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VICTORIA, TX The Toast of the Coast by Ken Woodring

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The Vocal Express, 1994 - Keith Houts, Director

The formation of the Victoria Chapter of "Barbershop Singers" was a result of the efforts of a lumber "peddler" from Houston who spent two nights every other week in Victoria with nothing to do. 0. W. whafley, who for several years was a member of the Houston chapter, felt that Victoria could support such a group. He inquired at the lumber yards on which he called, trying to find men who enjoyed this type of recreation. Though no prospects were signed up on this survey, he obtained the names of several men who did enjoyed singing. Following numerous telephone calls, expounding the Idea of forming a group in Victoria, Mr. Whatley located two former members of chapters in other cities. James R. Lewis, a local banker, was a former member of the Louisville, Kentucky chapter, and Lt. Gerry Swenson was found to have been a member of an Air Force championship quartet, The Rip Chords. The Houston chapter of SPEBSQSA sponsored

the formation of the local chapter and an organizational meeting was held in late May, 1957. Some fifteen or so prospective members were present, and from this group, Lem Caldwell was chosen as chairman. Meetings were held each Tuesday night and Houston continued to assist us. An election of officers was held in the latter part of October; James R. Lewis was selected as the first President, and Lt. Gerry Swenson became chorus director. The local charter was received on November 8, 1957, and a Charter Night was held in January, 1958. Our chapter and the Corpus Christi Barbershoppers and Sweet Adelines combined with the Houston chapter to put on a very good show. The Victoria chapter sponsored its ilrst District function, the "Guff Together," which brought the San Antonio, Houston, and Corpus Christi Chapters to Victoria for a long remembered meeting which sprang a long tradition of annual meetings. Joe

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