History of Sweet Adelines International
At the dawn of the baby boom
era, women who enjoyed singing
close harmony formed an organization
known today as Sweet Adelines
International, a highly respected
source of education in the
barbershop style.
In the summer of 1945, the
Great War was over in Europe
and would soon end abruptly
in the Pacific. In the United
States it was a time of Harry
James, the Andrews Sisters,
gasoline shortages, victory
gardens, the USO and Rosie
the Riveter. Walter Winchell
read everyone the news and
a young war correspondent
named Walter Cronkite was
predicting victory. The United
States just buried a president
and dramatically raised a
flag on Iowo Jima. Western
Union still meant grief to
a family and the Red Cross
brought promise. Almost half
the world was digging out
from rubble, while peace was
about to be shocked into us
with a bomb dropped from a
slow-moving weather plane
called the Enola Gay.
The summer of 1945 was a time
to appreciate being alive.
Many longed for the older,
gentler days, and one of the
things held dearest was music,
it crosses miles and memories
and was about to make another
impact on history in war-busy
Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The
date was Friday, July 13,
1945, when Edna Mae Anderson
of Tulsa, Oklahoma, brought
a few women together in her
home. The women wanted to
participate in – the
"chord-ringing, fun-filled
harmony" that their husbands,
members of the men’s
Society for the Preservation
and Encouragement of Barbershop
Quartet Singing in America
(SPEBSQSA), were singing.
From that meeting grew the
nucleus of what was to become
Sweet Adelines International.
July 23rd was going to be
the kick-off date. Invitations
were sent to all barbershop
wives asking them to meet
at the Hotel Tulsa, where
the men had met in 1939 to
form SPEBSQSA.
Mrs. Anderson got more than
she bargained for. By year's
end, the chapter incorporated
in Oklahoma. Anderson was
its president. It had 85 members
and a chapter name, Atomaton
( We have an atom of an idea
and a ton of energy) that
recognized the new nuclear
age.
Within four years, the organization
had grown to 1,500 members
singing in 35 chapters and
60 quartets in 14 different
states; adopted bylaws and
elected national officers;
and created a system for adjudicating
national annual competitions
to select the best women's
barbershop quartet.
These pioneer members possessed
singing experience that ranged
from talented amateur and
semiprofessional to graduates
of baccalaureate vocal music
programs. They brought experience
as working women and homemakers
into the organization and
infused it with their determination
and organizational abilities.
Systems of governing and parliamentary
procedure, finances and leadership
development which they created
more than 50 years ago have
stood the test of time and
remain virtually unchanged
though updated in response
to technological advances.
"The original purpose
for which Sweet Adelines was
organized in 1945 was educational,
to teach and train its members
in musical harmony and appreciation,"
Edna Mae Anderson stated.
The main goal was to create
and promote barbershop quartets
and other musical groups;
another goal was to give musicals...public
and private performances for...learning
and general appreciation of
all the things pertaining
to music."
The organization has stayed true to its original goals, entertaining
and educating thousands of people every year. It may look and sound
different today, but deep inside its mem
bers are the same women aspiring
to perform, to achieve and to experience the joy of singing and the
thrill of ringing chords that weave harmony into lives and into the
world around us.
Today there are nearly 27,000
members of Sweet Adelines
International in more than
600 choruses who are perpetuating
the unique American art form
of barbershop harmony while
looking optimistically to
the future in their quest
to Harmonize the World!
