The Bonham Herald (Bonham, Tex.), Vol. 22, No. 37, Ed. 1 Monday, December 6, 1948 Page: 4 of 8
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ONLY
$129:05
AND YOUft <
OLD ENGINE ^
SIXES PRICED
CORRESPONDINGLY LOW
INSTALLATION EXTRA
FAMED SINGER LIVING IN BONHAM
The owner of the exquisite voice
Which sang “Sometimes I Feel Like
a Motherless Child,” to spell-
bound audiences in Paris, and in
such American cities as Chicago,
Pittsburg. Saint Louis, Spellman
University, and Tuskegee, was re-
united with her mother in Bonham
on November, 18, after a separa-
tion of 16 years.
She is the Princesse Kojo Tova-
lou-Houenou, daughter of Mrs.
Emma Dodd, colored. 717 Last
Seventh Street, Bonham. She was
married to the prince in 1932, and
went with him to his plantation in
Porta Noveau, French North Africa,
in 1933, where they lived until his
death five years later.
Born Roberta Dodd, in Bonham,
her first marriage was to Capt. Wil-
liam B. Crawford, of the old 8th
Illinois Regiment. As a girl, Ro-
berta’s voice drew the attention of
the townspeople, white and col-
lored; and as she grew up, she was
in demand as a singer at church
meetings . and school programs. She
tells gratefully of the inspiration
in Kimball Hall of that city.”
At that time, the Chicago Tri-
bune critic wrote, “a voice with an
unusual charm high and clear, yet
soft, and with a pure classic style.”
The Chicago Defender wrote at the
same time, “her high notes are
perfectly controlled, and her pian-
issimo is of exquisite quality. Ro-
berta Dodd Crawford expresses ad-
mirably all the joy and all the dis-
tress of the Negro spirituals.”
Mrs. Crawford was presented in
a recital by her Bonham friends in
the First Methodist Church in 1928,
just before she left for France. In
Paris, She was a pupil of Blanche
Marchessi, whose Mother was a
teacher of the great Melba.
The Paris-debut of Mrs. Craw-
ford took place in May, 1931, in
the Salle Gaveau, where she sang
in French, German, Italian, Span-
ish, and English. Adorning the
printed program of that debut is
a reprint of a portrait done of Mrs.
Crawford by Madame de. Lyee de
Belteau in Paris.
It was a year later that Mrs.
, the National Library of Paris, and ,
! who supplemented her tiny salary
! with funds, making it possible for
■ her to have enough food. One of
i these friends was Dr Theodore
; Merrill, of Fort Worth, who had
been with the American Medical
forces in France in the First World
War, $nd Who had remained- there
afterwards. “Dr. Merrill saved
my life,” she declared, “in giving
ime prescriptions for extra food
tickets, because of my anemia.”
When liberation came. Mrs Craw-
ford, who had joined the French
Red Cross, gave concerts for Amer-
ican soldiers on leave, and served
at an information desk. Ollie
Stewart, a war correspondent,
wrote that she was a popular sing-
er with the Americans and French
alike. During fhe war, Mrs. Craw-
ford said that she sang at the
American Church of the Holy Trin-
ity, and Episcopalian church.
It was not until August, 1944,
that the princess was able to
write her mother that she was safe
in Paris. Mrs. John Rodgers,
hearing of the letter, -wrote to her
son, Lt John Rodgers. asking him
to find Princess Tovalou in Paris.
He complied, and reported a charm-
ing visit. She was well connected
in Paris, and was able to secure
tickets for him to all the concerts
he wanted to hear.
When asked when she would be
able to sing for her friends in Bon-
ham, the princess spoke of her
war-shock, and nervous condition,
saying that she feared it would be
several months before she
be improved sufficiently to make
any public appearance.
LARGE TEXOMA BOAT
NOW IN OPERATION
The Wanderer, the biggest boat
on Lake Texoma, made it maiden
voyage Sunday.
Final official approval from the
U. S. Co'ast Guard, the Custom
House division and the National
Park Service, was received Sa-
turday and the 93 foot sternwheel-
was sent out on Sunday, al-
though official opening will not be
held until spring, according to the
owners, the Wilburn Brothers.
The craft, authorized for a max-
imum of 150 passengers, will make
daylight trips of two-hour duration,
at $1 per hour, and night trips Will
last three hours.
The Wanderer, which is equipped
with perfect fire control features,
will cruise at a maximum speed of
15 miles per hour, and is also equip-
ped with a 40 foot portable ramp
walk which will enable landings on
the islands, and the passengers to
go ashore without getting wet.
The boat will be anchored at the
Burns Run beach, west of the north
end of the Denison Dam.
I:' -A
Bedouins are nomadic tribes of
lastics on the basis of budgetary
need. Otherwise, all that is neces-
spoils.”
You Call—We’ll Haul
BRYANT TRANSFER
Office 57
Phones
Res. 205
Ml,
and help given her by Mrs. E. F. . Crawford met Prince Tovalou, a
White, Mrs. Zach Smith, Mrs. Horn
er Thompson, the late Mrs. John
Rodgers, and Mrs. F. C. Allen, who
was a musician. All of them en-
couraged her to train the voice
which God had given her.
Roberta Dodd Crawford, as she
is known to the music world, be-
gan her musical education at Wiley
University, Marshall, Texas, Which
she attended for two years. She
afterwards studied at Fish Univer-
sity, under the nored Roland Hayes,
who became a Tfe-iong friend. “For
six years,” the princess said, in her
cultivated, well-modulated voice,
“I was a punil and protege of
Madame Herman Devries, in Chi-
cago; and made my debut in 1926,
decendant of De Behanzin, for the
second time. It was at the home
of Roland ‘"Hayes, who had invited
Mrs. Crawford and other friends
to dinner to meet the prince, whom
he had persuaded to come down
from London. But Mrs. Craw-
ford had already met the prince
in London. The pair were married
soon after.
Returning/ to Paris after her
husband’s death, the princess was
caught in the maelstrom of war,
and upon Germany’s occupation of
France, was unable to secure
funds from her property in Africa.
She tells with deep feeling of the
friends there ,vho gave her hope,
who secured a position for her in
WESTINGHOUSE
LAUNDROMAT
:\.V*.V;v1!- -'-yi\\.■<
311 EAST 11th STREET
1=2 Block East Bailey Inglish School Bonham
✓
Laundromat automatically fills itself with real hot water <
Washes the clothes for the selected time. Drains away the wash
water-fills itself and deep rinses the clothes. “Drains”, fills and
deep rinses the second time. “Drains”, spins the clothes practically
dry. Cleans and drains itself and shuts off withoutFfurther at-
tention.
Hands never touch the water.
Ends Washday Work
HAVE THE LAUNDROMAT IT
F. H. Anderson, Mgr.
TRACTOR REPAIRING 1 ***£
■
Gift Si
PLASTIC
Pretty lacy pattern in plad
9!
Floral Pattern
A beautiful cloth with cl^
have floral designs and
fruit pattern. Size 52x52. j
We are equipped to handle repairs on any B
make of tractor under the direction of an ex- j
pert tractor mechanic, j
WE CARRY A FULL LINE OF
PARTS FOR FERGUSON TRACTORS
A Number of Used Tractors For Sale.
Front type loader foiy Ferguson
or Ford tractor
All Kinds of Welding.
Taylor & Sims
Tractor Co.
Across Street from American Theeatre
DAVE TAYLOR, Manager
FRANK BATES, Shop Foreman
Phone 195 Bonham, Texas
mw* mm*
tor* **£-St Wf*
Runs Like New Engine
Has been completely tom down and
rebuilt to our exacting specifications
Worn parts replaced with New Gen-
uine Ford Parts
Immediate Delivery
Joel Steed M<
X
Hobnail
A gift suggestion that ShTjUJ
nail spreads with fringe. C<|
West 4th
Phones 784 - 200
IBSBIHHHnHHBHEHIEHiaH
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Newby, G. R. The Bonham Herald (Bonham, Tex.), Vol. 22, No. 37, Ed. 1 Monday, December 6, 1948, newspaper, December 6, 1948; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1006769/m1/4/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Bonham Public Library.