I found this month’s Q’s and A’s in the September, 1944, issue of The Harmonizer.
Questions:
1- In the early days of the society, our international competitions went by a different name. What was it?
2- When did the name “International Competition” become the exclusively-used title of the annual contest for our big guns?
3- Has the Harmonizer ever accepted ads for cigarettes and/or beer?
4- Although the Teaneck Chapter is now the oldest continuously operating chapter in NJ, we were not the first chapter in the Garden State to be chartered. Who was? For extra credit, identify the second, third, and fourth NJ chapters to be chartered. For even more extra credit, how many of the first four NJ chapters to be chartered are still up and running?
5- As we all know, membership growth society wide in the 1940’s was through the roof. A few months after being chartered, a chapter that is located only a few miles from Teaneck had already reached a highly impressive headcount of 85. This growth was no doubt aided when two show biz celebrities, favorite sons of this particular town, joined the chapter to much publicity and fanfare. Name the chapter (hint, it is the name of a county, not a town) and the two celebrities.
Answers:
1- S.P.E.B.S.Q.S.A. National Contest
2- That’s a trick question as the September, 1944, issue of The
Harmonizer uses both terms. The answer to this question is out
there somewhere. Quiz readers are invited to enlighten me.
3- I have not run across cigarette ads, at least not yet, but it’s a definite yes regarding beer. An actual half-page beer ad from the September, 1944, issue of The Harmonizer – minus the image of a pilsner glass and a bottle of Budweiser beer, which I could not copy and paste, plus my own comments – now follows…“It is in those moments of well-earned relaxation that a beverage of moderation proves a welcome companion. Budweiser matches your mood for a friendly chat or your mood for repose. (Does repose mean you’ve had one too many and croaked? - Ed.). It is considerate of tomorrow's obligations.” (Does that suggest that after wiping out three six packs in the evening you’re not terminally hung over the next morning? Amazing stuff, this Budweiser! – Ed.).
Budweiser
ANHEUSER BUSCH• • •SAINT LOUIS
I don’t know when the Harmonizer ceased publishing beer ads. I certainly don’t recall seeing any going back to the spring of 1968 when I became a barbershopper. Do any readers of this quiz know the answer? Share it with me and I’ll publish it in a future quiz.4- Jersey City was the first chapter in New Jersey to be issued a charter. The second NJ chapter to be chartered was Newark, the third was Passaic County and the fourth was Union City. Unfortunately, the lights went out at all four of those chapters many years ago.
5- The Passaic County Chapter. The two celebrities noted, both Paterson boys, were Bud Abbott and Lou Costello.
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