07/03/2010
By Trish Long
El Paso Times
Dear Trish,
I am a past president of the El Paso Border Chorders. Our Barbershop chapter was formed in 1947 when the Carlsbad chapter of Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet Singing in America (SPEBSQSA) helped a group about 18 men establish the El Paso chorus. I came to El Paso in 1953. By that time, the Border Chorders were sponsoring "Parade of Quartet" shows in the old Liberty Hall. Quite a number of prominent El Pasoans were members of the chapter over the years, and some won gold medals when the Border Chorders were name International Champion Chorus in 1964. Over the years, the chorus has numbered as high as 68 singers. A lot of the records are scattered among previous members. Anything you are able to find would be of interest.
Thanks,
Ron Dettman
The society was chartered April 18, 1948. A preview of the event was described this way, "Slurring. Sloshing and sliding harmony will be heard all over the Municipal Airport Sunday, starting at 3 p.m., when barber shop quartet groups from El Paso and Carlsbad, present a joint program in the recreation hall across from the airport administration building.
"A public address system will carry the program for the first public appearance of the local chapter of SPEBSQSA, national barber shop quartet organization. The charter for El Paso singers will be presented by the visiting team of harmonizers from Carlsbad, coming here in a caravan for the celebration.
An April 19 article about the event says, "The El Paso organization is headed by I.W. (Bus) Gillett, president, and Norman Burke, director. Sixty-two El Paso barber shoppers were on hand for the charter presentation and the subsequent program.
The first Parade of Quartets was April 7, 1951. The local chapter, then with 47 members, had two Society Quartets. The Sage Bloomers,consisted of Burton Johnson, tenor; Charles Van Dien, lead; Miland Rice, baritone; and Jack Severn, bass. The Desertairs were Jack Brown, tenor; Burt Dycus, lead; Louis Laurel, baritone; and Ernie Winter, bass.
Some of the signatures on the charter are Lloyd Bumpas, Jack Raspberry, Gillette, Dorrance Roderick, Ralph Homan, Charles Homan, Justin White, Hillard Bryan, Dr. C.L. Cunningham, Dr. J. Leighton Green, Tom Patterson, W.D. Richards, Roy Dahl, Vern Peters, C.L. Van Dien, Burton Johnson, Bill Frazier, R.B. Redic and Dr. C.F. Rennick.
Photo Caption: Mayor Fred Hervey, tired of being pictured signing proclamations, decided to sing one proclaiming the week of April 6-11, 1953, as Barbershop Harmony Week in conjunction with the third annual Parade of Quartets by the El Paso Chapter of the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet Singing in America. With Hervey, left, are Joe F. Kemendo, society president; Louis Laurel, baritone; Bill Spooner, tenor; Burt Dycus, lead; and Ernie Winter, basso.
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I received this question from one of my blog readers: Hi Trish! I wonder if you could post some articles about the now defunct Magic Landing. I remember the park being open when I was a child, I never got to go and it seemed like it was closed as soon as it opened.
You are right, it was open for only about five years.
Daniel Borunda wrote this in 2008: "Magic Landing, which was billed as El Paso's answer to Disneyland, opened July 4, 1984, along Interstate 10 between Americas Avenue and Horizon Boulevard. A 15-story-tall Ferris wheel loomed over the park at the end of its main boulevard, Texas Street, which was lined with shops selling ice cream, giant teddy bears and novelties. There were roller coasters, a log flume and other rides.
"In 1985, tragedy struck when an 18-year-old park employee, Frank Guzman Jr., was killed when his arm was severed by a roller-coaster car. The park closed in 1989."
A 1997 article reported, "Even though area residents would like to see Magic Landing back in business, its fate most likely was sealed years ago by the accidental death of a park worker that earned the park the name 'Tragic Landing.'
"Today, all that remains of the park along Interstate 10 between Americas and Horizon are silent buildings hidden behind brick walls covered in barbed wire, giving the park the ominous look of a prison camp. There have been hints of restoring it, but so far no one has been willing to take the risk on reopening what in 1984 was billed as El Paso's answer to Disneyland."
Have a question?
• If you want to know about El Paso's history, send Trish an email at [email protected] or comment at her blog by visiting elpasotimes.com/blogs
Trish Long is the El Paso Times' archivist and spends her time in the morgue, where the newspaper keeps its old clippings and photos. She shares some of this history in her blog, Tales From The Morgue.
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