Singing the praises of George Washington Carver

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Opera Iowa performed before for third through sixth grade students attending Spencer schools Friday morning at the old high school auditorium. The collective performers told the story: "A Dream Fulfilled - The Saga of George Washington Carver," detailing the rise, in Iowa, of one of the first men to break the color barrier. The story begins in Winterset in 1890 where Carver (Roland Hawkins - at right) is being reassured that he should continue to seek an education at Simpson College after being denied admission at Highalnd College. Carver did attend Simpson, studying art and music, but his art teacher seeing his real talents, pushed him towards a career in science. He left Simpson for Iowa State College (now Iowa State University), adjusts to the new school situation and in 1994 becomes the schools first black graduate and is invited to stay and teach as the's college's first black educator. Twenty-seven years later, a faculty member at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, Carver meets with the Ways and Means Committeee in Washington (above) to advocate for the possibilities of the peanut. His visit led to the committee establishing a tariff to protect the U.S. peanut farmer. The performance includes when Carver comes full circle, returning to Iowa 20 years later, in 1941. He speaks at the 1941 Simpson College Baccalaureate service, offering gratitude for the opportunities that he was afforded in Iowa. The musical history lesson drew a standing ovation from the audience (below). In addition to their stage performance, members of Opera Iowa worked with both the middle school and high school students in Spencer. The group provided a pair of clinics -- "What's My Aria" for middle and high school students, dealing with singers and vocal styles. At the conclusion of the busy day, Opera Iowa, in conjunction with the Spencer Area Concert Association presented Rossini's "The Barber of Serville" back at the old high school auditorium.

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