Provided

Steel band members included (l-r) C. A. Roeper, USNRET, Band Director Wash Belangia, Ray Merritt, Bobby Merritt, Sammy Crawford, Leon Schurlknight, Bobby Baxter, Robbie Baggett and Grover Thompkins.

St. Stephen native Ray Merritt recently shared an old Charleston Evening Post newspaper article and picture dating back to April 11, 1960.  

The newspaper article headline: “An Import from Trinidad – ‘Pans’ Pounded for St. Stephen,” is very interesting.  It is nice when people share a bit of St. Stephen history with the ones who had never heard of a steel band, and bring back memories for those who fondly remember.  

The article was written by Jack Roach in 1960.

A steel band is a group of musicians making music on the tops of old 55-gallon oil drums, referred to as pans.  Believe it or not, the group didn’t just make a cacophony of sounds; they really did make music come alive from hitting the tops of the drums. In 1960, students representing the St. Stephen High School formed the first steel band in the United States.  

These high school students accomplished this with the help of an admiral, a retired Navy Chief petty officer, and a native of Trinidad, who all shared a mutual interest in steel band music.

Admiral Dan Gallery had heard a native steel band in 1957 in Trinidad. He became a steel band fan, and assigned his chief musician, former Navy Chief Musician, C.A. Roeper, to organize one.  

C.A. Roeper, who retired in 1959, became the St. Stephen High School Band Director, directing the steel band.  He had been a musician practically all of his life and won the support of Dr. Legrand Yarborough, superintendent of schools, in Berkeley County, and was given the go-ahead.  

Chief Roeper brought six instruments from Trinidad, all made by Ellie Mannette of Port au Spain, a steel band expert. For two months Chief Roeper taught the high school students how to play the pans, as they were called.

Members of the St. Stephen High School steel band included Wash Belangia, Ray Merritt, Bobby Merritt, Sammy Crawford, Leon Schurlknight, Bobby Baxter, Robbie Baggett and Grover Thompkins.

Concert

The Nelons will be in concert at Unity Baptist Church (950 Whipple Road in Mt. Pleasant) on Nov. 19 at 7 p.m. Doors will open at 6 p.m. and admission is free.  

A love offering will be received in the evening.  For more information, call (843) 884-7144 or visit  www.unityofmtpleasant.org

Park-n-Ride

TriCounty Link, a rural bus system, is now serving St. Stephen. You can “Park-n-Ride” Monday through Friday.  Parking of vehicles is available in the IGA parking lot, courtesy of St. Stephen IGA.  

For more information, call 899-4096 or toll free 800-966-6631. For a map of routes, visit www.ridetricountylink.com

Birthday Wishes

Happy Birthday to Olga Banniester, Evelyn Browder, Audrey Cales, Matthew Carr, Wade Grooms, Jan Jernigan, Elaine Johnson, Chris Keller, Shannon Keller, Linda A. Phillips, Blaine Thomas, Lillian Welch and Rembert Wrenn.

Happy Anniversary

Happy Anniversary to Teddy and Linda Phillips, Guy and Cricket McGriff and Ken and Cheryl Scott.

Prayers and Get Well

Take time out of your busy day to pray for and to offer best wishes to Brad Browder, Frank Conrad, Matt Crawford, Slick Crawford, Dorothy Gatlin, Kenneth Haines, Sidney Hanna, Louise Harris, Henry Hood, Gail Humbert, Eloise Judy, Carol Kaussman, Pastor Louis Kinard, Shelby Kinard, Joyce Lewis, Cricket May, Johnny Mixson, Amanda Moody, Betty Rich Morris, George Morris, Greg Morris, Elaine Phillips, Butch Sauls, Margaret Sauls, Shannon Sims, Mae Welch, Pastor Jason Wilson and David Young.

Condolences

Sympathy and prayers to the families who have lost a loved one.

Sidney Gaskins Zett died on Oct. 31.

Dr. Samuel O. Schumann Sr., retired owner and operator of the Family Practice of St. Stephen, PA, died on Nov. 3.  Dr. Schumann was 84 years old.

In memory of Harry Carr, Amy Harris and Harry Wilbur

Something to think about

“Laughter gives us distance.  It allows us to step back from an event, deal with it and then move on.”

Bob Newhart

Have a blessed day and week! To share news, email bwdelk@tds.net before noon on Wednesdays, the week before all scheduled events, or call 567-4370.

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