Memories
of May Francis Heath- A Series
May Heath -
Song Writer
May Frances Heath loved to write.
She wrote her book on the history of Saugatuck; she served for 17 years as the
local correspondent for the Grand
Rapids Press-resigning from this role in March 1940;
she took correspondence courses on writing to hone her skills. She also wrote
at least three songs heralding the town she loved. The first we know of was
written for the Woman's Club and sung at the club meeting 18 Jan 1907 which was
held at the home of May's Aunt Jessie Leland. The tune is the old favorite
"Beulah Land". If you are reading the
on-line edition of this newsletter, have a speaker on your computer and
software that plays a ".mid" file, you can hear the music by clicking
here.
"Saugatuck"
1st stanza
There is a pretty
town I know,
Where the waters of
the Kalamazoo
flow,
There rest and peace
await each one,
Who from the city's
strife may run
Chorus
Oh Saugatuck, dear
Saugatuck!
Nestled among the woodside hills,
I love to gaze on
azure sky,
And climb the
Baldhead mount so high,
And view the village,
quaint and pure,
Oh Saugatuck, yes
Saugatuck.
2nd stanza
Here drives we take
to the great lake,
The toils and cares
of life we shake,
When in the shady
walls we roam,
Or build our castles
on the loam.
Chorus
On May
25th of that year, 146 Saugatuck
High School Alumni sang
her song "Alumni" written for that occasion, to the tune of
"Auld Lang Syne". It was published in the
Commercial Record on May 31st.
Much
better known is the song she copyrighted and had published by the Word Music
Publishing Corp., New York
on Sept. 1, 1921. The music for her "Saugatuck Song" was written by
George Graff, Jr. (1886-1973) author of the lyrics to "When Irish Eyes Are
Smiling".
In July, 1928, Saugatuck native
William Tisdale, then a cadet at the Naval
Academy, wrote to the Commercial
Record: "We arrived at New York this
morning, and was at a dance in Newport,
RI last week where they played
"Saugatuck". I immediately thought of Mrs. Heath and the old chain
ferry store."
--contributed by
Chris Yoder
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