Robert Loveman: Poem, Song, and a little Jewish History Too!

On Valentine's Day, who better to talk about than a guy whose name screams all things romantic. A poet with a name like Loveman? You couldn't make this stuff up.

Robert Loveman (April 11, 1864 - July 9, 1923) was a well-known 19th and early 20th c. American poet. He is largely unknown today but in his time, he was widely read and appreciated.

And like so many who came before and after him, he arrived in Tuscaloosa to study at The University of Alabama. The year was 1888.

While living in Tuscaloosa, he resided with the Friedman family in their beautiful home on Greensboro Avenue, now known as the historic Battle-Friedman House. Bernard Friedman, one of the earliest Jewish settlers in Tuscaloosa, was in business with the Loveman family of New York and Dalton, Georgia. The Friedmans and Lovemans were also related through marriage.

Battle-Friedman home (Then known as the Alfred Battle House, built 1835)
(silver gelatin print by Sydnia Keene-Smith, ca. 1929) and accessible at http://www.lib.ua.edu/digital

While Loveman's time in Tuscaloosa was short, it was productive. It was during his years at The University of Alabama he wrote his famous "Rain Song" poem, inspired by the gardens surrounding the house. That poem later served as the inspiration for the famed Al Jolson song "April Showers."


Loveman's song "Georgia", with music by Lollie Belle Wylie, was the official state song of Georgia before 1979 (when it was replaced by "Georgia on My Mind"). A biographical study by our namesake, William Stanley Hoole, It's Raining Violets: The Life and Poetry of Robert Loveman, was published in 1981. The image of the sheet music above is from the Wade Hall Sheet Music Collections.

The Loveman materials featured here are a recent gift of Carole Wellington, the great granddaughter of a dear friend of Robert Loveman, Dr. Robert John Henderson. Dr. Henderson was a professor at the Georgia State Teachers College. Thank you, Ms. Wellington!

These items are a welcome addition to the Hoole Library collections on Loveman which include published materials and a manuscript collection. (Finding aid accessible at http://www.lib.ua.edu/content/findingaids/pdf/ms_0879.pdf)

Advertisment for Loveman's books

Letter and envelope from Mr. Loveman to his friend Mr. Loach.

Title page of The Blushful South and Hippocrene
by Robert Loveman (Lippincott, 1909)

Here is the original recording by Al Jolson from 1921.



Here is an especially lovely version of April Showers by none other than the Velvet Fog himself, Mel Torme.




The Loveman materials are featured in the exhibit, Campus meets Town meets all Around: Glimpses at Tuscaloosa's Jewish Community from the Hoole Library Collections held in conjunction with the 7th Annual Jewish Cultural Festival, held each year in Tuscaloosa. The exhibit is in the lobby of the Hoole Library, and features interesting information about the Jewish community -- on campus and in the city itself dating from the 1860s to the present. Here's to Loveman and to Love!

An Unlikely Antihero: Bernie Madoff at the Capstone

Bernard Madoff, yearbook picture, 1957 Corolla

An article appeared in the New York Times last week by Allen Salkin, entitled Bernie Madoff, Frat Brother, which provides a fascinating short oral history from his fellow fraternity brothers (Sigma Alpha Mu) on their fellow Sammie, Bernie Madoff.

And where was he in school, you ask? He was in fact at The University of Alabama, where he spent his freshman year, 1956-57. He transferred after that year.

As referenced in the previous post, Jewish students (and non-Jews as well) came to the Capstone from the Northeast and other parts of the country in the first decades of the 20th century. This continued well into the 1950s and beyond. Of course today we have students from all over Alabama, across the United States and indeed and all over the world -- The University of Alabama brings the best and brightest to our continually growing and eternally beautiful campus.

And though we do not know why specifically Mr. Madoff made Alabama his choice, it would be very interesting to ask him. But I think he's a little bit busy with other matters right now.

But he was here, just for that year. Here are some images from the 1957 Corolla to prove it --

Two page spread of the Sigma Alpha Mu ("Sammies") Fraternity, 1957 Corolla

Undergraduates page where Madoff appears, second row third from left


Detail from the Undergraduates page with his listing

Two Unlikely Rose Bowl Heroes (in 1938, that is)

Irving Berlin Kahn

The University of Alabama in the 1930s was home to a significant population of Jewish students, both from around the state of Alabama, and from other parts of the U.S., particularly the Northeast. Then UA President, Dr. George Denny was very skilled at bringing in students and much needed funds during this period. He recruited actively in Northern newspapers, publicizing the opportunities for a fine education at The University of Alabama at a time when Northern schools had quotas as to how many Jewish students they would admit.

George H. Denny

Such was the case for a young man named Irving Berlin Kahn. Kahn came to UA from New Jersey on a scholarship as a drum major, and led the Million Dollar Band in the 1938 Rose Bowl. Kahn graduated in 1939 with a degree in Business Administration, and went on to a lucrative if somewhat tainted career in the cable industry. He was best known for founding and developing TelePrompTer, the company that developed automatic cue cards for actors and anchormen. Under Kahn’s leadership, TelePrompTer became one of the largest cable companies in the country. And if you are wondering about his name – yes, his Uncle was THE Irving Berlin! And it is worth mentioning that in Jewish tradition, children are not named after living relatives. Perhaps the Kahns found an exception with Mr. Berlin's namesake. Irving Berlin lived to be 101 years old and died in 1989.

Captain of the 1937 football team and All-American guard, Leroy Monsky led the Crimson Tide through an undefeated season, but finally lost to the California Golden Bears in the 1938 Rose Bowl. A native of Montgomery, he was All-State, All-Southern and All-American in football at Sidney Lanier High School. At The University of Alabama he was consensus All- Southeastern as a junior and was All-American as a senior. Frank Thomas and Hank Crisp rated Leroy the "smartest and best guard we ever coached.” And while there aren't an overwelming number of Jewish football heroes, they certainly do exist -- and Leroy Monsky certainly was one of them!

Leroy Monsky

A little postscript -- a tribute to Irving Berlin (with Bernadette Peters and Peter Allen) from the 1982 Oscars, which were hosted by Richard Prior. If you think aren't familiar with Irving Berlin's work, take a listen -- he wrote sooooo many songs, including God Bless America, Easter Parade, and White Christmas.

Irving Berlin (May 11, 1888 – September 22, 1989) was a Jewish American composer and lyricist and one of the most prolific American songwriters in history. Berlin was one of the few songwriters who wrote both lyrics and music for his songs. He composed over 3,000 songs, seventeen film scores and twenty-one Broadway scores in his 101 years on the planet -- a planet that would have been a very different place without him.

Tuscaloosa's Jewish Community: An Exhibit

In conjunction with the 7th Annual Jewish Cultural Festival, held each year in Tuscaloosa, we have put together an exhibit, Campus meets Town meets all Around: Glimpses at Tuscaloosa's Jewish Community from the Hoole Library Collections.

The exhibit, which opened this week in the lobby of the Hoole Library, features interesting information about the Jewish community -- on campus and in the city itself dating from the 1860s to the present. The title exhibit label, seen above uses a detail from a beautiful book plate (wood cut engraving) from the 1930s for the Hillel House library at UA. It features Denny Chimes, Gorgas Library, and a group of students.

The Cool@Hoole blog will feature some interesting tidbits from the exhibit in the coming weeks. Please be sure to visit the exhibit in the Hoole Library lobby. The exhibit will be on display through April 12, 2009.

More information on the Jewish Cultural Arts Festival can be found here.