Trip Out East Day Seven - 1979

Friday, June 15

We will travel to Warren, Pennsylvania, home of the Maurers. We well give a joint concert with the Floyd Williams Jazz Trio and spend the night in homes.

Journal: "The whole time so far today has been traveling. We had lunch at Mcdonald's. We are in Pennsylvania but not yet at the Maurers. We got to the Maurers and we had dinner there. Our concert was really good, we got a standing ovation and most of the choir thought it was our best concert the whole season."

Trip Out East Day Six - 1979

Thursday, June 14

We will travel to Wilmington, Delaware arriving there about 5:00 p.m. - We will give an evening concert at St. Elizabeth Church, 809 S. Broom Street and stay with the church families. This is the home of our friend, Father Hammel, who has hosted our choir twice before.

Journal: "Today we went swimming in the ocean. That was really fun. All you really do is wait for [a] wave to come and carry you away. The whole choir had breakfast at Alfie's. And me and Jeff had lunch there. We had a concert. Our host family couldn't come they were at the graduation. A man took us there. We didn't even know our host's name but they were nice. We also forgot to get there address."

Trip Out East Day Five - 1979 Part 2

Photos

Top photo: Atlantic City Boardwalk

2nd photo: George and Martha Washington's gravesite.

Bottom photo: Mansion at Mt. Vernon

Note: I remember loving the feel of the air and the smell of the ocean in Atlantic City. I was a fan of the saltwater taffy too.

Trip Out East Day Five - 1979

Wednesday, June 13

We will travel to Atlantic City, New Jersey - We will stay at the Deauville Hotel and Motor Inn swimming, shopping, having fun!

Journal: "Today we got up and are going to Atlantic City. Before we get there we are going to Mt. Vernon."

"We have arrived at Atlantic City. It's a pit. We walk[ed] down Board walk and all these teenagers start calling us names."

"I like Atlantic City now. We've done a lot more. I used to think it was a slum but now I've seen more of the town. Tommorrow we go swimming in the ocean. we had seafood in the hotel restraunt. It was good."

Trip Out East Day Four - 1979

Tuesday, June 12

We will perform at the Senate side of the capitol in Washington, D.C. at 10:00 a.m. - The rest of the day will be spent sight-seeing - We will stay with the Burke, Virginia families again this evening.

Journal: "We had a great time with the family . Me, Jeff, Dan W. and Tim W. We stayed with the ______. We stayed there two nights. They have a forienge exchange student. She was Jackie from Holland. Boy can she disco. There was Lori, Nancy, Scott. My glasses were hit by a soccer ball while play[ing] kickball. I forgot to mention the mother and father who were very nice. I did get my glasses fixed."

Trip Out East Day Three - June 1979

Monday, June 11

We are scheduled to sing at the National Cathedral, Washington, D.C., at 11:00 a.m. - We will tour the Washington area in the afternoon - We will arrive at the Lord of Life Lutheran Fellowship Church in Burke, Virginia at 5:30 p.m. - We will give a concert at the church in the evening and spend the night in church homes.

Journal: "We had to wake up at 5:30 this morning. I had to take a shower because my hair was dirty. We've went through Deleware and Maryland, and Baltimore. We've not yet made it to the National Cathedral yet. Philedphia was fun. We saw the Liberty Bell, Independance Hall. We sat for hours (our captian group) at Mcdonalds waiting for food to take back to the church we were staying at. Me, Jeff, David B. and Lonnie L. got in trouble for not, taking our showers with our captians groups."

Trip Out East Day Two - June 1979

Sunday, June 10

Arrive at Old First Reformed United Church of Christ, 4th and Race Streets, Philadelphia, at 9:00 a.m. - We will sing at the 11:00 a.m. service - The afternoon will be spent sight-seeing - We will sleep in the church.

Journal: "We slept on the bus last night. It was awful. I was on the floor, I couldn't turn, and I had to sleep on my stomach. We are in Pennsylvania now. We have to miss the service because we lost time last night and can't make it. It's about 10:00 right now. Most kids are dying of hunger. A lot of kids are sick too. Another kid threw up. Me and Nick Hall just played cards all this morning. We stopped at Howard Johnsons to eat. Jeff barfed. Not over the food, he was just sick. We still haven't made it to Philadelphia yet."

Trip Out East Day One - 1979

In the 1970's and very early 1980's I was part of the Metropolitan Boys Choir of Minneapolis/St. Paul. Every June just after school let out we'd go on tour. In 1979 we headed out east. Not too long ago I uncovered some photos from this trip that I found in the basement. A few days later I was poking around the attic and found some journal entries from that same trip. On this particular tour our director, Bea Speed, was adamant that we journal every day over the course of the tour. We were given a packet of dittoed sheets that were printed with the date and itinerary for each day of the tour. Here's the first entry [Note: Spelling is unedited and is as it appeared in the journal.]:

Saturday, June 9

Leave Mayflower parking lot at 9:00 a.m. - Spend the day on the bus -Spend the night on the bus, too!

Journal: "10 minuets after the bus departed. This kid in front of me and Jeff started throwing up. It stunk for a while to. Later we went to a department store in Rodcester to look around. Then we went to a Mcdonalds. I'm sick of it already. Then we had to switch buses. While waiting for the next bus our captians and thier groups had to make a marching show. Our group won. Then we just rode on the bus for a while and then we ate at the Madison Heritage House. It was good."

More D.C. Trip - One Last Shot of Mount Vernon

More D.C. Trip - Smithsonian Museum of American Craft

Actually, after the White House we all needed the restroom so we stopped in here. A very cool fish sculpture awaited us...

More D.C. Trip - The White House

(Photo 3-26-11)

More D.C. Trip - Pete and Joe at the White House

Currently the home of Pete's favorite president EVER, Barack Obama!

(Photo 3-26-11)

More D.C. Trip - The Potomac from Mount Vernon

George and Martha's view.

(Photo 3-25-11)

More D.C. Trip - More Photos from Holocaust Museum