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HomeNewsArchivesTHE CHALLENGE OF CAROLS TRADITION LIVES ON

THE CHALLENGE OF CAROLS TRADITION LIVES ON

Dec. 25, 2002 – Once upon a time, about 100 years ago, Christmas choirs were formed in all St. Thomas neighborhoods. They practiced in secret until Christmas Day, so no one would know what the others were singing.
Then, about midnight on Christmas Eve, out they would come into the streets, followed by
"string bands" composed of mandolina players.
In 1899, Luther Robles founded the Excelsior Choir, to be followed by names that are familiar in the local caroling world today -– Alec Lloyd, Esther Marks and Elias Abraham.
The carolers would go house to house throughout the night bringing voices of cheer and love. They would be greeted and replenished with guavaberry, dumb bread, ham and sweetbread, according to one of the historians of the tradition, Glenn "Kwabena" Davis.
At 5:30 this Christmas morning, too early for the sun to break through, the tradition was still going strong as the 2002 Challenge of Carols groups began to arrive at Emancipation Garden dressed in bright costumes, sweatshirts, T-shirts — the Hapless Hopeless Caroliers in their dyed green bath towels, the Voices of Love in green sweatshirts, the little ladies and few gentlemen of the Lucinda Millin Home Chorale in bright red T-shirts, the Salvation Army in traditional black, white and red.
This was the 27th annual Challenge of Carols. The tradition fell by the wayside during the war years but was revived in 1976 by Davis, leader of the Voices of Love, and Vernon Finch and Dorothy Elskoe.
The Voices of Love led off Wednesday's celebration at about 6 a.m. as the sun showed through, lighting a cloudless sky. Crowds suddenly appeared as though by magic, crowding around the whimsically decorated lignum vitae trees. The crowd -– young, old, very old and a few infants -– was like a big family, exchanging hugs and Christmas greetings.
Following — and somewhat enhancing — the tradition started so many years ago, the Challenge of Carols groups freely served hot bush tea, turkey, ham, cheese, dumb bread, sweet bread and potato salad to one and all.
Edith Richards led the Lucinda Millin Home Chorale in song. What the members may have lacked in voice they made up in spirit, singing merrily along to the old carols. As the group filed offstage, Richards did an impromptu a capella version of "We Wish You a Merry Christmas." Pausing as she left the stage, she looked back and said, "I hope I didn't break the microphone."
Honors of the day were presented: The Esther Marks Award went to the Virgin Islands Boys Choir; the Alex Lloyd Award, to the Guardian Angels; the Luther Robles Award, to Celestino A. White Sr.; the Musical Excellence Award, to Morgan's Quartet; the Governor's Award, to Athniel C. "Addie" Ottley; and the Honorable Choir Conductor Award, to Albert A. Lynch.
Participating in the carol challenge were the Bethel Baptist Church Choir, Charlotte Amalie High School Junior ROTC, Christ Church Methodist Contemporary Gospel Choir, Guardian Angels, Hapless Hopeless Caroliers, Lucinda Millin Home Chorale, Merry Carolers, Morgan's Quartet, Salvation Army Songsters and Torch Bearers, Rudolph "Diggy" Thomas, and the Voices of Love.

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