Hoosick Grange News – Music Night

It was music night and bring can goods night at Grange on October 12; we had two boxes plus other goods. The Lecturer introduced Janet Hurd, a music teacher. Janet teaches at Forrest Ward Memorial School in North Bennington. Janet is a one-lady band and can play any instrument. Janet introduced all of her instruments she had with her. She had a recorder, two violins, an hourglass dulcimer, a Celtic harp and a mandolin. All the instruments had names. She also played the piano. Janet said if people ask you if you can play an instrument – don’t say I can’t or won’t, just give it a try. She said she would have all of us playing. It doesn’t make any difference what you are – it’s what you make of yourself. Her father taught her how to play at 18 months old on an old pump organ, one finger at a time. She then played a tune on the piano, and we had to guess what it was. She also played  the same tune on the dulcimer. It sounded good, but we were surprised the dulcimer was made of cardboard. She made it. She said we all could make one. She played on the violin that she called a fiddle. She has two violins, one from France and one from Montgomery Ward, a 1930 model that she likes best. She calls it Margaret. She played some songs – “Floppy Ear Mule,” “Peace In The Valley,” “Faded Love,” “Ragtime Annie” and “Skunk in the Chicken Coop.” She told stories as she went along. Janet played the f style mandolin and the harp. Then she told us it was our time to play. She had Kendal Baker strum on Henry the Dulcimer. It was Kendal and Janet on the road the first time. They were good. Then she added Elsie Marpe playing Margaret the Fiddle and Martha Babbitt the mandolin. Next, Marion Brenenstuhl the dulcimer, Marion Cipperly the piano, Corinne Philpott the harp and Janet the violin. They played “Shady Grove.” It sounded good. She told another Gramma story and for every part she played “You are my Sunshine” – for church, for funeral, Boogie Woogie, forward and backward. It was funny. She ended with us around the piano singing “Amazing Grace” and other songs.
The Lecturer thanked Janet for a delightful program. We had delicious refreshments that were served by Marion and Omer Brenenstuhl. Our next meeting is on October 26 with David Cornell in charge of the program and David Schmidt on refreshments.