2002 Inductees: Douglas Macpherson
Category: Founder
|
Mr. Douglas Macpherson, Charter President of the Kiwanis Music Festival Association of St. John's, was a Scotsman born in Orangeville, Ontario. He was a Major in the Canadian Army, served with distinction in World War I, and was awarded the Military Cross. He is reported to have been a typical "military man," i.e., perhaps somewhat formidable and intimidating to younger Kiwanians of the day.
|
He lived mostly in western Canada, and it was there that he originally became involved with music festivals. In fact, western Canada can be considered as the birthplace of the music festival movement in this country. He was musical in his own right, and was active as a choral singer.
In 1935, he moved with his wife and three children to Newfoundland. One of his children, Gordon, a professional musician himself, has twice been here as one of our Festival adjudicators. However, for Major Macpherson, it was to be fifteen more years before his love of music and his belief and expertise in music festivals was able to combine in a community project.
When the Kiwanis Club of St. John's was formed in 1950, Doug Macpherson became a Charter Member, and immediately saw an opportunity for the Club to become involved in starting a Music Festival here. The idea was presented to the fledgling Club, and in the Spring of 1951 the first Music Festival Committee was formed, under the Chairmanship of none other than Kiwanian Macpherson, using the expertise he had gained from his involvement in western Canada. This was the first major project of the new Club. In the Fall of 1951, Mr. Macpherson took it upon himself to attend the annual convention of the Canadian Federation of Music Festivals to refresh his memory of music festivals and to make himself familiar with the latest trends in their organization and running. Upon his return, the Committee got down to business.
Following the first Kiwanis Music Festival in 1952, Doug Macpherson stayed on for a second term as President. However, in January, 1953, the Presidency of the Kiwanis Club itself became vacant, and he was required to step into that position. He agreed, on the condition that the Music Festival Committee be taken over by David Peters. I am told that he, too, had a condition attached to that request. He agreed only if all the formal functions associated with the Music Festival would continue to be handled by Mr. Macpherson. David, at that time, was only a young man, and not anxious to be in the spotlight.
But Mr. Macpherson's association with the Music Festival Association did not end there. He eventually served for a couple of years as the Festival's Executive Secretary, and was later involved with the hiring of someone to serve as the third person in that position.
Without a doubt, it can be said that Mr. Douglas W. Macpherson was the driving force behind the formation of the Kiwanis Music Festival Association of St. John's, and the Kiwanian to whom we owe a tremendous debt of gratitude. It is with great pride and pleasure that we now induct him into the Music Festival Association's HALL OF HONOUR in the FOUNDER CATEGORY.
[ top of page ]
|
-