Maurice Whitney takes the stage — May 1945

This is the first in an occasional series of posts about Maurice Whitney, head of music at Glens Falls School District for 25 years.

Maurice Whitney, the new head of music for Glens Falls School District, made a favorable impression when he conducted 35 student musicians in his debut high school band concert on May 1, 1945 at the Sanford Street Elementary School auditorium.

“This, the first concert under Maurice Whitney, the new bandmaster, was exceedingly well received,” The Post-Star reported the next morning. “The band contains excellent material, and great programs should be made under Mr. Whitney, who is a conscientious, thorough and enthusiastic musician.”

Also that spring, Whitney conducted the high school A Capella choir in two concerts at The Queensbury Hotel — one on May 14 at the annual dinner of the Glens Falls Y.M.C.A., and the other May 17 at a meeting of the Glens Falls Rotary Club.

The program featured “Ballads for America” and two groups of other musical selections.

Whitney, who died in 1984, was head of the Glens Falls City School District music program from 1944 to 1969.

He previously was director of music at Hudson Falls schools.

Whitney was organist and choir director at Christ Church Methodist from 1935 to 1967, a composer, and was active in the Glens Falls Operetta Club, now Glens Falls Community Theater.

On May 16, 1945 Whitney and Bernice Durkee directed the musical portion of “Stage Door Canteen” a program of skits and music performed as a tribute to the military at a dinner of the Mr. and Mrs. Club at Christ Church,

Sources: The Post-Star May 2, 4, 17, 1945.