Festival At Dillard Will Celebrate The Legacy Of Lucile Levy Hutton

From Dillard University:

April 19, 2021

As cliché as it may sound, music truly is the soul of New Orleans. That adage is also
reflected in the legacy of Dillard University, and Dr. Jana Meyers-Smith has decided to organize a festival celebrating a local legend whose story she feels needs to be told.

The Lucile Levy Hutton Arts Festival will be held at 7 p.m., April 23, at Union Circle outside of the Student Union on Dillard’s campus. The festival, which is free and open to the public, will be held in person with an attendance cap.

Not only will the festival be a celebration of music; it will feature dance, poetry
and theater.

Lucile Levy Hutton was a musician, music lover, educator and author whose work helped shape music education among New Orleans’ public schools. She graduated from the Straight College Normal Department in 1916 and later went on to earn her bachelor’s in music education from Oberlin College as well as her master’s in music education from Northwestern University. Hutton also studied music at Millis College in Oakland, California, the University of California at Berkeley and Columbia University.

Among New Orleanians, she was best known as a music teacher at Valena C. Jones Elementary School and as a member of the legendary B-Sharp Music Club. She also wrote “This is A Grand Work: A History of Central Congregational Church (United Church of Christ) New Orleans, Louisiana, 1871-1977,” which chronicled the church’s history.

Smith was inspired to organize the festival after researching Hutton’s life and work.
“I was introduced to Ms. Hutton by Dr. Eva Baham, friend and colleague,” says Smith.
Baham is an associate professor of history at Dillard. “Dr. Baham did a presentation
on Black women that included Ms. Hutton. In knowing my background of being a former
teacher of New Orleans Public Schools and a professional dancer, she talked to me
about Hutton’s life works in music education in New Orleans Public Schools.” Smith
says that Baham encouraged her to research Hutton because of their similar love of
the arts, their advocacy for improving New Orleans children’s education through the
arts and their careers as teachers in New Orleans’ public schools. Smith then embarked
on her two-year research journey.

Hutton’s influence reverberated throughout the local African American community. One
of Smith’s findings was that Hutton designed a curriculum that served as a train-the-trainer
function. Because of Hutton’s work, public school teachers were able to provide Black
children with a quality liberal arts education. The true significance of Hutton’s
work, according to Smith, was her ability to deliver equitable education despite a
“second class” model that had been in place since 1841. “Because of her music education
program, over 20,000 students in the New Orleans Negro Public Schools received vocal
and instrumental music education,” says Smith; and she also notes that schools’ participation
in New Orleans’ famous parades and festivals are a result of Hutton’s work.

Another key part of Hutton’s work was her coordination of the annual Music Festival
of Negro Public Schools which ran from 1948 through 1962. “This pageantry...became
the crown jewel in New Orleans’ public schools’ arts programs for both the Negro and
white school systems,” says Smith. “It leveled the community field of classism and
socioeconomic status. The Negro Music Festival gave the community a safe environment
to enjoy and to experience dance, drama, gymnastics and classical instrumental and
vocal music.”

In addition to enjoying the festival, Smith hopes that attendees will walk away with
a sense of purpose. She wants people to understand the importance of investing in
students’ education as a way to improve and build communities. “I want (the community)
to know the healing impact that arts education has on the communities physically,
emotionally, mentally and financially.” She points to the world famous New Orleans
Jazz and Heritage Festival as an example. Not lost on any of this, however, is Smith’s
desire to showcase Dillard’s ability to improve the community’s economy through its
liberal arts offerings.

The Lucile Levy Hutton Arts Festival is presented by the School of Humanities, the
School of Social Science, the Department of Athletics and the Health and Physical
Education Program. Slated to perform, so far, are the DU Diamonds, members of the
Dillard University Concert Choir and Dillard Theatre majors. The festival is open
to the general public on a first come, first served basis. To RSVP, go to www.dillard.edu/llhartsfest.

This press release was produced by Dillard University. The views expressed are the author's own.