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Preston Trail DAR meeting will be held Thursday, April 17th, Georgetown Baptist Church, Pottsboro. Dinner at 5:00pm ($10), meeting begins at 6:00pm.
Speaker will be Sylvia Marrs, who serves as State Vice Chair for DAR Service For Veterans for the Texas Society Daughters of the American Revolution.
She was born April 2, 1941 and likes to say that she was almost a fool. Sylvia began her teaching career in January 1964 with the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) on the Navajo Indian Reservation at Nazlini, Arizona. Bill joined her there after their marriage. In 1967, Bill and Sylvia were promoted and moved to the headquarters school at Chinle. There she was given an opportunity to attend a workshop conducted by the famous Indian musician, Louis Ballard. The BIA wanted to encourage Indian youngsters to learn their own music. The Principal at Chinle Boarding School actively encouraged the program and provided resources to enable a choir devoted to Indian music. The children sang music from all tribes.
In 1970, Sylvia moved to the Chinle Public School and was encouraged to develop a full program of music to include Native American music. Her Indian choir, named Naatsiiliid Nizhoni Singers, traveled extensively, including Europe.
In 1983, Sylvia began her new career with the Texas Public Schools at Copperas Cove Intermediate School. There she had a highly honored choir for many years until her retirement in May, 2002.
She is a past Regent of the Betty Martin Chapter DAR in Temple. She currently stays busy presenting her Indian music program, member of the Ben Milam Chapter Daughters of the Republic of Texas, and traveling with her husband to his many Genealogical and social organizations.
Women ages 18 and older who are interested in learning about NSDAR are encourage to attend. Membership is open to any woman who can trace her lineage back to a family member who either fought in or gave aid to the American Revolution. Trained genealogist volunteers are available, free of charge, to assist in lineage research . For more information, call Lisa Lettie at 817-360-6830, lisalettie@yahoo.com.
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