The Spicer College Song

(Gordon E. Christo)

The first performance of the Spicer College Song in public was by the eleven students of the graduating class at the commencement ceremony in Krishnarajapuram on Sunday, March 17, 1940. The voices of the congregation swelled as they joined in the singing of the “new College Song.” Prof Erwin J Henning, the writer of the words led the singing and his wife accompanied them on the piano. (Eastern Tidings, April 1, 1940, 4).

 

 

        SPICER COLLEGE SONG 

        (Words by E. J. Henning; music by Mrs. Don Spillman)

        --as in Eastern Tidings, Sept 1, 1940, 3)

 

            1. In the golden land of India is our school we love so well,

            With her teachers true, and her students too,

            Who a song of praise do swell;

            'Tis a school of God's own planning, filled with youth who all proclaim,

            As a gleam of light, in the heathen dark'ning night,

            The glories of God's name.

 

       CHORUS

Spicer College, Alma Mater, we unite in praise of thee,

With the gospel light, in the cause of right,

We'll march on to victory;

Ever loyal, ever earnest, we will press on to the end;

To our goal be true, we will honour you,

And thy bright name defend.

 

2. From the snowy capped Himalayas, from the sunny, fronded plain,

From the happy land of the Burma strand coastal sand,

We have gathered in God's name;

To the clarion call to service we have yielded of our all,

To be trained to go, to be taught to show,

God's love to great and small.

3. Though we come from different peoples, though each speaks a different tongue,

Yet as one we stand in a Christian band

Representing fields far flung;

For the love of God unites us, and to speed His work our plan,

So that soon each clime hears the news sublime

Of the love of God toward man.

 

 

The Composers

 

Erwin Henning held an MA in maths and science. In 1935 while teaching at the Los Angeles Adventist Academy, he accepted a call to teach maths and science at Vincent Hill School in Mussoorie, India. However, before leaving the US the Hennings were informed that the position at VHS had been filled, and that instead they were wanted at the South India Training School in Krishnarajapuram. This junior college had no science or maths courses as yet. Henning proceeded and started working on building a chemistry lab, having to fabricate much of the equipment. He also set up a radio repair industry for the college, and served as a resource person for photography and moving pictures. Mrs Henning was appointed supervisor/head in the normal (education) department, and also taught English. She was given charge of all the music classes.

 

No doubt the Hennings were acquainted with the Spillmans, also from California, and were responsible for getting Lillian to compose the tune for the Spicer College Song.  Lillian Buxton, a talented musician, had married Don Spillman on Nov 10, 1927. He sang in quartets and conducted choirs, and served as pastor, evangelist and administrator in California.

 

The Words and the Tune

 

The words of the College Song have continued practically unchanged over the years. The offensive term “heathen,” has been replaced with “dark’ning” in the first stanza, and since Myanmar ceased to be part of the Southern Asia Division, I suggest that we replace “Burma strand,” in the second stanza with “coastal sand,” which follows a progression from mountains and plains. The chorus has a curious mix of “you” and “thee,” but these are to facilitate rhymes with “true,” and “victory.”

 

The tune of the College Song has affinities with certain hymns. The first 11 notes follow the same progression as in hymn number 480 in the old hymnal. "A Year of Precious Blessings." The musical phrase is repeated again in "Tis a school of God's own planning . . . " Also, the part "With her teachers true and her students too," and the next few notes, follows the progression of "I am thine O Lord, I have heard Thy voice," hymn number 594 in the old Church Hymnal and number 306 in the new Adventist Hymnal.

 

Legacy

 

For more than seventy years the song has evoked loyalty and unity among alumni as they sang this song at several occasions a year. The College Song has served its purpose and the institution well. However, now that Spicer is a university further adaptation will be required. 

 

History of the Spicer College Choir

The Spicer English Choir was first organized by R. S. Lowry in 1944 with sixteen members. He was followed by conductors L. J. Larson, and E. L. Sorenson. Mrs D. G. Bower led the choir from 1948-1953 and Mrs Evangeline (H.H.) Mattision conducted the choir for one semester in 1953. Neville O. Mathews conducted the choir from 1953-1954. Mrs Eldine Frederick directed from 1955 till Linwood Burns took over in 1956. Burns formed a special Spicer College Symphonic Choir which performed several Cantatas such as Caleb Simper’s “Rolling Seasons,” and Handel’s “Messiah,” which was sponsored by the Poona Music Society at the Gulati Hall in 1959.  Mrs Phyllis Bonney who had received a silver cup and shield for scoring the highest in India for the licentiate certificate from Trinity College conducted the choir from 1960-1963 during which time the choir performed the Cantata “Ruth” by R. Gaul, the “Holy City” by Alfred Gaul, and “Olivet to Calvary” by J. H. Maunder. Stella Prasada Rao often assisted as accompanist. The Spicer College Symphonic choir performed several times at the Gulati Hall accompanied by the orchestra of the Poona Music Society.  The church choir, a separate group, was during some of these years conducted by L. J. Larsen.

Dr George Jenson took over the choir in 1964. Jenson also started a smaller Advanced choir with forty members, and a Motet with sixteen select voices.  He also built up a substantial library of choir music. During his absence John Truscott conducted the choir from 1970-1971. Upon his return, Jenson led the choir in performances of Handel’s Messiah in Calcutta and Delhi in 1972. Mrs Jenson and Parul Pandit served as accompanists for the choir. in 1974 the choir performed for a Christmas programme on Doordarshan. The George Jensons left in 1975 and were replaced by his brother Gordon Jenson who directed the choir while his wife accompanied at the piano. While the Jensons were on furlough in 1981-1982 the choir was directed by Gordon Christo and accompanied by Mrs Lalkaka. When the Jensons returned they led the choir on a major tour of South India in November 1983, traveling to Bangalore, Vellore, Madras, Ernakulam, Thiruvala, and Kottarakara.

The Spicer College Department of Occidental Music

Courses in piano were first offered by Mrs N. O. Mathews during 1946-1954, and next by Mrs Elaine Burns. Courses in vocal music were first offered by Mrs D. G. Bower in 1947 The Music Department was organized first in 1958 with Mrs Elaine Burns as head and teaching courses in piano. Her husband Linwood Burns taught courses in voice.  The department was renamed Western Music Department around 1961 when an Indian Music Department was organized under the leadership of G. R. Daniel.

Mrs Phyllis Bonney took over as head of the department in 1960 and introduced new courses in voice. That year the new college auditorium was completed and the basement rooms housed the Western Music Department. The first room had a grand piano and was used for choir rehearsals and for classes in music. Two small rooms were for piano practice, and the final room served as a walk-in closet to hang choir robes. The Indian Music department moved to a room high up above the chapel. The Department of Western Music then began offering music as a minor field of study. Edwin Appudoray graduated in 1966 with a minor in voice.  In 1963 the department added Mrs Johnson and Mrs Roe as additional teacher s and began offering music as a major.  Evangeline Pingho graduated in 1970 with a major in music.

In 1968 the Western Music Department was renamed the Department of Occidental Music.

 

SPICER COLLEGE: Different Names

South India Training School (1915-1937)

Coimbatore (1915-1917), Bangalore (1917-1921), Krishnarajapuram (1921-1937)

When the school was first established in 1915 leaders referred to it in the Tidings that year merely as "Our Training School in Coimbatore," though from the 1916 onwards in SDA Yearbooks it is called the South India Training School. Ten years earlier, in 1905, pioneers had established a small training school in Karmatar for the Northeast which eventually moved to Falakata as the Raymond Memorial Training School. Also in 1915 another training school opened in Lucknow which survived only four years. These schools were established to train indigenous workers in the various lines of work required by the Adventist church (E M Meleen, "The Training School--Its Object and Purpose," A Paper Presented at the Ranchi Conference, Eastern Tidings, May 15, 1920, 1.)  For some time it was called the SDA Training School. (Yearbook 1927). 

G G Lowry moved the headquarters and the school to Bangalore for a more central location for South India and for a better climate. The property in Krishnarajapuram was purchased in 1917 but buildings were ready for occupation only in 1922. Meanwhile classes were held in rented quarters in Bamboo Bazaar. 

Below is the very first signboard of the school in Krishnarajapuram. 

                                    

The South India Training School developed best among training schools and attracted students from all over the Division. Eventually the "South India" was dropped in speech and committee actions where it was referred to as Krishnarajapuram Training School and sometimes even as Krishnarajapuram College.  Here is an excerpt from 1937.

 

Spicer College (1937-1944)

Krishnarajapuram (1937-1942), Poona (1942-1944)

In 1937 the Division committee clarified that only the training school at Krishnarajapuram and Vincent Hill School & College should offer post-high school coursework. The Krishnarajapuram school was made a Division institution and renamed Spicer College in honour of William Spicer who had been president of the General Conference till 1930. The change in name from training school to college indicated the intent that this institution should be more academic than before. Here is the Division action approving the change in name to Spicer College.

 

Spicer Missionary College (1944-1954)

Two years after the college moved from Krishnarajapuram to Kirkee in Poona, the leaders felt that the term "Missionary" needed to be included in the name to define the true purpose of the college.This was not just an ordinary college, it was an institution to educate mission workers. Here is an excerpt from the Jan 15, 1944 Eastern Tidings.

 

This is the marble sign that was on the gate post for ten years from 1944-1954.

Spicer Memorial College (1954-2015)

Soon after India became independent and a republic, many became sensitive to the terms mission and missionary. Since SMC had become a popular abbreviation, the "Missionary" in the name was changed to "Memorial" as William Spicer had passed away in 1952. At the same time the Division committee decided to abandon using the term Union Mission and Local Mission for church organizational units. 

There's often confusion during a transition and minutes earlier alternated between Spicer College and Spicer Missionary College. At the time of this transition one can see Spicer Missionary College and Spicer Memorial College in the same Division Committee action in December 1954.

The initials SMC were humorously expanded variously to reflect the changing demographics of the student body. It has been called Spicer Malaysian College, Spicer Malyali College, Spicer Maharashtrian College, Spicer Mongolian College, and even Solusi Missionary College when many Kenyans joined as students. Here is the sign at the gate that many will remember.

Spicer Adventist University

When the institution became a university it was of course decided to retain the name "Spicer" which had been connected with the institution for more than seventy-five years. This is the sign at the gate as it stands now.