An Article From Sunday August 26, 1934

An interesting article from Sunday, August 26, 1934, tells of the Labor Day Weekend concert planned by Order of Runeberg at the Scottish Rites Cathedral. The program for the event lists a banquet after the Sunday Concert at First Lutheran Church.

(In this photo of the Scottish Rites Cathedral Building, which still stands, the spires of Stadium High School appear in the far distance.)

MUSICAL FEAST PROMISED CITY

Order of Runeberg Singing Society Will Meet Here Saturday and Sunday

Next Saturday morning at 9 o'clock, the 10th annual convention of the Order of Runeberg Singing Society will open with registration of the singers and visitors at the Scottish Rite cathedral. The entire morning and most of the afternoon will be spent in rehearsal of the combined choruses. The women of the Tacoma Order of Runeberg have charge of the luncheon to be served for the singers at the Valhalla Temple.

At 9 o'clock Saturday evening the Scottish Rite cathedral will be the scene of the grand ball. Scandinavian dances will be featured, and musci will be furnished by the Gord Orchestra. Mayor Smitley will be present and will give a short address.

The concert, which begins at 3 o'clock on Saturday afternoon, will also be held at the Scottish Rite cathedral, and it promises to be one of the most outstanding concerts ever given by the grand chorus. Guest artists for the occasion will be Miss Viola Wasterlain, will-known Tacoma violinist; Victor Wickstrom, baritone, of Olympia, and Mrs. Gene Wallin-Sundsten, soprano, of Seattle. Mrs. Sunsten is an accomplished soloist and is very popular among the Runeberg singers. Besides being a member of the Seattle chorus, she has also been soloist at a number of the conventions. The grand chorus will sing one group of American selections, but the majority of the program will be a Swedish. Prof. John Sundsten of Seattle is the present director of the grand chorus. Prof. Sundsten has been associated with the Runberg Singing society for many years, having served as the accompanist at most of the conventions. Last year he was chosen by the society as grand director, and he has proven to be a most able and sympathetic leader. One group of Swedish numbers at the concert will be directed by the honorary past-director, Martin Carlson of Tacoma. Mr. Carlson was director of the grand chorus and the Tacoma chorus from the origin of the society in 1924 until last year, when he resigned on account of ill health.

(Accompanying baritone Victor Wickstrom was Linnea Gord at the piano - Kors Spindeln by Sibelius, and De Tva Grenadörerna by Schubert)

Starting out the program was Modersmålets Sång (Hagfors), Men Liljorna de Växa (Otto Anderson), and March ur Finlands Namn (A. Von Kothen)