Composing the life of a songwriter

Since the students at the Lower School are singing, “God Bless America,” music teacher Diane Lumpkin, decided to capitalize on the life of the great composer Irving Berlin. Students have been learning interesting facts about this prolific songwriter's life. One interesting fact is that he got the name Irving Berlin because when he wrote his first song, the publisher could not read his writing and wrote, "I. Berlin," for the composer instead of his real name, which was Israel Baline. Students have also sung some of Irvin Berlin's other great songs such as, "White Christmas," and the girls have especially loved singing, "Sisters."

In 1939, Berlin wrote "God Bless America." He gave the royalties to the Boy and Girl Scouts of America, an act of kindness that has benefited some of our own students affiliated with this organization.