter nart r?f io*n
the group reluctantly disbanded.
Its members, however, remained in close contact
with one another and the dream of one day
reorganizing the group stayed with them.
On May 13, 1980, the Twin City Choristers realized
a dream of nearly twenty years when the group
was reorganized with 10 of its original members and
Dr. Dunston returned as director.
Since the reorganization, the Twin City
Choristers have experienced phenomenal growth
and popularity. The group now numbers 35 persons,
including the director and accompianist.
Although the group's members span a wide spectrum
of backgrounds, their love and appreciation
of music is the common interest shared by all."
The Choristers say that?although they return
much to the community in the form of song, the
choral art form can continue only through the support
of worthy, as well as needy, music students.
"Since we give scholarships to needy people, we
do accept donations," says Dr. Dunston. "We
don't charge any money for concerts; however,
when we travel out of town, our expenses are taken
care of. No one is paid for anything - we just love
to sing that much."
Because of the variety of members' schedules
within a group this size, practice is held once a week
A //IV/HM/Z/IK I7wr*A%
, /licAiiriucr Mjr rvi
state Principal i
In Robert A. Clendenin of
Greensboro and Alexander Erwin
M2%m of Wilkesboro were honored on
Wednesday night as the first
Wachovia Principals of the Yeafr,
|r an award presented to the state's
most outstanding public high
school principals.
|X, Erwin, principal at Wilkes
BHBBI Central Sr. High School, and
Clendenin, principal at Walter
ill Bass Hines Page Sr. High School,
were presented awards of $1,000
signed to foster for the purchase of educational
ie growth, pro- meterials and equipment for their
ral welfare of schools and $1,000 for personal
State University, or professional use.
and administer " The awards program is spon>ns
for such pur- sored by Wachovia Bank and
Trust Co. and the N.C. Department
of Public Instruction. It
was created to recognize prinleedy
' cipals who "create an environment
in which education thrives
. and young men and women are
jents will host challenged to achieve their fullest
hnstams benefit ?
y* 22\ at John F. McNair III, vice chairton
onvention man Qf Wachovia, commended
mi- ormal event t^e prjncjpais for thc "investentertainment.
ment dmc talent
Drtant event on energy?? which they put into their
idar is the Third role *
uished Citizen's ,<We believe that effective
will be held on principals are the key to achiev,
at the Stevens jng maximum return on the vast
an Larry Little _ potential -neprfsmtfri -by ,*lhc
_ ymrfig-peopic 0f our state and naSC!r^C
^j tion," he told the group attenomw.
Providing ding the opcning njght of the
all be Ms. Eve n.C. Association of School Adsoloist;
Curtis . ?c
... liuuiauoiuia icui wumcicuvc.
rry aitcrs- Clendenin was cited for several
programs instituted at Page High
J Seminar School, including an attendance
monitoring system with
computer-initiated calls to
students' homes, which resulted
in a significant decline in
absenteeism; annual questionnaires
to students, staff and
parents; and internships in city
service
Erwin was recognized by the
selection committee for programs
am Elbersonto speak at.
f Robert E. Elberson, president
- and chief operating officer of the
tjM Consolidated Foods Corp., will
Ervin be the featured speaker at the
>ceeded to study 1985 Freedom Fund Banquet
erland, London sponsored by the Winston-Salem
iris, she studied Branch of the NAAdP.
igning new con- The banquet will be held on
m coordinating Jan. 10 in honor of the late Dr.
c. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birth
>ple
), Social Notes, Community News
Dr. Permllla Dunston, director of the Twin CM
us together (photo by James Parker).
and always starts on time.
"We <k>n't have auditions," says Dunston.
"When someone hears our music, they know if the;
want to participate, because the music is s<
refreshing and different."
Since its inception, women have not made any at
tempts to join the group. They enjoy coming out tc
f f
mis selected
rfthe Year |Hgf
Alexander Erwin
developed to establish rapport
with students, parents, teachers
and the community. These pro- IbBBBbII
grams include a meeting for each
incoming student and his parents
with the director of instruction
and a counselor; and the "men- m
tor program" for college-bound
Six other principals who were ''t&mer.
named Principal of the Year for W
their regions were also recognized
at the meeting, including J.
Robert Boyce at John A. Holmes * file f^j
High School, Eden ton; Patrick 'Thth^w
Best at Goldsboro High School, : Paul United I
Goldsboro; Richard M. Jewell at 0f
Broughton High School, Raleigh; point, croi*
vvjwigc tt. ^cagraves ai Lee ittbroidery.
Jaunty "Sr. High. Sanford; , - .r....
Robert H. Bellamy at Monroe
High School, Monroe; and Larry
R. Liggett at Asheville High Slj
School, Asheville.
Each received a check for $750
to be used to purchase^duca- | Monday . F<
tional meterials or equipment for
? The regional winners were
selected from among 35 prin- TheTuei
cipals nominated by their local
school systems. The selection
committees included principals, trib
high school teachers, college free,
educators, lay people and
representatives of Wachovia
Bank and Trust Co.
NAACP banquet
WWilfedeTi
He^H Kjffjri t
day. It will begin at 7 p.m. in the f|mji*W
M.C. Btenton Convention Center. ]&< ..
"This year, the Winston-Salem 77be Clvof
branch will pay a special tribute nouncemento
to Sarah Marsh/* said Pat \ shouldMm
Hairston, president of the local a number t<
NAACP. "Mrs. Marsh served as should be ad
the NAACP secretary for 30 Calendar, P
years and was a hard-working -deadlinefor
Please see page A7 . '
?'S?"? ..
H . I
' ' l 11 ' I
v i|V <c
' 1'
^a^fm
I^Hfcta ivSf * ^ *VMn
:y Choristers: Love and appreciaton of music keep
hear the men sing, Dr. Dunston says.
The membership of the Twin City Choristers is
y open to all men with a desire to sing for personal en3
joyment and musical achievement. The group
rehearses at 7 p.m. on Tuesdays at the Wentz
Memorial Church of Christ. Anyone interested in
joining the group can contact Dr. Dunston or any
) of the members.
Ea*t Winston Branch Library during the;*nomttt?^
he Minority Business League. The meeting is open to
id is free. All interested business persons are encourage
?..i# 1:4 V V4V n" '0.ih'V-gB ...
ton-Salem Human Relations Commission will meet at
the city council chambers of City Hall on Main Street.
orks Gallery Inc. is sponsoring a presentation of small
fcristmas by 23 area artists through Jan. 5. The shear
iting, sculpture, photography, fiber art, pottery and inL
The Artworks Callery is located at 217 West Sixth St,
from U a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays aaril?
i. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. For more information, call I
|:s FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30
nie Anderson Theatrical Association will present the I
s Blancs," by Lorraine Hansberry at the Winston?
Arts Center Workshop Theatre through Dec. 2. For
nation, contact the Arts Council or the Delta Arts I
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1 I
sure Ladies Craft Guild will sponsor its annual I
Cornucopia'* bazaar from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. at St, I
Methodist Church at 3400 Dellabrook Drive. A variety I
e items will be on sale, including macrame, needle- I
stitching, quilting, ceramics, oil naintina nrf i*mJ?ShII
t Ogdwwof Wake Forwt University will J
imettJasjrrom the go^on sale at 8:30 a.m.. I
ilttiJRSDAli DECEMBW
rttatlvefrom the office of U.S. Rep. Steve Neal wttl be I
Winston Branch Library from 9:30 a.m. until 1 fun.
dele welcomes Community Calendar notices.
i should be concise and typed or neatly printed. They
ie the day, time, place and sponsors of the event, plus
9 c ail for additional information. Announcements
\fmead to the Winston-Salem Chronicle Community
.O. Box 3154, Winston-Salem, N.C. 27102. The
announcements is Monday at 5:30p.m.
i