Recent Comments

Recent Posts

Categories

Archives

Meta

Tricentennial Songs, Columbia & Everywhere in South Carolina: 1970   185 comments

Posted at 11:50 pm in commentary

How can I convey just how much of a *BIG*DEAL* the Tricentennial was for us in 1970? Well, let's just say that it was a much bigger event in our lives than the Bicentennial was in 1976. (And if you don't know what the Bicentennial was, you're a whippersnapper, and there's no helping you). If you were in Third Grade in 1970, as I was, along with the rest of my classmates at Satchel Ford Elementary in Mrs. Anderson's homeroom, the Tricentennial was a good part of your year.

Not only did we learn South Carolina history tidbits in school all year, but there were constant references on TV, and futuristic geodesic dome museums built downtown (Senate Street?) with all kind of historic artifacts. It was such a big deal that we were all mad when the Weekly Reader did a story on California's Bicentennial and didn't mention our Tricentennial at all.

But the biggest thing about the Tricentennial at school and even at family gatherings with cousins was the Tricentennial songs. We knew all of them by heart, and sang them constantly that year.

The songs were all composed by music teacher Nelle McMaster Sprott (with some lyrics borrowed with permission from the State's Poet Laureate, Archibald Rutledge) and seem to have been discovered by the Tricentennial Commission almost by accident. If it was an accident, it was a happy one, and an album of the songs was pressed by the Tricentennial Commission and sent to all the state's public schools (and was available for home purchase, along with sheet music for all the songs). I can hardly overstate how ubiquitous and well-loved this album was in 1970. You can quibble about a few lyric choices like "come and feel the pain" in Carolina Sunshine (though the intent is clear), but I think the album still stands up very well today.

For some reason though, the album and songs were orphaned after the Tricentennial. I suppose the Tricentennial Commission disbanded, and that might be the reason, but for whatever cause, the album was never re-issued even on LP much less as remastered for CD. That means what I am able to present here was recorded from a 39 year old LP in all its scratchy glory, but when you set the Way-Bac Machine to 1970 and put yourselves in the shoes of those third graders again, can you honestly say you don't agree with:

We are good Sandlappers,
Yes we're good Sandlappers.
And we're mighty proud to say --
That we live,
Yes we live,
In the very finest state of the USA

I know I can't.

[NOTE: I have replaced the full versions of the songs above with 30 second clips. I have heard from Mrs. Sprott's granddaughter that she is working on a web-site dedicated to her grandmother. When it's up, I will link it here!]

UPDATE 9 November 2012: Here's some interesting information on the Charleston, Columbia & Greenville Tricentennial buildings.

UPDATE 18 February 2020: I have been remiss in not noting the November 2017 passing of Mrs. Sprott. She certainly brought music and joy into the lives of many people. Here is her obiturary.

Also, as I said above, I had replaced the full versions of the Tricentennial songs with thirty second clips at the request of Mrs. Sprott's granddaughter. That made sense in the days before everything had been uploaded to youtube, but currently the songs are already widely available, so I think it no longer makes sense to not have them here. Thus, I am embedding each song, from youtube (where they were uploaded by someone else, not me) below:

We Are Good Sandlappers:

Come With Me:

Sunny Yellow Jessamine:

Indian Ghosts:

Country Things:

Carolina Sunshine:

A Carolina Wren:

We Belonged To The Land:

Something To Sing About:

Stand Tall For South Carolina:

The Whole Album:

Written by ted on April 30th, 2008

Tagged with , , , , , ,

185 Responses to 'Tricentennial Songs, Columbia & Everywhere in South Carolina: 1970'

Subscribe to comments with RSS or TrackBack to 'Tricentennial Songs, Columbia & Everywhere in South Carolina: 1970'.

  1. I can't believe I found this site. I have looked for this for many years. I thought I wouold never find these songs again. They bring back a special memory. Is there a way I can copy them? May I? Thank you.

    John Todd

    2 May 08 at 8:37 pm

  2. Right-click on the link for a song and select "Save As" to save the MP3 file.

    ted

    3 May 08 at 12:11 am

  3. I'm delighted to say that these songs have not died out entirely - I was in third grade in the late 1980s, and at the end of the year, our school, Brennen Elementary in Columbia, would put on a South Carolina pageant. Many of these songs - We Belonged to the Land and We are Good Sandlappers - were the main anthems of the show. To the best of my knowledge, they are still performing them every year.

    mgward

    3 May 08 at 11:21 am

  4. Well, I am certainly glad to hear that!

    ted

    3 May 08 at 1:12 pm

  5. wow, I say a copy of this at the Salvation Army thrift shop in downtown Camden a few months back. I was tempted - but now I'm glad I didnt, you helped me save $1 in cold cash. thanks!

    Steven Rowe

    8 May 08 at 7:13 pm

  6. Don't spend it all in one place!

    ted

    8 May 08 at 10:34 pm

  7. I remember that "We Are Good Sandlappers" song. I was only three in 1970, so I don't remember the tricentennial, but I do remember singing that song in chorus sometime in middle school. thanks for the flashback.

    Kevin

    14 May 08 at 2:50 pm

  8. I would love to buy the sheet music to use with my third grade students. I want them to understand the power of song as poetry and to tell a story. Can I get a copy anywhere? I thank you for my journey back to seventh grade chorus as we stood in white dresses and sang harmony for the first time. When I "grew up", I sang those songs as lullabys to my kids when I lived far from those moss laden trees. Wow!So glad to be back in the Sandlapper State.

    Cindy

    30 Jun 08 at 11:03 am

  9. According to the Richland County Public Library web-site card catalog, they have a copy of the sheet music available for check-out.

    I would check it out and xerox it. Normally, that would be a copyright problem, but if it's like the album, the copyright was to the Tricentennial Commission, which was a) a public body and b) no longer exists.

    ted

    30 Jun 08 at 11:35 am

  10. When I found this, I was jumping for joy. I have looked for this album for months.
    I own Sandlapper Art & Frame in Lexington, SC and I had an art competition based on the song Carolina Sunshine, Carolina Rain.
    The opening event is next week, Sept. 4, and I could not locate my copy of the album. I am one of the students singing on the album (fourth from left, front row).
    I wanted really wanted to play the songs at my opening event but locating a copy of the album has been incredibly difficult.
    Thanks so much for putting the songs on this blog. I have downloaded them.
    Ted, I love you.
    Robin

    Robin

    27 Aug 08 at 11:14 am

  11. Aw shucks mam, twern't nuttin..

    Thank you for the great singing!

    ted

    27 Aug 08 at 11:59 am

  12. Thanks again.
    I invite you and your friends to the Grand Gala Art Opening Sept. 4, 7 - 9 pm, at my gallery, Sandlapper Art & Frame. The gallery is located downstairs in Lexington's Old Mill on Highway 1 as you are coming into Lexington from Columbia.
    My website lists all the details.

    Robin

    30 Aug 08 at 2:52 pm

  13. i remember being in elementary school in the 80's and "sandlappers" was the theme to SCETV's show on SC history... i still remember it to this day even though i havent heard it in 20 years

    mark

    4 Sep 08 at 12:14 am

  14. I am 36 yrs old and a veteran of the US Navy. I was born and raised in South Carolina. I remember going to school and watching the old tv show with the Sandlappers Theme. I too have been looking for this song for years. I am glad to have found it among the other songs that are here. Thanks again - This brought back a lot of great memories.

    Keith Cromer

    6 Nov 08 at 12:45 am

  15. Well, I'm happy that even folks born *after* the Tricentennial have heard these songs!

    ted

    6 Nov 08 at 12:52 am

  16. TED!!! My older sister and I were Baptist preacher's kids that grew up in Elloree all throughout our childhood/elementary years. Back in the day when kids left the house to explore and play sometime after breakfast and made sure to just be back sometime before sundown. (sigh) We left SC as we were entering junior high, but TO THIS DAY we have sung these songs when we have been together, knowing Carolina will always be our sweet home! Our elementary school music teacher taught us every word of these songs, and I AM BAWLING MY EYES OUT to hear these beautiful verses again. Cannot wait to surprise my big sis with the treasure you have provided here. THANK YOU.

    Misti in Oklahoma

    7 Nov 08 at 12:08 pm

  17. Glad to help out Misti -- You've certainly made my day!

    ted

    7 Nov 08 at 12:47 pm

  18. I've visited your site many times over the years & today is the first time I've seen this page - - I can't tell you how happy it makes me to hear these songs again.... I especially remember the song "Come w/ me" - - it is one of the few songs I have remembered in it's entirety for almost 40 years! In fact, sitting here listening to it brings tears to my eyes, it had that powerful an effect on me all these years. I have always thought that even tho it was a nice, simple song, it was very deep & just so touching to me... I don't really know why, but it still strikes a very deep chord within me!

    Thank you Ted, for putting these songs up... such a blast from the past! Sheesh!! :-D

    Lisa B.

    8 Nov 08 at 10:19 pm

  19. You're welcome!

    These songs seem to get a strong reaction from folks who grew up with them..

    ted

    8 Nov 08 at 10:26 pm

  20. I went to the same schools where Mrs. Sprott taught music. In those days, she moved between a couple of different schools. It wasn’t a formal “music” class. We would just meet once a week and sing songs, some being Mrs. Sprott’s original compositions, and others from music “textbooks.” Also we were taught to play a “tonette,” a plastic recorder that was easy to teach kids to play some simple songs, which we did in a couple of assemblies. I think this album was recorded by 6th and 7th graders from the old Mt. Zion school in Winnsboro. I was a bit younger, and I don’t recognize any of the names as being in my grade.

    Mrs. Sprott offered copies of the album for sale to us students, too, for $5. Even though I was not one of the cast, I still wanted the record. When I received it, I took it home, and walked over to my uncle’s house to chit-chat. My uncle was outside, so I sat down and laid my album in his jon boat. When I left to walk back home, I forgot about the album, which was still in his jon boat.

    During an August afternoon.

    The next day, I walked back over to retrieve it. Well, needless to say, things did not turn out well. My album was now shaped—and about as playable—as a Pringles potato crisp. So, for almost four decades, I have not been able to hear this album. Until now.

    Thanks a bunch!

    badger

    8 Dec 08 at 2:13 pm

  21. You're welcome!

    Nice story! If you look up a few comments, you'll see someone who did sing on the album

    ted

    8 Dec 08 at 3:26 pm

  22. Oh GOSH! For some reason, "Sandlappers" popped into my head today, and I did a Google search on "we are good sandlappers" and found this site. What a great site, and what memories it's brought back. I was in 3rd grade in 69-70 and remember vividly the Tricentennial celebration and the stuff I made for the school Tricentennial fair. I also remember singing these songs in our spring chorus concert.

    This is really fantastic! Thanks!

    Tony

    23 Dec 08 at 1:04 am

  23. Thanks!

    Stick around, browse the alphabetical listing -- there's no lack of nostalgia here..

    ted

    23 Dec 08 at 1:14 am

  24. I remember learning those songs 'way back in the third grade.

    The Tricentennial was a big deal. In Greenville we had the ill-fated geodesic cube on Roper Mountain.

    Tom

    8 Jan 09 at 6:24 pm

  25. You just don't know how happy I was to find this!!!! I've been looking for these songs for a long time! Thanks for doing this:)

    Amy Graham

    15 Jan 09 at 4:12 pm

  26. You're welcome!

    ted

    15 Jan 09 at 11:51 pm

  27. This is a small world!!
    Like some of the other above posters, my wife and I just thought of the of the old Sandlapper song (remember the creepy looking puppet?) and found this site....now for the small world part....
    Misti in Oklahoma...not only do I know where Elloree (translated from Cherokee for "the home I love") is, but was married at the first Baptist church to a girl (Lynn) who grew up with you!
    Elloree certainly has changed over the years but the people are still the same!
    Thanks to whoever posted this site! It has brought back some great memories.

    Chuck -N- Irmo

    21 Jan 09 at 8:19 pm

  28. Actually I don't remember the puppet at all..

    ted

    22 Jan 09 at 12:43 am

  29. i can't remember the name of the show, but it came on SCETV in the late 70's and it was a show about....well, about SC and they used the sandlapper song as the intro and outro music.

    Ted, thanks for posting this! Not only did my wife and I have a lovely stroll down memory lane, but she got real excited when I read Misti's post, because she had just finished telling me about the very same music teacher and learning the words to those songs (she's especially attached to 'come with me') more than 30 years ago!
    Of course both of our teenagers looked at us like we lost our minds as we began to sing along.....

    Chuck -N- Irmo

    22 Jan 09 at 7:25 pm

  30. Chuck-N-Irmo -- was that shoe called June Bugs?

    Dennis

    22 Jan 09 at 7:39 pm

  31. Show. I meant show not shoe.

    Dennis

    22 Jan 09 at 7:40 pm

  32. Folks, we've got a really big shoe tonight..

    I thought the "June Bugs" theme song was something about "Happy Little Junebugs.."

    ted

    22 Jan 09 at 7:48 pm

  33. I think the show was "Sandlapper's Corner". I was in elementary school in the early 80's and I think nearly every other kid from SC I know who was that age then watched the show.

    Dave

    22 Jan 09 at 9:04 pm

  34. The June Bug Club show was on ETV in the 1960s. June Timmermon who ran a private school in Ravenwood was its creator and host. At one time it rivaled Mr. Knozit in popularity.
    (And does anyone else remember WIS's Jolly Jim, WLTX's Stanley and WOLO Abusiyaya?)

    Tom

    23 Jan 09 at 7:15 am

  35. I always get The June Bug Club & Romper Room mixed up, but I think JBC's big character building segment was "Do be a Do-Bee, don't be a Don't-Bee".

    Of course I remember Jolly Jim and Chief Sillyhorse though the name of the show's villian is escaping me right now. I remember Abu-si-ya-ya as a name and viewing choice, but nothing else about him. My sister has "Princess Pat"'s autograph somewhere.

    ted

    23 Jan 09 at 8:27 am

  36. The Villain was J.P. Sidewinder, but I don't recall who played him (Mackie Quave, maybe???). The late Jim Quick was Chief Sillyhorse.

    badger

    23 Jan 09 at 9:50 am

  37. ted - "Do be a Do-Bee" is from Romper Room.

    These shows are all imprinted in our childhood selves, and I think they had gentle, good messages about sharing and manners, but why is it that when you watch them as an adult they seem so weird? Like the whole world was on drugs when they were made?

    I figured out while my son was a baby ten years ago that Tele Tubbies made much more sense if you turned off the sound and played Pink Floyd on the stereo while watching.

    Dennis

    23 Jan 09 at 10:30 am

  38. Badger- Did you drink acid kool-aid while watching the Telly-Tubbies and listening to Pink Floyd?

    Tom

    23 Jan 09 at 4:23 pm

  39. Mackie Quave's character was "Cactus" Quave.

    E.J.

    23 Jan 09 at 8:09 pm

  40. Every spring when the jessamine bloom, my family thinks I am crazy singing the "Sunny Yellow Jessamine" song and we are blessed enough to arrive back in South Carolina, I start singing, "The Sandlapper Song".

    The TriCentennial was a SUPER BIG DEAL...in fact my family even incorporated it into our lives---we visited all 3 sites...and I bet one of us has the "The State" newspaper insert from that year.

    We learned some of the songs in school, we learned all about SC history and what it meant to be a South Carolinian.

    Now I can't remember if this had to do with the Tri-Centennial or not, but at Sesqui-Centennial Park there was an outdoor theater show....kind of like "The Lost Colony". The music to this production was wonderful also...I think there was one song about the Liberty Tree???? Long time ago...not sure...

    Is there any information on Mr. Knozit? I loved that show...now I am in NC where all I hear about is Uncle Paul and I would love to show them that our Mr. Knozit had him beat.

    Maybe not beat but at least gave Uncle Paul a good run for his money.....

    Chandler

    25 Jan 09 at 4:46 pm

  41. Chandler,

    I think this link will answer some of your questions about The Liberty Tree.

    The Mr. Knozit Show stopped in 2000, but Joe Pinner is still very much around.

    ted

    25 Jan 09 at 7:11 pm

  42. Wow, great post! I remember singing the "Sandlappers" song in elementary school in the early to mid-90s. We sang it several times, as part of music class and also classes in South Carolina history. I had completely forgotten about it until I read this post.

    Bill C.

    25 Feb 09 at 12:18 pm

  43. How do I get to the songs?

    Kaitlynn Sanders

    10 Mar 09 at 2:24 pm

  44. Right click on the link for each song and choose "save link as" or "save target as" depending on what browser you use. That will download the song. Then you can play the ".mp3" file on your computer.

    ted

    10 Mar 09 at 2:32 pm

  45. How WELL I remember all those songs. I was in school at the original Heathwood Hall back in the 60's through the early 70's and when these songs came out, we sang and sang and sang these all the time in our "music" class. I was 12 in 1970 and it's funny I remember the tunes to all these songs, eventhough it's been a very long time since I've heard them. My Dad in fact had Miss Nell Sprott for his music teacher back in Winnsboro many many many years ago and as far as I know, she's still living, or she was a year or so ago in a nursing home. The Tri-Centinial was a big deal back then, and it's funny how times and people have changed that dont remember it or these songs anymore...too bad you missed out on the thing that it was.

    Del

    11 Apr 09 at 11:20 pm

  46. Yep. Mrs. Sprott's still alive in her 90s. I was told that the family had a big get-together for her birthday a few months back.

    badger

    12 Apr 09 at 10:25 am

  47. I thought she was..my Dad had her as his 3rd grade(I think) Music Teacher back in the early 40's. It would be nice to get her to sign a copy of the LP and/or book that went with it.

    Del

    12 Apr 09 at 5:04 pm

  48. I grew up in Winnsboro and had the pleasure of singing these songs all through elementary school. My favorite was Come with me. I find myself singing them all the time. Mrs. Sprott was the organist at my church, so i was blessed to sing other music she wrote besides the wonderful tricentennial ones. She truly is a South Carolina treasure.

    MATT R

    20 Apr 09 at 9:45 am

  49. I sure would appreciate someone who knows this great album and the wonderful songs writing down the lyrics for those of us who do not know them. I do remember "Sandlappers" from TV, it is catchy. They might not let it be played in school nowadays with the two snippets of "Dixieland" in it. We surely don't want to hurt any feelings now do we?

    Yendor

    22 May 09 at 11:22 pm

  50. Well, if you want to learn the song, download it from the link above..

    (Or view the sheet music at RCPL in the third floor local history room).

    ted

    23 May 09 at 12:52 am

  51. Hello! I just stumbled upon your website. I can not speak on all the songs from the tricentenial album (wow, feels great to say album instead of CD again!)But the Sandlapper song was still going very strong in my generation. I grew up in the Upstate, Easley to be more exact, I can remember watching the re runs of the public television show using that song. And being required to sing along. As a child, I found this song very enjoyable and can remember singing it as loud as my voice would allow. This was around 1980, long after the big event. But still to this day as an adult I find myself singing it (I have no clue how I still remember the lyrics). Even when I moved to Iowa for 3 years, I sang it there. Now I am back in SC and appreciate this wonderful state even more!

    Dawn

    23 May 09 at 6:26 am

  52. Dawn, glad to hear it!

    ted

    23 May 09 at 1:08 pm

  53. Ted:

    Stumbled on to your site looking for Jolly Jim. I went to Satchel Ford as well and grew up in the area. I didn't have Mrs. Anderson but I remember her. I think I would have been in the 4th grade in 1970. I remember Mrs. Ann Hampton, the principal. The teachers I had were Mrs. Turbefil (sp?), Mrs. Sutphen, MRs. Havird, and Mrs. Swinton. I played ball there for years in the Dixie Youth League. Feel free to contact me via email if you want to exchange more memories...

    Raymond Nash

    25 May 09 at 4:13 pm

  54. i remember these songs from third grade as well. I was in third grade in 1997 at Augusta Circle Elementary; it's amazing that these songs are still part of the third grade play that they put on every year.

    dean

    6 Jun 09 at 5:16 pm

  55. Only my brother Chuck would bring such a beautiful link to the family - thank you Chuck and thank you Ted and all ya'll for this absolutely fulfilling post.

    Aby27

    14 Jul 09 at 8:46 pm

  56. I went to Everett School in Winnsboro and was priviledged to have had Mrs. Sprott as my music teacher. She taught patriotism as much as, if not more than, she did music. My days in her classes are fondly remembered and we need more people today doing what she did. I graduated the 7th grade in 1970. Yes, I said graduated. Back then it was a big thing and the whole Winnsboro Mills Village community celebrated our accomplishment. While some of my classmates have the distinction of having sung on that wonderful album, the words are ingrained deeply in the hearts of all who sang those songs, no matter when they learned them.

    Bull

    18 Jul 09 at 10:27 am

  57. I was in the 6th grade back in 1970 at the ORIGINAL Heathwood Hall school during the Tri-Centinial, and I think we sang all those songs EVERYDAY for that entire year. They were good at the time and still like to listen to them to remember how things were and used to be when things like that and the Tri-Centinial meant something to everyone. Too bad the times have changed.

    Del

    19 Jul 09 at 8:27 am

  58. Wow, what wonderful memories! I attended Everett Elementary School in Winnsboro in the first through the fifth grades, and Mrs. Sprott was the music teacher. She instilled in me an abiding love of music and a passionate pride in South Carolina. Her legacy will live on. My best friend and I were appointed by the principal, Col. Sam Razor, to be the flag bearers for the school. We not had the privilege of raising the American and State flags on the pole every morning and lowering them and folding them at the end of the school day, we also had the proud honor of marching those flags into the auditorium to the strains of Mrs. Sprott's piano playing a joyful rendition of "Stars and Stripes Forever." Tim bore the American flag, and I bore the State flag. What a blessing, and what a legacy!

    Jesse W. Sellers

    23 Jul 09 at 3:58 pm

  59. It was a great time to be in elementary school!

    ted

    24 Jul 09 at 1:02 am

  60. When I moved as a young music teacher in '81 to Anderson, SC from NC, copies of these songs were in my files! I wrote a script and did a program with them for many years! The title was in the files: South Carolina: From the Mountains to the Sea. I taught for 9 years, was a mom for 15 and now am back teaching in Anderson! I am using 5 of these songs in Feb. in our program for PTA ! Thanks for giving my students a chance to hear them sung by such pretty children's voices!!

    Jean Ann

    29 Sep 09 at 1:39 pm

  61. Glad these are being kept alive!

    ted

    29 Sep 09 at 1:51 pm

  62. I am shedding tears of joy right now! The Sandlapper Song was always a favorite, and even though I had not heard it in 25 years or so, I remembered EVERY WORD!!

    Thank you so much for publishing this. I am definitely from the Very Finest State in the U S A!

    W Hopkins

    17 Oct 09 at 1:53 pm

  63. Yep!

    ted

    17 Oct 09 at 10:39 pm

  64. Is Mrs. McMaster-Sprott still alive? I would love to contact her!!! Anyone know???

    Jean Ann

    21 Oct 09 at 5:42 am

  65. Yes she is. I don't know where she is living, but her son is a practicing attorney in Winnsboro. If you can't find her, you can surely find him.

    badger

    21 Oct 09 at 8:17 am

  66. The last I heard that she's in a nursing home somewhere I think Winnsboro but not sure..she's in her 90's now and I think unfortunatley has Alzheimers from what I was told.

    Del

    21 Oct 09 at 10:41 am

  67. Great memories! :)

    Does anyone remember the storyline wherein Princess Pat was kidnapped off yer Sunday morning show by J.P. Sidewinder, so Jolly Jim and Mr. Knowzit had to alternate as fill-in hosts for a few weeks?

    Years later I began wondering the real reason she was absent. Pregnancy? A local movie gig?

    Anyway, she was eventually rescued by the whole gang of TV heroes, and all was well.

    :)

    FrankWatson

    23 Oct 09 at 3:26 pm

  68. I can barely remember Princess Pat on WIS..I would have been 3 or 4 at the time.. what years was she on? I thought it was Princess Pat, then Jolly Jim and Joe Pinner took over and started the Mr. Knozit show. WOLO had Stanley The Clown also.. does anyone know WHO Stanley was/is? and if he is still here in Columbia?

    Del

    24 Oct 09 at 1:00 am

  69. I would love to talk with the owner of this site about the music. I am the granddaughter of Nelle McMaster Sprott.

    Thanks!

    Marion Sprott

    9 Dec 09 at 9:35 pm

  70. Ted, thank you so much for sharing the Tricentennial songs with us. My wife and I have a blog about South Carolina. It is our goal to show people from our state and other states why we believe we are "the very finest state of the USA". I wanted to ask your permission to print the lyrics from the songs on our site. We would tell people to check out your site for the lyrics. I believe you said in a previous post that you could get a copy of the sheet music at the Richland County Library. Sandlapper's Corner was my favorite show as a child. Thanks for your time!
    Stephen Farnsworth
    Greenville, SC

  71. Stephen,

    The sheet music is available in the local history room on the third floor of the RCPL, but you would need to contact the Sprotts for permission to reproduce the lyrics in full. I've recently heard from the Sprott family, and Mrs. Sprott is still, happily, with us. The family is looking to set up a web site devoted to Mrs. Sprott and her music, and so I have replaced the full versions of the songs here with 30 second clips.

    ted

    14 Dec 09 at 12:56 pm

  72. Thanks Ted! Do you know how I could get in contact with the Sprott family. I would be more than happy to give credit to Mrs. Sprott. I understand that she came up with all 10 of these wonderful songs. She is a true asset to South Carolina history and culture. "Come with me" brings me to tears every time I hear it. I wanted to give examples of state songs for our site, so her songs along with Henry Timrod's "Carolina" come to mind the most. I really enjoy your site!

  73. I hate spammers

    Jeff

    27 Jan 10 at 5:30 pm

  74. Me too! (So I deleted the comment!)

    ted

    27 Jan 10 at 6:00 pm

  75. The Sandlappers song brings back such fond memories for me. When I was in the 3rd grade in 1989 at Briggs Elementary in Florence, we studied South Carolina history, and would watch a South Carolina history show at least once a week that played the Sandpappers song at the begining. I haven't heard it since then. I was I could get the full version.

    Mike

    13 Feb 10 at 11:45 pm

  76. I remember having text books wrapped in the brown Tricentenial book covers back in the 70s and of course the Sandlapper song. I hate that Everett school is no longer standing. It would be wonderful to walk through it's halls one more time and soak in the memories.

    scott

    21 Feb 10 at 7:56 pm

  77. I have a copy of the "Tricentennial Songs" LP. it is a prized possesion as I also grew up with the tricentennial bookcovers and the song playing in my head. wonderful!

    a different Scott!

    22 Feb 10 at 9:38 pm

  78. I have been looking for the Sandlapper song for a LONG time. I remember singing it in school back in the 1970's where I grew up in Spartanburg, SC. It was refreshing to hear even just the 30 second clip, but I'd LOVE to be able to hear the entire song. Do you have the whole song available for download? Thank you.

    Scott Parham

    23 Feb 10 at 11:16 am

  79. Scott, I've found out the songs are still under copyright, and I'm happy to respect that, so I can't host full versions. I found my copy of the album on Ebay, and I've also seen it at various Columbia area antique malls from time to time, so keep your eyes open!

    ted

    23 Feb 10 at 11:49 am

  80. This is so neat. I was one of the students of her granddaughter at RWA. We sang many of these tricentennial songs and loved them. She even wrote a song for just our class, it was about Francis Marion.

    carolina

    10 Mar 10 at 3:52 pm

  81. Call me an old softy, but this just brought a tear to my eyes. I loved to sing the Sandlapper song when I watched the show on ETV (SC PBS) as a kid. I want to purchase the whole song. Where and how?

    Richard Streetman

    30 Apr 10 at 7:41 am

  82. Richard, at current I don't know any method other than catch as catch can on ebay and at local antique malls..

    ted

    30 Apr 10 at 11:36 am

  83. My recollection is that the tricentennial domes were on the lot behind the Hampton-Preston mansion, not on Senate Street. I remember that they sold Crookes radiometers there, and I couldn't figure out how they were relevant to the tricentennial.

    Jim

    30 Apr 10 at 1:07 pm

  84. "I always get The June Bug Club & Romper Room mixed up, but I think JBC’s big character building segment was “Do be a Do-Bee, don’t be a Don’t-Bee”.
    Of course I remember Jolly Jim and Chief Sillyhorse though the name of the show’s villian is escaping me right now. I remember Abu-si-ya-ya as a name and viewing choice, but nothing else about him. My sister has “Princess Pat”’s autograph somewhere.
    ted
    23 Jan 09 at 8:27 am"

    I think you're right about the Do-Bees. There was also a talking frog puppet called Ro-Revus
    (see http://www.veoh.com/browse/videos/category/entertainment/watch/v1080589xPp5qK59#)
    Finally, the guy (Dean Poucher) that played the villain J.P. Sidewinder on the Jolly Jim (O'Shea) show lived two houses down from me when I was a kid.

    Jim

    30 Apr 10 at 1:16 pm

  85. When you're 9, radiometers are so cool they are always relevant.

    ted

    30 Apr 10 at 1:34 pm

  86. You sure about that link? It appears to take me to an "interesting" site...

    ted

    30 Apr 10 at 1:37 pm

  87. Hmmm. That link worked before. Google "Ro-Revus Talks About Worms."

    Jim

    1 May 10 at 11:58 am

  88. Ah, looks like it's also on youtube here.

    "Produced by the malnutrition and parasite project University of South Carolina"..

    ted

    1 May 10 at 2:01 pm

  89. @Jim, there were two domes that flanked the Hampton-Preston House on the Blanding Street side. They each had a rectangular parking lot behind them. One dome went to Charles Town Landing and was destroyed by Hugo. The other I think was sold to a used car dealer.

    Tom

    2 May 10 at 5:42 am

  90. WOW I remember several of these from being in a South Carolina play as a 3rd grader back in the fall of 1996

    Andrew

    11 May 10 at 8:26 pm

  91. i sing these songs all the time. i was in 6th grade at starr elementary located in starr. all the 6th graders sang for the pta. my grandson just laughs at me. good times

    pam

    19 May 10 at 2:25 pm

  92. So many warm memories of third grade (circa 1985-1986) and Mrs. Wyndham, the music teacher at John P. Thomas Elementary in Columbia. She always wore the cutest acid wash denim skirts and oversized hair bows. Gosh… I'm always humming and singing, "We are Good Sandlappers" and "Carolina Sunshine," which happens to be my favorite. In fact, I was just humming these songs and one of my co-workers asked me what I was singing. So I told her that back in the 80's, we were required to learn SC history... you know, the official state dance (shag), flower (yellow Jessamine), beverage (milk), yadi yadi yada. She laughed. She's from upstate New York. She said she couldn't remember if they learned NY history during her time.

    Anyways... growing up in the 80's was the best. I even remember taking a school field trip to the State House in the third grade. Come to think about it, we also studied SC history in the eight grade too. So is SC history still a required part of the third and/or eighth grade curriculum? I hope today's generation gets an opportunity to learn these songs and hum them at work when their 32 like me. :-)

    Thanks for this web site... The Internet is a powerful beast... but in this case, it's being used for good!!!! Go South Carolina!!!!

    Denille

    20 May 10 at 12:37 pm

  93. Is there a place where you can download the full song? I've had the Sandlappers song stuck in my head for weeks now...it just popped in there one day and I started singing it..and I want to know all the lyrics again. I haven't heard the song since 3rd grade (SC History) when it was the ETV theme song on state history and that was in 1978! I decided to google it and found your site...but really want the whole song. Thanks for the memories!

    Angie

    25 May 10 at 12:14 pm

  94. Angie, your best bet is to find a copy of the old LP, looks like there's one for $10 here

    ted

    25 May 10 at 12:39 pm

  95. It was WONDERFUL being taught to sing by Mrs. Sprott. I enjoyed her talent as a music teacher, her patience and enthusiasm for music: she made all of us feel like we were GOOD

  96. I was at the original Heathwood Hall from first to third grade, 1962-65, and I remember Jolly Jim and crew and especially Stanley the Clown. I wormed my way onto the show a couple of times, dressing up as a clown. Stanley helped with the makeup. I recall the station as channel 19, WNOK, and it's studio was on the first floor of a hotel in downtown Columbia. Once, when Ringling Bros was in town, Emmett Kelly was on the show. That was a thrill. I don't recall I ever knew Stanley's real name or what became of him. This site is a hoot. I live in RI now where most directions are given by noting landmarks that "used to be..." Cheers.

    Bob

    10 Aug 10 at 4:52 pm

  97. Wasn't Jolly Jim on WIS?

    Jim

    10 Aug 10 at 6:51 pm

  98. Oh, I see. Stanley the Clown was on WNOK. I don't remember that show at all.

    I do remember Second Cup of Coffee, with Art James, though.

    Jim

    10 Aug 10 at 6:59 pm

  99. Jolly Jim, Chief Silly Horse and J.P. Sidewinder were kids favorites on WIS in the early 60s. They were replaced by Mr. Knozit around 1964.

    bud

    11 Aug 10 at 7:20 am

  100. A little web research disclosed that WNOK broadcasted from the Jefferson Hotel and that there were several Stanleys who were clowns. It's too bad these local afternoon kids shows, the Stanleys and the Jolly Jims, that actually involved the kids have gone away.

    Bob

    13 Aug 10 at 11:08 am

  101. Hey Bob, was Art James a slick haired guy with thick framed glasses who did boring interviews?

    Terry Edwards

    14 Aug 10 at 6:41 am

  102. I'm not Bob, but, yes, that was Art James. He often had a pipe in the early 1980s when he did the local interview show. Kinda wonder whatever happened to him. Also Will Spann. He did these five-minute news bites either in the evening or late at night.

    badger

    14 Aug 10 at 2:08 pm

  103. Boring is in the eye of the beholder. Art James was to WNOK what Anne Cobb was to WOLO.

    Jim

    14 Aug 10 at 6:45 pm

  104. After that comment, I was wondering if Anne Cobb was that beehive-haired woman I remember. Yep, so it would seem: http://www.tributes.com/show/Anne-Cobb-84871211

    badger

    14 Aug 10 at 7:56 pm

  105. Anne Cobb had a lot of nice memories posted on that board

    Terry Edwards

    15 Aug 10 at 7:34 am

  106. I have a copy of this album, it is a prized posession of mine! I recall the SCETV program that had "we are good sandlappers" for it's theme song....the whole 4th grade class at Bennettsville Intermediate School would be singing along. that was 1974, and I still love this song!
    My wife works with David Smith, one of the singers.

    ScottJohnson

    29 Aug 10 at 4:41 pm

  107. additionally, my wife is seriously addicted to a nintendo DS game "Animal Crossing" and at certain points in the game you can program simple tunes via a step-time tone generator....yup, you guessed it! on of the tunes I programmed for her is "we are good sandlappers"!

    Scott Johnson

    29 Aug 10 at 9:03 pm

  108. What ever happed to Art James?...and when did WNOK/WLTX move to Garners Ferry Rd?...

    Del

    30 Aug 10 at 12:26 am

  109. Oh yeah..and I think the guy that played/was Stanley The Clown still lives here in Columbia..I think.

    Del

    30 Aug 10 at 12:28 am

  110. I, too, grew up with these songs... although I was born the year of the tricentennial. Mrs. Nicholson, Mrs. Sprott's niece, taught us these songs in chorus at Richard Winn in Winnsboro. Although I no longer live in Winnsboro, these songs bring back of flood of great memories. I remember Mrs. Sprott playing the pipe organ for the choral society to sing the Messiah at Christmas. What talents this amazing woman possessed! I asked my mom and dad not too long ago if they remembered these wonderful songs. We all ended up singing the lines we could recall. Thank you for posting this information and for helping us celebrate the woman and her music. We are all truly blessed to have experienced Mrs. Sprott and her music.

    Eric Robinson

    18 Sep 10 at 9:16 pm

  111. I have 2 of the SC Tricentennial Jim Beam Whiskey bottles. One of them has the cork stopper and the broken seal attached. The Jim Beam Kentucky Straight Whiskey silver lable is still attached but not in good shape. The other one is missing the stopper, seals and lable. I would like to know if anyone can tell me of a market place for these bottles. All replys are welcome and thank you in advance for your help.

    Marie Rawl

    1 Oct 10 at 5:35 pm

  112. @Marie-try E-bay or an in-state antique place.

    Tom

    2 Oct 10 at 9:12 am

  113. what about the cube built on roper mt. for the centennial.

    jack anthony

    4 Oct 10 at 5:39 pm

  114. @ Jack, it was never finished. The materials used to make the cube was found to be defective. There was a bunch of lawsuits between almost everyone involved in the project.

    A modified version was briefly opened, but it was closed and made off limits to the public in 1971. The site was given to Greenville Tech who eventually tore down what remained.

    Tom

    5 Oct 10 at 10:51 am

  115. Nellie Sprott was my music teacher at Everett Elementary School from 1965-1967. I had the honor of being selected by her to sing the lead in Super-cala-fraga-listic-expi-ala-docious during a Spring program she put on at Everett Elem for the community. That building is now torn down. Does anyone have any pictures (inside or outside) of that school - Everett Elementary in Winnsboro, SC? LynnBryant1@yahoo.com

    Lynn Bryant

    18 Nov 10 at 1:07 pm

  116. Can I get a link to the entire Sandlapper Song?

    Robert Powe

    12 Jan 11 at 8:45 pm

  117. Robert Powe

    12 Jan 11 at 8:45 pm

  118. Your best bet is the antique malls and ebay, I'm afraid.

    ted

    12 Jan 11 at 11:25 pm

  119. Does anyone remember a program on SCETV in the mid 1970s that dealt with South Carolina's role in the Revolutionary War? The host was a rather large man who walked with a cane and he had a booming voice. I believe he was a professor of History at the University of South Carolina. I saw it a few years ago on the SC Channel but the title has slipped my mind.

    Jason

    23 Jan 11 at 1:58 am

  120. Jason - the host of the show was Henry Lumpkin and the show you are talking about was, "And Then There Were Thirteen." From an Amazon biography for his famous book From Savannah To Yorktown: The American Revolution In The South -

    About the Author

    Henry Lumpkin was a military historian with the United States European Command and Naval Academy. He was Professor Emeritus of History at the University of South Carolina. He was also author and narrator of two television programs, And Then There Were Thirteen and Saints and Legions, broadcast by SCETV Network.

    Tragically, Dr. Lumpkin and his wife were killed in a car accident when their vehicle ran off the road on Sunnyside Drive between Trenholm Road and Forest Drive there where the road dog-legs and it gets kind of rural looking. The exact location is not known to this commenter. I don't find this information immediately anywhere on the web, but I want to say this was in the very early '80s (maybe very late '70s).

    He had one of the most distinctive authoritarian voices you've ever heard in a classroom type setting, and at times, his Low Country brogue was so thick it was hard to tell if he was British or from the heart of Charleston. His way of emphasizing a point by suddenly shifting his posture to look more important and then using his cane to "punctuate" the point was maximum old-school.

    Michael Taylor

    23 Jan 11 at 4:06 am

  121. Thanks Michael. I just wish it was available on DVD.

    Jason

    5 Feb 11 at 10:02 pm

  122. Ted,

    Is there any way to get copies of the full song recordings? I had a copy and one of my students broke the album several years ago and I have been trying desparately to find a copy (new or used). It just does not seem to exist.

    When the Pickens County Library (Easley Branch) told me about this blog, I was so excited. Imagine my disappointment when I tried to download one of the songs and found only a 30 second clip. How can I get the songs with their full content? These are songs about South Carolina that this generation is missing out on!!!

    Kenneth Holcombe

    Kenneth Holcombe

    28 Feb 11 at 7:13 pm

  123. Kenneth,

    At one time I did have the full songs here, but it turned out the album is still under copyright, and to respect that (which I do) I replaced those with clips.

    Your best bet is probably an internet search on "singing sandlappers" -- That's how I found a copy on Ebay a few years back.

    ted

    28 Feb 11 at 10:00 pm

  124. I am happy to find this Sandlapper song that I can remember being involved in a school play I did as a 3rd grader back in Oct/Nov 1996 amongst the 1700 years of Youtube footage comprised of videos of fire alarms, tests of the old Emergency Broadcast system (and it's successor, Emergency Alert System), Walmart intercom pranks, airplane takeoffs/landings, TV show clips (past/present), what I call 'youtube organists' playing their hymns that I enjoy, among other things).

    Andrew

    1 Mar 11 at 12:10 am

  125. Speaking of The June Bug Show that Mrs. Timmerman ran, I was on that show back in the mid 60's. A cousin of mine was a "June Bug" ..but the sad thing is I REMEMBER THE JUNE BUG THEME SONG AND WORDS:

    We are little June Bugs
    Happy little June Bugs
    Hopeing you are happy to
    If you like our show today
    we will show you just the way
    You can be a June Bug too..

    isnt that SAD! Dont ask me why I remember the words after 44 years. I dont remember though where her school was located and the street it was/is on. Anyone know?

    Del Bazemore

    1 Mar 11 at 12:44 pm

  126. Originally, at the intersection of Covenant Road and Bethel Church Road. The Forest Acres school moved to Atascadero, and the Timmermans opened a St. Andrews school, in the early 1970s.

    I was a June Bug, too. I also was on Time for Sounds, starring Arletta Raley, for a year in fourth grade until I found out that we weren't going to be paid.

    Jim

    1 Mar 11 at 1:11 pm

  127. What years were you a June Bug? My cousin is Tony Bazemore.. Do you remember Katherin Goodall? I remember Time for sounds very well also.. I never was on her show, but I do remember her husband Dr. Alex Raley..

    Del Bazemore

    1 Mar 11 at 2:08 pm

  128. I'm guessing this is very familar to y'all then..

    ted

    1 Mar 11 at 2:29 pm

  129. That must be the program we watched in Elementary School. I remember the program very well, although I didn't recall the title. I do remember that was the first place I ever heard "Don Gato" and "Sarasponda."

    badger

    1 Mar 11 at 3:14 pm

  130. Wow, what fun memories the song "We Are Good Sandlappers" brings back! We sang this song in elementary school chorus at Seven Oaks Elementary in Columbia in the mid 70's! I have often mentioned the song to my wife as an example of how pride in SC was something we were taught growing up. Thanks for putting this out there!

    Tripp

    15 May 11 at 10:17 pm

  131. Ladies and Gentlemen, here's the Sandlapper Song:

    http://youtu.be/hbVkkvxHA_g

    * I just checked my prior link but that didn't work so this one should

    Andrew

    15 May 11 at 11:12 pm

  132. If anyone cares to view the lyrics for Carolina Sunshine and the Sandlapper song once again, I have found them

    Andrew

    15 May 11 at 11:26 pm

  133. WOW!! I remember singing these songs in elementry school while growing up in Sumter. Love it! Thanks for bringing back some good memories.

    Randy

    8 Jul 11 at 10:30 pm

  134. Unbelievable! My 18 year old has heard me sing the Sunny Yellow Jessamine song since he was a kid... the other day he was trying to sing it, but thought it was a "jasmine"... I had to try to find the lyrics... not to mention i was trying to sing it to my grandson... honestly i had no idea that when i was learning it in 1st grade that it was because of SC's tricentenial... guess learning that song was more important than i ever knew. Thanks for putting this info out there... just wish the whole song was there to hear.

    Lynn

    10 Jul 11 at 2:49 pm

  135. Mrs. Sprott was VERY insistent upon the "jess-uh-min" pronunciation and not 'jazz-min' when singing this song.

    badger

    10 Jul 11 at 4:29 pm

  136. Thanks so much for bringing back the wonderful memory of the foundation of my love for music, which started in elementary school through these songs. I will be looking for the sheet music a the RCPL so our school music teacher can play it to help me present a SC Social Studies lesson to our third graders.

    Carolina Sunshine and Come With Me brought a tear to my heart.

    Deryll

    4 Sep 11 at 9:30 am

  137. I was teaching these songs in third grade in the seventies! I was delighted to find this site. I have the LP and an original copy of the sheet music. It went through a fire at an elementary school and survived! I would like to know if it is ok to use these songs in a book of Reader's Theater I am working on? I saw the comments about the copyright being to the Tricentennial Commission C1969 and that is correct. The commission disbanned I am sure. I certainly would give Mrs. Sprott and the Commission credit in the book. What do you think?

    Mary Ann Solesbee

    24 Oct 11 at 1:07 pm

  138. If you have a facebook account, I'd send a message to her granddaughter, who is listed upstream in this thread, and see what she thinks about it. BTW, as I understand it, Mrs. Sprott herself is in Clinton at the Presbyterian Home in Clinton, and still plays the piano every day.

    badger

    24 Oct 11 at 2:34 pm

  139. Thanks so much for the information. I appreciate it. Mary Ann

    Mary Ann Solesbee

    26 Oct 11 at 1:28 pm

  140. I do have a facebook account and I did swim upstream, but couldn't find the name of Mrs. Sprott's granddaughter. I just saw mention of her. Could you share it? Can't wait to be in touch with her. Mary Ann

    Mary Ann Solesbee

    27 Oct 11 at 6:58 am

  141. That would be "Marion Sprott". I do see the email addresses people use whenever they leave a comment, but I don't feel that I can give them out. However google gives a number of hits for Ms Sprott that should make it easy to contact her.

    ted

    27 Oct 11 at 10:33 am

  142. Thanks so much! Mary Ann

    Mary Ann Solesbee

    27 Oct 11 at 10:53 am

  143. @Mary Ann, if you use "Ctrl+F" on a PC platform (or Command+F) on a MacBook and type in "sprott" you'll find a comment left on this very post by someone with that name.

    I recommend using that keyboard shortcut for any webpage you're on when you're trying to find a specific word in the text of any page you're on.

    Andrew

    27 Oct 11 at 11:29 am

  144. Thanks for the tip! Now, I tried to find Marion Sprott on Facebook and the only one was a male. Could you direct me or could you please send Marion an email and give her my address? My personal address is DRMABz3@bellsouth.net and you have my school mail. Thanks so much for your assistance. Mary Ann

    Mary Ann Solesbee

    1 Nov 11 at 2:25 pm

  145. I can not find any links for The Jolly Jim Show anywhere. i grew up in Camden in the 50's and 60's and watched that show all the time. Does anyone have any info on finding out about the show and characters?

    MIKE BEARD

    2 Nov 11 at 9:39 pm

  146. If I recall correctly, the book

    Hi There, Boys and Girls! America's Local Children's TV Programs

    has some information on Jolly Jim, Chief SIllyhorse, J.P. Sidewinder and all. There are also some scattered comments on this site.

    ted

    2 Nov 11 at 11:45 pm

  147. I know Jim O'Shea was fired from WIS and Joe Pinner took his place in 1964/65, I also remember "Princess Pat" which was either the same time or before "Jolly Jim" I was on the Jolly Jim show one year when a friend of mine at the time had his birthday. I think it was in '64.

    Del

    3 Nov 11 at 12:42 am

  148. Fascinating comments on a host of subjects...mainly the great song. Well...Cactus Quave, Jolly Jim, Chief SillyHorse, Princess Pat, the evil J.P. Sidewinder have all gone to that great studio in the sky I'm sad to say as we were all contemporaries at the time. I so enjoyed "working" with them and miss them tremendously not only for themselves but the delight and decency of performance they brought to the children (and many adults) before "bleeping" became so common and I do mean "common". At 76, I still meet every day the "aging members" who were guests as children on the Knozit show and it "makes my day". What a joy to host such an opportunity to meet so many young people over those 37 years of Knozit and see them reach adulthood! Thanks...Knozit

    Joe Pinner

    11 Dec 11 at 9:48 pm

  149. Hi Mr. Pinner! I can actually remember when your show took the place of Jolly Jim back in the mid 60's. I'm sure you remember my little brother Warren Bazemore being your "co-host" when he was a lot younger..(he's 35 now). I grew up watching Princess Pat and Jolly Jim, and when your show came on in it's place I watched it through the early 70's. I personally thought that Jim O'Shea was very nice to us kids on his show, and Jim E. Quick was funny as Cheif Silly Horse. Did you ever do any "narrations" or story telling for the Columbia Philharmonic back in the 60's or early 70's? Hope all is well with you and your family! Del Bazemore

    Del

    12 Dec 11 at 1:46 pm

  150. I miss the Deputy Dawg cartoons Mr. Knozit showed.

    tonkatoy

    12 Dec 11 at 3:18 pm

  151. Deputy Dawg was a made-for-tv Terrytoon. He seems to be pretty sparse on DVD, but there are a number of VHS collections. And of course youtube:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vGxRGTAPCg

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMDTo2morpI

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F85BCzo1F_8

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvW5qDGZtHo

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szRnos2GGpM

    ted

    12 Dec 11 at 4:13 pm

  152. Hey Mr. Knozit, do you know what ever happened to your competitors, Stanley the Clown on WLTX nee WNOK and Abushi-ya-ya (sp?) on WOLO?

    Tom

    12 Dec 11 at 5:11 pm

  153. Someone at First Baptist Church here in Columbia, told me WHO Stanley The Clown was, and I think he's still here in Columbia, but dont know what he does now. I used to watch him too in the late 60's. Does anyone know who Stanely was?

    Del

    13 Dec 11 at 12:52 am

  154. I heard the Sandlapper song and it brought tears to my eyes. I was a student at Forest Lake Elementary school in Columbia at that time. I believe our music teacher was Mrs. Graham. I was also a classmate of her daughter Laura Graham. I remember singing this song during the tricentennial. Everytime I hear this song or even think about it I think about all of those places I remember about South Carolina. The Grand strand, Edisto island, The Edisto river, Columbia etc. Thank you for creating this website. I can now feel a little closer to home even though I live so very far away.

    Glowacki

    20 Jan 12 at 2:25 am

  155. My little sister and I sang these songs into a tape recorder that we mailed to our daddy when he was in Vietnam. Julia and I attended A.C.Moore Elementary in Columbia. And like so many of these posts have shared, I find myself singing these songs with happy memories.

    Linda

    30 Apr 12 at 6:49 pm

  156. Wow! My twin brother and I, along with other life-long friends, were in Ms. Ballentine's 3rd grade class at Blythewood, and our class performed these songs. It was also recorded on WRLK TV. I still sing some of these songs. Would give anything to have that video!

    Don Bowen

    5 May 12 at 1:47 pm

  157. Folks, here's some very interesting information on the Tricentennial buildings in Columbia, Charleston and Greenville from randomconnections.com.

    ted

    11 Nov 12 at 1:19 am

  158. Singing these songs this year at school and is at mt. view elementary taylors, sc 29687 on mt. view road sometime in april

    Singer

    1 Apr 13 at 9:46 am

  159. Singing these songs this year at school and is at mt. view elementary taylors, sc 29687 on mt. view road sometime in april

    Singer

    1 Apr 13 at 9:46 am

  160. Hey, Ted, if you happen to see this, just out of curiosity, is this a photo or a scan of the album cover? (Well, technically, this question could be answered 'yes,' but you know what I mean.)

    badger

    23 May 13 at 8:49 pm

  161. Been a while ago now, but my memory is that it's two scans. The album was too big for the bed of my scanner, so I scanned the top and bottom and then pasted the images together. At least I think so.

    ted

    23 May 13 at 10:35 pm

  162. Thanks. Reason I asked is that a lot of times when you scan photos that are made of tiny dots (like the back of an album cover), you can get a moire checkerboard pattern, but somehow you were able to get around it. That's why I thought it might have been a photo.

    badger

    24 May 13 at 7:51 am

  163. Amazing comments by so many!

    Marsha Hosford

    23 Nov 13 at 10:10 am

  164. does any one know where videos of the old SCETV shows are at?

    Alan

    5 Feb 14 at 5:06 pm

  165. Hi,

    I wonder if anyone has full digital recordings of these songs. I'm doing some research for a novel that takes place during the SC Tricentennial, and being able to listen to the songs in their entirety would be an enormous help. As an aside, they are really sweet little gems.

    Alexei Bien

    6 Sep 14 at 6:24 pm

  166. I remember Nellie McMaster Sprott as the music teacher in Fairfield County at Everitt Elementary School as well as Mount Zion Elementary she is someone that was an inspiration to me along with all of my teachers I remember learning to play song flute to songs in particular Joy to the World and Heaven and Earth and sea and sky on the song flute she told us many songs Every Good Boy Does Fine and face I recall also as the notes to learn but just wanted to put that in there and she saying of South Carolina and was very proud and she was a super individual and I was glad to have had her as my music teacher

    Gene Driggers

    21 May 16 at 3:25 am

  167. Mrs. Sprott's daughter was my chorus teacher at RWA in Winnsboro, SC. We grew up from K4-12 grades singing these songs. I sang them all to my children growing up and they know them now, having attended my alma mater. Truly a blessing to have been part of this magnificent woman's life.

    Rebekah Douglas Coleman

    15 Oct 16 at 1:37 pm

  168. Just thought I'd pass this along. . . Mrs. Sprott celebrated her 100th birthday last week!

    badger

    11 Jan 17 at 9:33 pm

  169. Wow, that's great!

    ted

    11 Jan 17 at 11:10 pm

  170. 170.

    Rick

    28 Feb 17 at 10:18 am

  171. I was thrilled to find this site. Unfortunately, it was after you replaced the complete song with 30-second clips. Would it be possible to post the entire song? Finding a copy of these is nearly impossible, and I don't live anywhere close to a library with a copy of either the sheet music or the original album. Would you be willing to report the entire album in toto?

    Teddy Raye

    26 May 17 at 1:23 am

  172. Just received word that Mrs. Sprott has died at the age of 100. Her services will be in Winnsboro tomorrow.

    badger

    21 Nov 17 at 9:21 am

  173. Well, I am certainly sorry to hear that. Her music brought a lot of happiness to us kids in 1970 and after..

    ted

    21 Nov 17 at 9:35 am

  174. I remember these songs being used in my Elementary School music class in the 90s and this page has enabled me to appreciate & understand the significance thereof...

    Here is her obituary

    Andrew

    21 Nov 17 at 2:30 pm

  175. My Dad had her for music at Mt. Zion in Winnsboro back in the 1940's. When I attended the original Heathwood Hall School back in the 60's through the early 1970's, we sang the Tricentennial Songs all the time. Sorry to hear about her passing.

    Del Bazemore

    21 Nov 17 at 3:49 pm

  176. Came to this site as my mother, Julia Halford, and I were discussing Joan Strickland, my third grade music teacher. I mentioned that the song Carolina Sunshine had dotted sixteenth notes and thirty-second notes, and I, as a young piano enthusiast, thought that was a big deal. We were trying to remember the name of the composer since mom (high school music teacher in Camden for years) had met her.

    Good stuff.

    Forrest Halford

    28 Nov 18 at 8:38 pm

  177. With Mrs. Sprott's permission, I used the song "We are Good Sandlappers" as the theme song for an in-school television series I developed for the SC Department of Education and SCETV called "Sandlapper"s Corner". It was broadcast for third grade school classes to use in their study of South Carolina. Other songs were also used throughout the 30 lessons. "Sandlapper's Corner" aired over 20 years and was last available on SCETV's streaming service.

    Sandra Gunter Thomas

    16 Sep 19 at 11:07 pm

  178. @Sandra Gunter Thomas: As one of the countless South Carolina children who grew up with "Sandlapper's Corner," it is a wonderful surprise to see your comment here. Thank you for a program I still remember, happily, all these years later.

    Jodie Peeler

    25 Sep 19 at 4:42 pm

  179. In regard to the Tricentennial, my 3rd grade teacher at Schneider ES, Miss Woods, gave us all Tricentennial maps of the state, and I still have mine to this day as well as the Bicentennial map!

    HD Klose

    21 Jan 20 at 10:21 am

  180. I stumbled across this page because my son and his classmates in the school choir are performing Sandlappers, Come With Me, and Stand Tall for South Carolina in the upcoming 3rd grade show at Satchel Ford Elementary. So, 50 years after the Tricentennial they're still being used to educate children. I think that's a pretty good legacy.

    Andy

    18 Feb 20 at 6:38 pm

  181. @Andy -- it certainly is!

    And given that all the songs are now widely available online, I have restored them to the page.

    ted

    18 Feb 20 at 11:17 pm

  182. For several years in the 1960s-1970s, my mother, Barbara Thomas, along with Marilyn Stadtman on piano, directed the “Sixth Grade Chorus” at Brennen Elementary School in Columbia. The year I sang with the chorus was the bicentennial year, and we sang all these songs. There was an effort to have students throughout the state learn these songs. It was quite a bonding experience for all of us. My mother and I, and also several friends from that time, will start singing these songs whenever prompted. This morning I am watching Carolina wrens feeding their nestlings, and this set of songs came to mind. I was so happy to find them on this site. Thank you.

    KATHRYN THOMAS

    28 Apr 21 at 9:51 am

  183. What a wonderful site to stumble upon. I hope this is still managed and explored. I was in 3rd grade at South Kilbourne in 1970. Our family regularly went to Sesquicentennial State Park and we gleefully called it Sesqui-TRI-centennial Park ever after. My mother regularly played piano with the Columbia local theatre company. My sister and I got to be on the Jolly Jim Show one time. Does anyone know if those shows were ever recorded?

    Laura Francis

    14 Jul 22 at 4:01 pm

  184. @Laura Francis -- the site is definitely still active. Summer is not the highest posting season with other stuff going on, but keep an eye on the main page, or check the Alphabetical Listings if you just want to browse around.

    ted

    14 Jul 22 at 10:39 pm

  185. I am blessed to own the Everett grand piano that Mrs. Sprott played on the LP recording of Tricentennial Songs. In addition to having had her as my music teacher at Mt Zion for 6 years, she also taught me private instruction piano for 5 or 6 years. She was one of the most encouraging ladies I’ve ever known, and always lived her life in the service of the Lord. I miss her, and am grateful to have had her as a mentor at a young age.

    Susan

    7 Oct 22 at 8:12 am

Leave a Reply

Tags

Recently Updated Posts

Blogroll