Last week I was copied on an email message from a woman who is a former graduate student at the University of Oklahoma. It so happens that she is a former student of Adam Pajan, who stayed with me as my houseguest while he is on a 3-island Hawaii concert tour.

She was trying to find information on Mildred Andrews Boggess, preeminent organ teacher at the University of Oklahoma from 1938-1976. According to ShareOK:

Mildred Morford Andrews Boggess (1915-1987) was an outstanding twentieth century organ teacher and performer. She was the highest-honored Professor of Music at the University of Oklahoma between June 1938 to June 1976. She produced at least twelve Fulbright Fellowship scholars and many winners at national or regional performance competitions. Boggess was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 1971. Upon her retirement in 1976, headlines read: “The End of an Era,” “Winningest Coach of the Console,” and “The Legend Ends.” Her dedication to the University and the arts was such that head football coach Barry Switzer, Oklahoma Governor David Boren, Congressman Tom Steed, House Speaker Carl Albert, President Gerald Ford, and Vice President Nelson Rockefeller all extended their congratulations to her. This thesis is the first academic publication based upon her biographical materials. It includes an analysis of her pedagogical methods and impact upon sacred music in the twentieth century, in relation to prevailing ideology at the time and the Organ Reform Movement.

It so happens that Mildred Andrews came to Hawaii in 1971 for the Pacific Coast Regional Convention of the American Guild of Organists. Somewhere I knew that I had the program booklet from that convention (even though it was before my time, since I arrived in 1973), but do you think I could find it during Adam’s visit? I even searched my storage unit, a virtual black hole! (Ha ha!)

Wouldn’t you know it, now that Adam has left Oahu and is now preparing for his organ concert at Christ Lutheran Church in Hilo, I found a copy of the booklet (in the guest room, of all places!)

Here is the page I was specifically looking for:

I’m so glad I found the book!

In case you would like to view pages from history, I scanned the entire program booklet from that 1971 Pacific Coast Regional Convention, and you may view it here. Interesting to learn that one of the artists was Joan Lippincott, my former teacher from Westminster Choir College! I am sorry to say that I learned that her beloved husband, Curtis, died yesterday.

Other artists included Catharine Crozier (the real one!), John McCreary, Clyde Holloway, Ted Alan Worth, Gaylord Carter, James Moeser, Frederick Swann, and Paul Calloway.