Tribute: Josephine
C. Whitford
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Josephine Whitford Born Josephine Culver in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, in December 1907, Josephine Whitford earned a master of arts degree at Columbia University and was an honorary fellow at Westminster Choir College. She also attended Bucknell University and the Institute of Fine Arts of New York University and studied art history with Davis, de Tolnay, Offner, and Teize. Serving as a member of the board of directors for the Louis Braille Foundation, she helped establish a studio at Manhattan School of Music for the creation of recordings of books, essays, and poetry for the blind. She was also a member of the board for the African Music and Drama Association and on the advisory committee for the Cummington School of the Arts. At the invitation of Janet Schenck, she joined the staff of the Neighborhood Music School in 1931 as assistant registrar, becoming registrar of the renamed Manhattan School of Music in 1942. In 1945 she was appointed dean. She took on the role of dean of students in 1968, during which time she also became alumni liaison officer. Mrs. Whitford taught fine arts courses at the School from 1964–78. In 1971, an award was established in her name to be given to a graduating student “whose exceptional personal qualities have contributed significantly to the enrichment of the spirit of the School.” She was honored for her years of dedication and service with an honorary doctorate from Manhattan School of Music in 1979. Few who were connected to Manhattan School of Music from 1931–1980 can imagine the School without thinking of Mrs. Whitford. She was known for her strong-willed personality, quick wit, and generosity; stories abound telling of her personal involvement in students’ lives—whether it was making sure someone could pay an electric bill or inspiring another to work harder academically. She was the guiding force in the School’s early growth as an institution of higher learning and is widely thought to have been personally responsible for the School’s initial accreditation. An interesting story of the history of the School involves a hand-carved stone replica of the School’s seal and Mrs. Whitford. The School’s founder, Janet Schenck, had the stone made for the School’s first home on the East Side. After Manhattan School of Music moved to our current building, Mrs. Whitford and a group of alumni had stonemasons who were working on the Cathedral of St. John the Divine remove the 400-pound piece from the old building in 1971. (That stone seal was installed permanently in our lobby during the summer of 2004.) Upon her retirement from Manhattan School of Music, she turned her attentions to another lifelong love: helping the needy. “Mrs. Whit” did volunteer work for UNICEF and St. Luke’s Hospital, distributing animal crackers to sick children as she read them stories or played games with them. She also gave of her time to conduct tours at the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine, welcoming visitors from all over the world. In 1985, she and her husband, Harold, appealed to Columbia University’s real estate office for space on the corner opposite the current home of the School (Broadway at 122nd Street). “There had been nobody there for at least twenty years, and it cried out for habitation,” stated Mrs. Whitford in an article about her charity work. When Columbia agreed to rent them the space (for one dollar a month), the Whitfords transformed it into a gift shop and reading room, with a full set of UNICEF publications for study. She was later chosen (along with Diana Ross) from among 30,000 volunteers nationwide to receive an honorary citation from the organization. Mrs. Whitford passed away on September 25, 2000. Columbia history professor
James Shenton referred to the Whitfords at her funeral as two of the most
wonderful and loveliest people he had ever known. (Shenton was hired by
Mrs. Whitford teach in the humanities department at Manhattan School of
Music.) “They make you happy you’re human,” Shenton
is quoted as saying. That is a statement by which Josephine would want
to be remembered. She will be missed, with fond recollections, by the
thousands of former students, staff, and faculty members whose lives she
touched. Alumni Memories Here are some memories submitted by alumni who remember Mrs. Whitford: Richard Elder Adams: “The work of Mrs. Whitford, along with her association with the School’s founder Janet Schenck, established an atmosphere of community and support that is felt at Manhattan School of Music to this day. Her legacy will rightly live on …” Jean M. Bateman: “What a pleasure to honor Mrs. Whitford. She made certain there was a place to go on Thanksgiving, that recitals and graduations were acknowledged, and that everyone was greeted warmly… I think of her every holiday with hot chocolate in my UNIFEC mug.” John K. Blanchard: “Manhattan School of Music is fortunate to have had a person like Mrs. Whitford in its history and the devotion she showed to her work is a foundation on which the School stands today. Her consistency of caring about the everyday needs of the students for so many years is an inspirational story that will most likely never be equaled. She is personally responsible for making the School a beloved institution in the hearts of so many alumni.” Concetta A. Clarke: “She was an inspiration and guiding light to me. After all the things that Josephine did for other people – going so far as to lend [her husband] Hinch’s tuxedo to someone for a Town Hall performance – she did not want to be thanked. When she was asked what could be done for her, her request was that you simply do for others. As Janet Schenk’s motto was ‘reach for the stars,’ Josie’s motto was ‘reach out to others.’” Roy Eaton: “In 1945, a Black teenager aspiring to become a classical concert pianist was as unrealistic as aspiring to play for a Major League baseball team (remember, this was 1945). But not to Miss Whit! Not only did she encourage me to pursue my goal, but personally secured enough scholarship support for me so that I never had to pay a single penny for my complete education at Manhattan School of Music -- through to my master’s degree! It was such a great feeling, after taking a one-hour trip on the Amsterdam/Third Ave trolley, to enter 238 East 105th Street. I would frequently find Miss Whit in the lobby (outside her office, to the left of the entrance) greeting all of the students personally, by name, as they came in for their lessons. Her memory was truly unbelievable. Not only did she know your name, but could remember almost every meeting she ever had with you. They don't make them like her anymore . . . her imprint on the school is forever.” Zenon Fishbein: “Mrs. Whitford was a truly caring person and one of the main contributors to an atmosphere of simplicity and human warmth that gave Manhattan School of Music a unique reputation. The doors to her office were always open, and I think she knew every student by name. Many young musicians made Manhattan School of Music their school of choice, based not only on its artistic value but also on the supportive quality of its environment. Those who knew her miss her very much.” Dianne Danese Flagello: “At the end of her stay at MSM, Josephine Whitford was very much involved in selling Christmas cards and books for the children for UNISF. She gave all the profits of these sales to the students of the preparatory division. For several years these profits amounted to over $10,000 a year. Many prep students could not have continued without her generous contribution to their musical studies.” Capt. Kenneth Force: “One day, while taking a trumpet lesson with Nathan Prager, we heard a band strolling down 105th Street. We looked out and saw an Italian Fiesta Band leading a procession, complete with religious statue. Mr. Prager looked at me, smiled with that little wry laugh of his and said, ‘Kenneth, if you don’t play your next lesson better you'll end up in there.’ When the band got closer to the school he recognized several of his trumpet students playing in the band! A few months later, I joined the same band, Maestro Salvatore Manichini’s Fiesta Band. One day we were hired to play for the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in the neighborhood. As we strolled down the street with the statue (you never marched!) we got closer and closer to 105th Street. I said to myself, ‘don't tell me we are going to pass MSM!’ Lo and behold, we made a right on to 105th Street and headed right past. There was Dean Whitford standing in front of the school looking angry as only she could! She pointed to me and said, ‘I want to see you!’ The next morning I walked into MSM and ‘She’ was standing there, ‘Come into my office...NOW Kenneth! Are your finances that bad that you have to play with that band?’ (She knew that I paid for MSM myself — my parents thought a music school was a waste of time.) I told her I was down to nothing. She said, ‘we'll take care of that,’ and suddenly a $500 grant was awarded for the rest of my tuition (a large amount of money back then.) Without it, I probably would have been forced to drop out. Oh yes, I continued to work for Maestro Manichini, but made sure I never took any more jobs close to the School!” Grace “Goldie” Hoffman: “I’ll always be grateful for the payment of some dentist bills for which Mrs. Whitford arranged.” J. Scott Janusch: “On my first day, after stepping inside her office, piled high with papers and so forth, she immediately asked if I wanted to attend a performance that evening as someone had just given away their tickets. I said yes, of course; thus began an education I cherish, both within the walls of the school, and outside at the many cultural events around town, many of which I attended through Mrs. Whitford’s efforts. Also, I’ll never forget the plaque on her desk that read: ‘A neat desk is the sign of a sick mind.’ My own reed desk has never been tidy mostly because of my own sloppiness but also, I would hope, partly to honor Mrs. Whitford.” Dennis Jeter: “I remember how people treated her with a respect because they knew what she stood for: she stood for the very best a person could hope to become. She was kind, caring, generous, concerned, and sincere. She made you feel good when you spoke to her and made you remember her when she was gone. It is by the deeds of you and I that we can inspire the next generation of Manhattan School of Music alumni to follow suit and become the Josephine Whitfords of tomorrow.” Irwin Katz: “I have many recollections of Mrs. Whitford, but a few really stand out. I especially remember the help she gave me in getting a scholarship to cover my Manhattan School of Music education as well as her presence when it was my time to earn the scholarship by working in the cafeteria! It was she who introduced me to the New York Philharmonic by offering me two very choice tickets to hear Bruno Walter at a live concert. It is an honor for me to help perpetuate her name at Manhattan School of Music.” Ursula Mamlok: “I have fond memories of Mrs. Whitford, of delightful chats and the support she so generously gave.” Shirley Manuel: “From my financially poverty-stricken student days, I remember a sincerely warm and caring Mrs. Whitford, who suggested a doctor's office for a blood test needed for the marriage license. In addition, she graciously told me to have that office send the bill directly to MSM. If there were angels on earth, Josie Whitford selflessly took the lead.” Frank Morelli: “Many of us have fond personal memories of Mrs. Whitford. I distinctly remember her leaving her office ringing her famous cowbell, announcing ‘I have a pair of tickets for the Met tonight, who would like to go?’ Many other stories abound of her personal involvement in the lives and welfare of students, many often including a personal check being written for a medical need . . . We faculty have all known of students who have found themselves in situations that left them nowhere to turn except the School. The establishment of the Fund will ensure that each year those needs may be met.” Charles Russo: “There are, of course, many reminiscences of the caring and concern shown by Mrs. Whitford over the years. I remember one rather amusing incident that occurred while I was a student . . . Three of us shared a modest (very modest) walk-up at 109th street and Columbus Avenue and ‘Mrs. Whit’ often asked us about our living quarters. Finally (after a short housekeeping frenzy) we invited her over to have a look. She walked in, looked around, and said finally ‘Oh, how quaint!’ That’s all. However about a week later a framed Van Gogh print magically appeared. We placed to strategically on a bare wall in our living room where we happily viewed it every day. To this day I still picture it in my mind’s eye....” Jacqueline L. Venable: “I remember Mrs. Whitford as a stalwart and ever-present advocate for the students — always watching, listening and caring about us in her own special way.” Lola Weiss: “As a young child of 12 I attended the Manhattan School, faithfully riding the Subway to the old building on 105th St. I encountered Josephine Whitford one day standing in front of her office, arms on hips, and her remark and her stance scared the Bejesus out of me: "And what are you doing here today Missy?" Many, many years later, serving as president of the alumni association, I had the opportunity to work with her (she now dean emeritus serving as liaison to the alumni association) and I, in the position of authority as president (not an easy switch) — now together as equals! But it worked, and for me, it was a great learning experience. Outstanding in my memory during that time were the many notes received from former students, now accomplished professionals, who constantly inquired as to Josie's health and well-being: ‘Please send her my love,’ they would say. She took such a personal interest in all her former students. Each one was like the child she never had. She knew their history, where they were in their professional lives, and always interested in their present whereabouts. The love and caring that she engendered is a testimony to her life, well lived!” Dolora Zajick: “Many generous acts and assistance from people like Josephine Whitford enable people like me to have a career. Had it not been for such assistance, there would have been many who would have fallen to the wayside. |
