Glory, glory, Hallelujah Singers…46 years ago

 
In early 1972, a new choral group from Viterbo College was getting attention, called the Hallelujah Singers.  The choir performed with the La Crosse Symphony during one February concert.  The singers were led by Sister Thea Bowman, the first black instructor to teach full-time at Viterbo. Sister Thea became nationally known for her work with African-American Catholics after leaving Viterbo, and she has been mentioned as a possible candidate for sainthood. One of the Hallelujah Singers of 1972, Nola Jo Starling, was honored by Viterbo in 2017, when a recital hall was named after her.
 
Senator Ed Muskie won the Democratic primary in New Hampshire in 1972, but he was expected to have a bigger win, being from neighboring Maine.  Many members of the media blamed the decline of Muskie’s campaign on an outdoor news conference in New Hampshire, when the candidate defended his wife against attacks by a newspaper.  It was snowing while Muskie spoke, and he was perceived as crying.  As a result, he was portrayed as being too weak to be president.

NBC aired the Oscars that year.  Charlie Chaplin got a special award…Gene Hackman and Jane Fonda won regular acting Oscars.  “The French Connection” was best picture…and the best song was the theme from ‘Shaft’ by Isaac Hayes.  But I’m talkin’ about Shaft!  1972…yesterday in La Crosse.