And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shown round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. Luke 2:9-12
Once upon a time . . . back in the 20th century . . . the words printed above were read by a school-age narrator during the annual Christmas pageant in Rockdale . . . this was a pageant traditionally held in the auditorium at Rockdale High School . . . the following news clipping is regarding the 1965 Christmas pageant . . .
The Rockdale Reporter and Messenger, Rockdale, Milam County, Texas, Thursday, December 16, 1965, page one
The Christmas Story will be told at 7:30 p.m. Friday by more than 200 junior-high school students when they stage their Christmas pageant in the high school auditorium. A highlight of the Christmas season in Rockdale in past years, the pageant will this year involve 211 students, according to Ernie Laurence, junior-high principal. The pageant will tell the story of the birth of Christ. Beverly Yoakum and Joe Caldwell will portray Mary and Joseph, and Jane Johnston and Jim Crow will be the narrators.
Friday's program will begin with a greeting from Laurence, followed by Brenda Yoakum, prologue; Billy Harris, invocation; and Peter Erskine, scripture reading.
A musical selection will be presented by a vocal quartet consisting of Susan Abel, Shirley Cleveland, Vivian Burgess and Tresha Morton. A 127-member choir will also furnish Christmas music for the pageant and Deborah Hosek will be the pianist.
Others in the cast: Bill Hulse as Gabriel; Bobby Chaney, Jim Eanes and Jerry Haupt as the three wise men; Byron Christian, Jeffery Clark, Alfred Gest, Lee McMurtry, Richard Melcher, John Montoya, Billy Muston, Darrell White, Clayton Young and Carl Cleveland as the shepherds.
Also Sheryl Culp, Marcia Currey, Pam Holloway, Thana Keen, Rosemary Kyle, Libby Whitely, Judy Johnson, Dana Richardson, Becky Robbins, Vicki Vincent, Ava Wardlaw and Marilyn Worley as the angels.
Candlebearers will be Minta Auchmoody, Brenda Boyd, Mary Camp, Dora Cortinez, Wanda Crocker, Linda Cruz, Sally Curtis, Judy Dyer, Sherra Floyd, Teresa Fritz, Nancy Isaacs, Kathy Jeter, Teresa Jones, Olivia Matl, Patricia McGowan, Donna Morgan, Bridget Mortimer, Patti O'Connor, Vickie Pounders, Patricia Pinkerton, Susan Pursche, Roberta Richards, Denise Thompson and Diane Timmerman.
The Rev. Frank Cady, pastor of St. John's Methodist Church and president of the Rockdale Ministerial Alliance, will give the benediction.
Choir members will be --
Becky Alford, Debbi Alford, Donna Angell, Mary Lou Armstrong, Paul Auchmoody
Janie Backhaus, Allan Ball, Tamara Baxter, Landis Bayless, Sheila Bell, David Bennett, James Birkhead, Judy Black, Thomas Blackburn, Denise Botts, Ann Bouldin, Patti Bouldin, Bert Brown
Vickie Caffey, Debbie Cates, Debra Chaney, Roger Clark, Cherry Collier, Bill Cotton, Gloria Cruz, Debra Currey
Gloria Darby, Beverly Dornhoefer, Lavita Doss, Donna Dyer
Kenny Earman, Phyllis Eiland
Doris Fatheree, Lynda Freeman, Mike Fuller
Cathy Garza, Belinda Gest, Randy Graves, Mike Green, Bennye Grubbs, Susan Guillotte, Steve Gunn
Patricia Haining, Rola Haining, Henry Hall, Arlyn Hammett, Beverly Hirt, John Hogan, Mary Ann Holliman, Robin Hoskins
Larry Ingram
Rosemary Jackson, Patricia Jackson, Allan Jones, Daniel Jones, Rickey Jones, Ruben Juarez, Pamela Jumper
Betty Key, Donald Knott, Donna Kopecky, Virginia Kraatz, Joyce Krenek
Daniel Laird, Donna Lawson, Sharon Lawson, Charlotte Lester, Sue Lumpkins
Johnny Manning, Virginia Mantel, Billy Martin, Cathy Martin, Joey Mason, Donna Mathews, Delores McIrvin, Jimette McNiel, Charlene Melcher, Darlene Melcher, Nannette Menn, Donna Meyers, Susan Morgan, Linda Morton, Bonnie Muston, Carol Mowdy
Elaine Nink, Margaret Nolan
Janie Ortega, Bonnie Owen
Judy Parmelee, Wanda Patterson, Pattie Peebles, Jane Philippus, Darrell Phillips, Becky Pounders;
Donna Ray, Sandy Reed, Patty Remaley, Debbie Richardson, Kathy Romine
Mary Serrato, Annette Sexton, Marion Snelgro, Mary Sonntag, Elaine Stewart, Carol Strelsky
Linda Tate, Bruce Thaler, James Throckmorton, Judy Throckmorton, Cindy Tindall, Priestly Tindall, Nelda Todd, Rose Mary Tyus, William Tyus
Linda Valigura, Tom Valigura, Jimmy Voyles
Darrell Walker, Diana Wenger, Patricia Wenger, Paul Wilcox, Sheila Willard, Sid Williams
Linda Yezak, Leah Young
Serving as Ushers will be Charles Criddle, Darrell Hirt, Darrell Jacob, Mike Lankford, and William Peebles.
Hostesses will be Lynette Bayless, Lynn Schwarzer, Shelly Roddam and Deborah Sandidge.
Alternates are Janie Backhaus, Vivan Burgess, Sally Curtis, Kim Nichols, Jim Eanes, Sherra Floyd and Terry Hoskins.
Stage Helpers are Johnny Jones, Dan Legg, Ritchie Lester, David Mathews, Richard Munoz and Roy Graham.
Part of the pageantry included junior-high girls wearing white choir robes and carrying lighted candles as they entered from the back of the auditorium . . . they were singing Star of the East as they walked down the double aisles to the front of the stage . . .
Guiding us on to Heaven afar!
Sorrow and grief are lull'd by the light.
Thou hope of each mortal, in death's lonely night!
Fearless and tranquil, we look up to thee!
Knowing thou beam'st thro' eternity!
Help us to follow where Thou still dost guide,
Pilgrims of earth so wide.
Star of the East, thou hope of the soul,
While round us here the dark billows roll,
Lead us from sin to glory afar,
Thou star of the East, thou sweet Bethlehem's star.
Oh star that leads to God above!
Whose rays are Peace and Joy and Love!
Watch o'er us still till life hath ceased,
Beam on, bright star, sweet Bethlehem star!
Star of the East, undim'd by each cloud
What tho' the storms of grief gather loud?
Faithful and pure thy rays beam to save,
Still bright o'er the cradle, and bright o'er the grave!
Smiles of a Saviour are mirror'd in thee!
Glimpses of Heav'n in thy light we see!
Guide us still onward to that blessed shore,
After earth's toil is o'er!
Star of the East, thou hope of the soul,
While round us here the dark billows roll,
Lead us from sin to glory afar,
Thou star of the East, thou sweet Bethlehem's star.
Oh star that leads to God above!
Whose rays are Peace and Joy and Love!
Watch o'er us still till life hath ceased,
Beam on, bright star, sweet Bethlehem star!
The Star Of The East 1918
Music by: Amanda Kennedy
Lyrics by: George Cooper
Website: parlorsongs.com
Merry Christmas, Y'all!Originally posted 08 December 2000
at the now defunct
rockdale.myfamily.com
For history of this song, as well as various recordings of this song from youtube, please visit our family history blog at . . .
benotforgot.com
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