Spirit of Motherhood
About a month ago one of my “Google Alerts” caught my eye….a piece of Gena Branscombe’s sheet music was for sale on Amazon. To my surprise, an original publication of “Spirit of Motherhood” was available. I quickly purchased it. The music arrived a few days later in beautiful condition. In today’s world the words may seem sentimental or even out-of-date and the music may be a little over-the-top dramatic, yet at the time it was composed, poet Louise Driscoll (1875-1957) and Gena Branscombe were giving tribute to the most difficult job in the world – motherhood. In 1923 the New York State Federation of Women’s Clubs held a pageant showcasing the progress women had made in the past 50 years. “Spirit of Motherhood” was performed by the Women’s Club chorus. Imagine the progress made for women from 1873-1923. This was a celebration honoring women’s suffrage, the work their leaders Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucy Stone and Susan B. Anthony had or...