T. Carroll O'Brien

THOMAS CARROLL O’BRIEN was born in September of 1899 to Martin and Sarah Margaret O’Brien. His father was an undertaker. He had established his undertaking business at 561 Carman Street by 1890. By the time T. Carroll O’Brien was born, Martin O’Brien had moved his funeral home to 613 Market Street, Camden, where the family lived until the 1920s. The business was very near the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception at Broadway and Market street. During much of this time they lived next door to photographer George A. Wonfor. T. Carroll O’Brien was a 1919 graduate of Camden High School, where he studied voice under Lucy Dean Wilson. He was a classmate of Frank M. Travaline, who would have a long and distinguished career in law and politics in Camden. Another classmate, Dora Yuschinsky, would work for many years as the secretary to Congressman Charles A. Wolverton.

When the census was taken in 1930 the family had moved to 211 West Maple Avenue in Merchantville NJ. T. Carroll O’Brien was by this time working as the musical director at an area high school. Martin O’Brien passed away prior to October of 1936.

In the late 1920s T. Carroll O’Brien operated the “Carroll O’Brien Studios” at North 7th and Market Streets, where he and his faculty gave music lessons, teaching “Voice Development– Style– Repertoire– Diction.” His sister Eleanor, four years his junior, was a member of the faculty.

By 1928 T. Carroll O’Brien was also teaching at Abington High School in Abington PA. In 1947, a group of Abington High School Alumni decided they wanted to continue singing and performing in a choir. A meeting was held with their former music teacher, and the Abington Choral Club was born, with “Obie,” as he was affectionately called, as the music director. Sadly, T. Carroll O’Brien did not live to see the first formal concert, presented in May 1948 at Abington High School auditorium, under the musical direction of Henry R. Casselberry.

His widowed mother and sisters Anne and Eleanor were still living at the Merchantville address as late as 1946. A scholarship was set up in his name at Abington High School which is still awarded to college bound graduates today.

We, the Purple and Gold Staff of the Class of Nineteen Nineteen of the Camden High School, in order to set forth a more complete history of our Class, and more satisfactorily perpetuate our many activities and achievements in the above institution, do herewith present this our official Purple and Gold Annual.

JOHN M. WILLE, ex-officio
T. CARROLL O’BRIEN, Chairman
EDITH B. BLEAKLY
LEONARD F. HEINTZE
H. GLADYS JACKSON
ANNA MYERS
JOHN V. MYERS
HERBERT P. McADAMS
JULIA RITTENHOUSE
EDWARD M. SIMMONS
ANDREW STEWART
LILLIAN TRUCKSESS
MIRIAM TULLY
REED V. WALDRON
JAMES R. WARE
E. RUTH WARE
DORA YUSCHINSKY

THE CARROLL O’BRIEN STUDIOS / AT 700 MARKET STREET, CAMDEN / (7TH AND MARKET STREETS)

Introducing W. Lawrence Curry

a member of the Faculty of “The Carroll O’Brien Studios” and teacher of Organ, Piano and Theory.

Mr. Curry is Organist and Director of Music at the First Presbyterian Church, Camden; Accompanist for the University of Pennsylvania Male Quartet, University of Pennsylvania Instrumental Trio, and Choral Art Society of Philadelphia. Guest Organist at St. Lukes and Epiphany Church. Staff accompanist for Radio Services of the Greater New York Federation of Churches from Station WEAF. Pianist of Stony Brook Summer Conference, Stony Brook, Long Island.

Mr. Curry has studied with the following prominent teachers: Hendrick Ezerman at the Philadelphia Conservatory, Leo Ornstein at the Philadelphia Musical Academy, and Dr. H. Alexander Matthews noted Organist, Composer and Conductor.

Mr. Curry also received his degree of Bachelor of Arts at the University of Pennsylvania, and is a Composer of Organ Works and Choral Numbers.

LESTER GRAND PIANO USED — Phone — Camden 7344

CAMDEN SINGERS HEARD AT ABINGTON SCHOOL

Veronica Sweigart, contralto and Eleanore O’Brien, soprano, gave a recital at the Abington High School on Wednesday afternoon.

The recital was given in conjunction with a course in music appreciation that Carroll O’Brien has been conducting at the school. Each singer was heard in solos and in duets.

O’BRIEN STUDIOS PLAN FIRST RADIO CONCERT

Next Tuesday the Carroll O’Brien Studios will give its first radio recital over Station WIP, Gimbel Brothers, Philadelphia. A sextet will be heard in part songs, solos, and duets.

Members of the sextet are Esther Carr Brierly, Margaret West, Kathryn McNulty, Ruth Sparks, Catharine Maloney and Adeline Jeffries.

Fall Bride-Elect Feted by Miss Ann Clark at Shower; Leonard W. Lowther to Entertain With Dinner Dance in Country Club for Daughter and Members of School Set

Miss Ann Clark, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Luther Clark, of 310 Linden Lane, Merion, formerly of this city, is entertaining at a garden party and shower this afternoon in honor of Miss Louise Hummel, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Ernest G. Hummel, of 414 Cooper Street, this city, whose marriage to W. Lawrence Curry, of Drexel Hill, will take place in the early Fall.

Guests include Mrs. Ernest G. Hummel, Mrs. Everett C. Hires, Miss Gertrude Saurman, Mrs. A. Haines Lippincott and Mrs. Augustus Dodge Whitney, of Camden; Mrs. Harvey K. Partridge; Miss Elizabeth Partridge, Miss Margaret Nekervis, Mrs. Walter Hires, Miss Mabel Garrison, Miss Elizabeth Laird and Mrs. Merwin Hummel, of Merchantville; Mrs. Harry Ross, of New Brunswick; Mrs. Kenneth Garrison, of Germantown; Mrs. N orris Saurman, Miss Maurice Artzt, and Miss Alice Mahaffey of Haddonfield; Miss Dorothy Rogers, Miss Alice Parrish, Miss Alice Hillman, Miss Susanne Lippincott and Mrs. Allison Lee, of Moorestown; Mrs. Claude Dengler, Mrs. Harold Carr, Mrs. Carroll O’Brien, Mrs. Edward Boyd, Mrs. Annie Stadden, Mrs. David Clark, Mrs. Samuel L. Clark, Jr., Mrs. Frederick Slack, Mrs. Herbert N. Munger and Miss Margaret Munger, of Philadelphia, and Mrs. Lee Hummel and Miss Marian Ayres, of Salem.