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Close to Nowhere
By Linda Jones Zebedee, where art thou? We received an article this week about a concert at Hopewell No. 1 MB Church. The concert will be by Zebedee R. Jones, “renowned choir director and pianist” to quote the article. The concert is in memory of the late Henderson Milan, a correspondent for The South Reporter for 72 years. Milan
passed away last year, but I think up until maybe a few months before
his death, he was still sending tidbits of community news to the paper. He
always mailed his news and it was always typed on a manual typewriter.
As used to as most of us are to the very soft and easy keys on a
computer, I can’t imagine the strength his fingers must have had. I
can’t imagine typing on a manual typewriter now (or any typewriter for
that matter). You actually have to hit return at the end of every line.
Whew! Who can remember that nowadays! One of the
things that puzzled me was listing Zebedee Jones and not listing him as
the director of the world renowned Rust A’Capella Choir. We
also received a photo of Zebedee Jones and the Christmas community
choir (if I lived in town I’d try my hardest to get in that choir!).
Didn’t mention the A’Capella Choir in that either. Even stranger, we have a story about the opening convocation at Rust College. Dorothy Jones is listed as the choir director. Many
years ago, I visited with Zebedee Jones and the Rust choir and wrote a
story about a choir tour. I think I’ve written several stories about
the choir and its director. I have always been so impressed with the discipline Jones brought to the choir and the amazing sound of that glorious group. For
several years, my friend Jane, my oldest granddaughter and I attended
the Christmas concert held by the choir in conjunction with the
Christmas Tea at the Kate Clark Gallery and the Christmas Tour, hosted
by the Marshall County Museum. The pieces performed from Handel’s “Messiah” were breathtaking! Meredith,
my granddaughter, was always totally immersed in the music and as young
as she was, by the second and third year, she could sing right along
with almost all of the songs. I will be on my way
home from Missouri and not able to attend the concert in memory of Mr.
Milan, who was a sponsor of past concerts by Jones at Hopewell No. 1. What a wonderful way to honor his memory -- with such an extraordinary musician as Jones. Now, I just have to find out what’s happening with the A’Capella Choir!
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