Sigma Alpha Iota

PAN PIPES Fall 2018 13 2018 NATIONAL CONVENTION CONVENTION WORKSHOP SPOTLIGHT is is a sentimental propaganda song from the Civil War written to show that the fight is honorable. e tune was used with new words during World War I, and Johnny Cash used the tune with words of protest against the War in Vietnam in the 1960s. When history is taught through songs, students should sing the songs to feel what it is like when the songs are sung in groups, as most of them would have been in their day. Students could pick a song to research and teach about the period using that song. Many of the pieces used in the workshop are on YouTube and have been recorded elsewhere. Printed music for many of the songs is available for free or for a small fee online. If you are interested in the handouts from the workshop, please contact Linda Gagliardi at lindagags@aol.com. In addition to an overview of the songs sung in the workshop, there is a lesson plan for teachers interested in trying this with their students. — Submitted by Ruth A. Sheets Ruth Sheets and Linda Gagliardi are sisters who sing together professionally as the "Song Sheets." They performed with The Philadelphia Revels and, as a result, were instrumental in forming Historical Harmonies/Colonial Revelers, a vocal ensemble specializing in music of the 18th Century and other time periods presented in period costume. Ruth is a Patroness with Training. Linda was initiated by the Epsilon Epsilon Chapter at West Chester University. Ruth Sheets and Linda Gagliardi lead their Monday morning workshop at the 2018 National Convention. History Through Songs Of Protest And Propaganda L inda Gagliardi and Ruth Sheets are members of the Philadelphia Alumnae chapter; Linda is Vice President Ritual and Ruth is the Editor and Service Project Chairperson. ey are founding members of Colonial Revelers, a group that performs songs of the American Revolutionary Era in costume. By learning and singing the songs, they have come to see the ways that songs have impacted history and how much it is possible to learn about history through the songs of a particular time. eir 2018 convention workshop was designed to show a way of teaching history through researching the songs of the period. e song lyrics were written by people facing the challenges of the time. Sometimes the songs protested actions of individuals or groups. Some promoted the cause, attempting to bring as many on board as possible. Some songs displayed a kind of romanticism. Ruth is a teacher and finds her students complaining that history is not interesting and not worth their effort. Using a song as a springboard for studying a particular era or event in history helps them to see that history is the stories of ordinary people just like them. e songs were sung or played by ordinary people and written by poets trying to influence those folks. Workshop participants learned some of the basics of each piece and were encouraged to sing the songs. e workshop moved participants through American history with songs representing various times. Some were original tunes and lyrics, while others were words set to familiar tunes. Some tunes have many sets of words. An example of this is e Battle Hymn of the Republic. Julia Ward Howe wrote the words inspired by John Brown's Body. ose words were set to an old camp song from the early 19th Century. In 1915 the union movement set words to the tune, Solidarity Forever. Many parodies have used the same tune over time. Another song that evolved in this manner is Just Before the Battle Mother.

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