tales of olde Ipswich
A short while ago I was passing by a church in Gloucester when I heard music being broadcast from a speaker that was installed in the belfry of the building.
It reminded me of the Old North Church back in the early 1950s when at Christmas time I would arrange to have Christmas music sent out over the area from the belfry of the Old Church as I was helping to decorate the churches, as we always did at that time.
Each church in the center of town was decorated with flood and spot lights, as was the Old South Church.
And I thought, "Wouldn't it be nice if we could have music from the belfry of the church." So, the next year I was determined to do something about it. I found out it would cost about $125 to install speakers at the base of the four small steeples on the outside so that the sound would be north, east, south and west.
So I asked for donations from organizations and individuals. The Ipswich Rotary Club gave $50 and I was able to get the money. I engaged the services of the Hal Williams sound service and the equipment was installed, including microphones inside in the balcony near the organ of the church.
For one week before Christmas music rang out from the church, with the final concert given the night before Christmas. The choirs of the Methodist, Greek, Episcopal, Baptist and Congregational Churches each would take a night and for one hour, from 7 to 8 p.m., sang Christmas music.
On the final night, a program of organ music was given by Mrs. Claude McCarther of Beverly.
People used to park around the green and listen to the music. And it could be heard all over town. At one time, it was heard in Rowley and Essex.
For five years I was able to put on these programs.
But like everything else, each year they became more expensive and so I finally gave them up.
But even now people who remember the concerts sometimes ask if in some way they could be revived. It would be nice, wouldn't it?
- HAROLD D. BOWEN