Indeed, Dayton was a center of shape note singing. My grandfather Robert R. Kerns learned it in the 1890s when he was a student at Shenandoah Collegiate Institute in Dayton (now Shenandoah University in Winchester). He later taught it to his students. We used to spend every New Years Day at Weaver's Mennonite Church for an all-day singing of shape note music (1930s and 1940s). The church was always packed-- standing room only. I still have my copy of the Harmonia Sacra hymnal. Wonderful vocal music-- no instruments. In 1988, I checked with Weaver's to see if the singings were still held. The answer was NO, but was told of a small group that still meets on New Year's Day in Rockingham County. Wilmer L. Kerns -----Original Message----- From: Discussion of research and writing about Virginia history [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Randy Cabell Sent: Wednesday, January 10, 2007 10:45 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Shaped Notes Belief it or not, the Valley of Virginia was about as close as you can come to the Shape Note Capital of the World. Dayton. I have some of the old books. The method was intended as a learning aid to people who were uncshooled in music. And I guess worked since it was all so popular. There is a local group who sings a lot, and I think there is an active national organization. The music has a very strong regular beat to it. Purists do not use any tuning devices to give the pitch, and no accompaniment. The person who leads hums a note, then typically everybody sings through the song on the Italian names of the notes. e.g. If they were singing My Country Tis of Thee, they would start of as: DO DO RA TI DO RA Randy To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html