Golden Memories Page 91

Golden Memories SWD Chapters

Enid, Oklahoma
Chisholm Trail Chorus
by Bob Parks and Guy French*

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Ell Paso Border Chorders Chorus

It all started back in August of 1947. Three men, Fred Unruh, George Miles and Mert Ayers got together and decided they wanted to start a barbershop chorus in Enid, Oklahoma. These three really were the nucleus of what is now the Chisholm Trail Chorus. Unruh and Ayers were the two who had previously sung barbershop music.
Fred, who lived in Wichita, KS was a member of the Wichita chapter until Uncle Sam called him to help out during the second World War. Mter completing his military duties, Fred came to Enid to live.
Mert Ayers, before coming to Enid, was a member of the Indianapolis chapter. When these two, along with George Miles, got together they discovered a love of four part harmony singing, unaccompanied by instruments, that they wanted to share with others.
First they contacted a few other men, had a meeting at the Central National Bank and learned that the men were so enthused about this type of singing that they got right down to plans for a meeting to organize a men's chorus.
That first meeting was held August 4, 1947 in the Enid

Ballroom of the Youngblood Hotel at Maple and Independence. They had advertised on radio, in the newspaper and by word-of-mouth the week before the meeting. Twenty-five men turned out in addition to the 20 members of the Cherokee chapter who came down to Enid to explain what barbershop singing was all about and to answer all our questions. The fellowship and singing were something to behold.
There was so much enthusiasm that night that
26 men signed up for the chorus the very next week.
Some of those were: Fred Unruh, George Miles, Mert
Ayers, Romayne Baker, Harry Becker, Harry
McKeever, George Newell, Ed Fleming, Gregg
Shuette, Bud Stephenson Sr., Harold Goodholm,
Harry Unruh, Abe Unruh and Wilford Evans.
The first elected officers were: George Newell, president; George Miles, vice president; Gregory Shuette, secretary/treasurer; and Fred Unruh, director. Our first regular meeting place was the

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Table of
Contents

Sections:
How It All Began Chapters Chapter Histories International Quartet Champions Choruses Administration
Contests and Conventions Registered Quartets Publications Recognitions In Conclusion