THE CHOIR 1875

THE CHOIR IN 1911

The only other organization named by the founding pastor as functioning almost from the beginning in addition to the Sunday School is the choir. This group was called into being to practice the Lutheran hymns. "Because the members came from various parts of Germany, the purpose of the choir initially was to teach the singing of the church hymns. The church hymns were sung in unison, but the other songs were sung in four part harmony." Pastor Lussky directed the choir and led them in song, either with the violin or by playing the organ. When he was asked if he played the violin when the choir sang in public service, Pastor Lussky replied: "Only in practice. My brother, Ernest, who was a student at Addison (now River Forest Teachers' College) and later a teacher at Reedsburg, Wisconsin, came several times for Christmas and we tried to beautify the services by having him play the violin to my organ accompaniment." This also must have been during the earliest years because this brother died in April, 1881 at the age of 23.