Lowell Mason

To see how the poem came about, we need to go back to the early 19th century.

It was reported in the 1902 edition of the New York Times Book Review that when Dr. Lowell Mason introduced singing into Boston schools in 1827, he asked noted writers to contribute songs and rhymes, and one of the contributors was Sarah Josepha Hale.

Her life spanned between 1788 and 1879.

Who supplied Mary Had a Little Lamb? the rind proved so popular that many found it hard to believe it wasn't based on a true incident.

The other Lowcountry connection is that two people who worked in Savannah were connected with Sacred Harp.

One is Lowell Mason.

And, uh, he, and there's early in his career, he was at the sort of the independent Presbyterian church in Savannah.

Uh, you know, the big one on Oglethorpe.

And, uh,

although we have a few

Lowell Mason tunes in the book, Lowell Mason actually hated shape note music and he did his best.

Tell me about that.