Glee Club

Name: Glee Club

Previous/other names: N/A

Prominent date(s) of activity: 1895?-1911?, 1941 - ?

History: In 1887, after much talk amongst students about starting a Glee Club, a UNB song book was printed. An official club was not established, however, until approximately 1895.

In 1909 the commencement of a Ladies Glee Club was considered, though sufficient resources were not available. The men's Glee Club invited female students to join them in their practices.

In 1910 the Glee Club joined together with the Frederictonians to stage a performance of the "H.M.S. Pinafore."

The original glee club ceased practice sometime around 1911.

In 1941, to end a lengthy absence of musical activity at UNB, Dr. Francis. J. Toole, Chemistry Professor and music enthusiast, organized a "singing club" for male students.

In the club's second year they joined Fredericton's well known female singers, the Cecilian Singers, on several occassions, participating in the War Efforts Programs.

In 1948 the Glee Club merged with the Co-ed Choral Singers to form the Varsity Singers.

Activities: The group practiced choral singing.

Note(s): In 1913, in response to a commentary made in the Acadia Athenian about the absence of glee clubs at both Acadia University in Sackville and UNB in Fredericton, a proposal was made in the UNB University Monthly that a new glee club form, perhaps under a new name such as "The College-Spirit Club". The author of this article felt that school spirit on campus would greatly benefit from the sounds of choral music and the songs of the Alma Mater.

In the 1941 UNB yearbook, Up the Hill, members of the Glee Club formally thanked Dr. Toole for his contribution and encouragement: "You, Dr. Toole, by your generous and unselfish efforts, have set for us an example of untiring devotion to a worthy idea; you have opened for us the door to a truer appreciation of music; in one short year you have instilled in us the spirit of music, which, once ours, is ours forever. Our praise to you, sir, can only be inadequate."

Source(s):

• University Monthly, vol. 6, no. 5, February 1887, p. 2.
• University Monthly, vol. 4, no. 7, April 1895, p. 189.
• University Monthly, vol. 29, no. 2, December 1909, p. 61.
• University Monthly, vol. 30, no. 2, December 1910, p. 110.
• University Monthly, vol. 32, no. 4-5, January-February 1913, p. 171-172.
• Up the Hill, 1941, Organizations.
• Up the Hill, 1942, Organizations.
• Scrapbook, February 1983, unnumbered pages.

© UNB Archives & Special Collections, 2013