GOLDEN JUBILEE OF SONG SERVICE, JUNE 12, 1896
HREE days before my sixtieth birthday, which occurred on June 12, 1896, I incidentally mentioned to a friend that, on that date, I would also be fifty years a singer before the public. The next morning a phone message asked me to come down to the Call office on some G.A.R. business, as I supposed. This I did.
When I entered the office I was engaged in conversation for an hour while, unknown to me, a shorthand reporter and an artist were taking notes. I returned to my studio unconscious that my words had been recorded and that my picture had been sketched by the quick hand of Richard Partington. What was my great surprise on opening the Call on the morning of the 12th to find myself pictured on the first page as happily laughing as could be. The headlines ran like this:
HAS SUNG FOR HALF A CENTURY
Mrs. Blake-Alverson Loaned Her Voice
to Aid Union Soldiers
HER JUBILEE RECEPTION
Made Her Debut in an Ohio Church
When a Little Maid of Ten
SINGS AS LUSTILY AS EVER
She Has Sung for Fifty Years in Scores
of Churches, Halls and Theatres from
Boston Across the Continent to California
My astonishment knew no bounds, for I always shrink from publicity even though I have become conspicuous during my singing life. My nature is domestic and, unless necessary, I avoid the notoriety of the press.
Directly I was called to the door and when I opened it who should be there but two men and two ladies of Lyon Corps No. 6, G.A.R., bringing me two beautiful oak chairs as an offering from the corps with congratulations upon my birthday.
They had gone but a short time when another delegation arrived, this time from Appomattox Corps, bringing me a handsome basket of beautiful carnations and ferns, decorated with white ribbon and lettered in gold with the congratulations of the corps.
After this second offering I thought it wise for me to do something by way of preparation, so I brought out all of my cherished war relics, flags and banners, medals and badges I had received in the years past. I soon had my rooms adorned for whoever else might come.
I had not long to wait. Letters, telegrams, messages, flowers, an immense cake decorated for the occasion with all kinds of suitable emblems of music for "California's Prima Donna, Mrs. Blake-Alverson," from Henry Feldmann for the German Society of Oakland.
All morning various offerings were sent in. Early in the afternoon friends began to come in by twos and threes and by evening 180 people had called, people of all walks of life, some of the members of the Handel and Haydn Society came from across the bay to renew an acquaintance of many years. Walter and Mrs. Marriner-Campbell were among the friends of long ago. Others were Messrs. Julius Oettl, J.H. Stedman, Fred Katzenbach, Harry Hunt, Q.A. Chase, William Bellrose, Zeno Mauvais, H.A. Redfield, John W. Metcalf, Clark Wise, S.J. Bruce of Kohler & Chase, who honored me by their presence.
I was so excited I had not missed many prominent pupils; but when evening came I heard voices and footsteps and going quietly to the door I discovered some three score of my pupils and their parents arranging their programme sotto voce in the hallway for the final surprise of the day. It was a happy chance I was ready for them. The bay window of the music-room was a lovely bower of flowers and verdure and on a draped table was the huge cake with its sixty candles all ablaze, one for each year. My appearance disturbed their preparation for a moment only, then all was mirth and jollity.
After congratulations a programme was given followed by a banquet. Many happy speeches of compliment were made and I gave them in return a short sketch of my musical life. At the close of the recital we reluctantly separated after greatly enjoying the unusual opportunity of celebrating two golden jubilees of one life on the same day.
Words are inadequate to express my gratitude to all who were factors in making this one of the greatest days I ever experienced. It seemed that everybody was a friend. The newspapers vied with each other in their write-ups of the occasion. The Call, Tribune, Chronicle, Enquirer, Saturday Night, Berkeley Gazette, Santa Cruz Surf, Examiner, Benicia Era, the Stockton and Sacramento papers all ran full articles and pictures in my honor. At this late day I tender my sincere thanks for favors and kindly criticisms, from time immemorial.
