PRINTER'S NO. 960
No. 56 Session of 1991
INTRODUCED BY NOYE AND CLARK, MARCH 19, 1991
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, MARCH 19, 1991
A RESOLUTION
1 Declaring the week of July 1 through 7, 1991, as "Autoharp Week"
2 in Pennsylvania.
3 WHEREAS, The autoharp was patented on May 9, 1882, by Charles
4 F. Zimmermann of Philadelphia, who manufactured and sold over
5 50,000 of these instruments in the first three years of
6 production; and
7 WHEREAS, Charles F. Zimmermann declared the instrument to be
8 "the best work which a human being so far has achieved on
9 earth"; and
10 WHEREAS, The autoharp has continued to grow in popularity and
11 importance in the educational and folk music fields, and is most
12 significant in perpetuating and performing American folk music,
13 having been made so by such classic folk music artists as the
14 Carter family, Kilby Snow and the Stoneman family; and
15 WHEREAS, The autoharp is a standard teaching tool in the
16 music departments of many public schools across the nation; and
17 WHEREAS, There is to be an international autoharp festival
1 held in Newport, Perry County, Pennsylvania on July 5, 6 and 7,
2 1991; and
3 WHEREAS, The Commonwealth is proud to host this celebration,
4 to be known as the Mountain Laurel Autoharp Gathering; therefore
5 be it
6 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives declare the week
7 of July 1 through July 7, 1991, as "Autoharp Week" in
8 Pennsylvania in honor and commemoration of this first
9 international "homecoming" of the autoharp.
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