Our Marblehead Town Anthem

There has been a lot of talk lately about "Marblehead Historical Images" on Facebook, regarding what qualifies a person to be "Header." I thought I would throw this into the fire and start a discussion on our great Marblehead Town Anthem, "Marblehead Forever."

 All Marbleheaders are familiar with this tune, learning the words in school, singing it on the team bus headed for sporting events, (at least the girls did, I don't know whether or not the boys sang), at football games and even at funerals.

It was written by my third cousin four times removed, Marcia M. Selman. She was born in Marblehead on July 3, 1856 and died January 1, 1932 in Malden, at the Harriet E. Sawyer Home for Aged Women.

She was a teacher in Marblehead, after graduating from the Salem Normal School. Teaching at the Lee Primary School in 1874 and later at the Orne Street school. She had always wanted to be a pastor and enrolled in Tufts Theological School where she graduated in 1896. She wrote many poems and articles of a religious nature or on the temperance activity, many were published in the Marblehead Messenger.  As we all know the words to the song I won't reprint them here, if you are unfamiliar with this tune, sung to the tune of "the Lily of the Valley" you can find it  on Marblehead's town website.

In 1930, she wrote a letter to the Marblehead Messenger in which she said " I wish to enter protest against the treatment given my hymn, "Marblehead Forever" by certain persons. The hymn was written by me at the request  of the Temperance Town Committee, for use in temperance meetings. Later, during the World War, at the suggestion of an esteemed fellow townsman who had done much to make the hymn popular, I revised it so as to make it appropriate for use on patriotic occasions.

Just when it was "adapted" to serve the special purposes of a group, I do not know. But the right to so "adapt" was never asked of me, and I should not have given it had it been asked. No one has any right to add to, or take from, the original form, and I hereby request that the use  of the "adapted" version be discontinued, and, further, that every copy of the amended version be destroyed. I wrote the words in the spirit of loving service to my native town, I have felt pleased and honored by the fact that it had served the town's need on many occasions, and I regret exceedingly the issuance and use of this garbled substitute." .

So which version are we currently singing - more research for me to do!

Now to throw an iron in the fire I found the following poem in the August 10, 1872 Marblehead Messenger written by Mrs. Carrie Mason, daughter of Dr. Calvin Briggs. It was read by Miss Mary Barrett at the G.A.R. Fair held at the Allerton Hall in Marblehead.  Miss Selman would have been sixteen at the time. I show you this poem not to take anything away from Cousin Marcia's poem but just to offer a subject of discussion.

                             Marblehead Forever

Old Marblehead Forever, of course she was the first

To rally, when the cry, "to arms!" through al the nation burst,

She never yet has been behind, deny or prove it still;

For Marblehead is Marblehead, has been and always will.

A queer old place; but every stone that trips you in her streets,

Is instinct with the loyal pulse that in its bosom beats,

This may be a metaphor, it is, but true as gospel still;

For Marblehead is Marblehead, has been and always will.

The dear old town, it rises now before me, quaint and grey;

I see the hurried ranks go forth, as in the olden day;

 First in the fight, to help the right; impetuous, headstrong still;

For Marblehead is Marblehead, has been and always will.

So Marblehead Forever, God Bless the dear old town,

She'll never shame her goodly name, her name of old renown,

And, shirk who may, she'll have her say, in spite of treason still;

For Marblehead is Marblehead, has been and always will,

Her daughters rise and bless her, her sons go forth to save,

Their country's honor and her cause, or find a martyr's grave,

For though the heaven should fall, they'd keep this old flag waving still;

For Marblehead is Marblehead, has been and always will.

Then Marblehead Forever, and give her three times three,

First in the fight, to help the right, and first she'll always be,

Come life, come death, she'll keep, unstained her ancient honor still;

For Marblehead is Marblehead, has been and always will.

So, which came first the chicken or the egg?  I think we should adopt this as our Town Poem to go with ourTown Anthem.