The 1960s
The Board of Directors for 1960 served only nine months--from April 1 through December 31--since the Society changed the fiscal year to correspond with the calendar year. Earlier the fiscal year had been from April 1 through March 31.

Other events occurring in 1960 included the sponsorship of the Glendale Thunderbird and Yuma, Arizona chapters. The chorus came in third again at the FWD contest in Long Beach. Chuck Rastatter of the Desert Knights was directing.

The FWD Convention of 1964 was held in Sacramento, California. The Western Continentals, a quartet less than a year old, was named the new quartet champion. Phoenix, with 27 men on stage, finished fourth. The Western Continentals sang their way to eighth place at the 1965 International Convention held in Boston; later in the year they ushered in the New Year singing on the Jimmy Dean Show.

Phoenix hosted the FWD Convention in 1965 in its neighboring city of Tempe. Sam Aramian was general chairman. Lloyd Steinkamp of the Desert Knights was directing the chorus, newly renamed "The Copper Statesmen." Their costume was blue, yellow, purple or red sweaters and knickers. Lloyd was dressed in academic regalia: a white gown and mortar board. The chorus finished second to San Diego.

1966: Ushering in a New Era

One of the pivotal years in the Phoenix Saguaro Chapter's history was 1966. A series of events took place which would eventually send a shock wave through the entire Society. It started with the 1964 International Chorus Champion "Border Chorders" from El Paso, Texas coming by bus to sing on the Phoenix show. Then Director Lloyd Steinkamp took a job with the Society which meant he could no longer direct the chorus. Then fate took an additional turn.

Lou Laurel says there were 24 men at the chapter meeting the night he came into the Phoenix Chapter; a job transfer had brought him to Phoenix. Lou had served as International President in 1962, and he had directed the El Paso Chorus to their 1964 International Championship. It was hard work, but by October 15 and competition in Fresno, California, the new "Phoenicians" chorus was ready and the won the first Far Western District Chorus Championship ever for Phoenix. Also that year the Western Continentals were quarter finalists at Chicago, and the chapter sponsored Scottsdale in August.

Sixty-two men sang their way to Third Place Medalist at the International Chorus Contest in Los Angeles in 1967, only fourteen points away from second place. They appeared as "Desert Romeos," dressed in long, flowing silks. The Western Continentals finished second in Los Angeles.

Sam Aramian broke precedent by getting elected FWD President from the floor at the 1967 FWD House of Delegates meeting in San Diego. It was to be the first of two terms for him. The Phoenicians came back to win the district contest again, by only two points.

In the May-June, 1968 issue of the Society Magazine, The Harmonizer, there was a story about Phoenix member Sam Jones. In twenty years, Sam had traveled 159,540 miles (256,700 km) just to rehearse with his quartet and chorus. That figure, however, did not include quartet or chorus appearances, chapter visitations, or district or international contests.

The Choralaides

Helen Laurel was the driving force in establishing the "Choralaides" in Phoenix, consisting of wives or girlfriends of Phoenix members, who take on many projects each year to raise funds, sew costumes, serve meals, form cheering sections, and numerous other tasks that greatly enhance the behind-the-scenes operations of the chorus. They organized and held their first meeting on January 28, 1968 and have continued steadfastly to the present day.

Fund-raising projects for traveling to the 1968 International Convention in Cincinnati, Ohio included "The Perils of Fanny," an old-fashioned melodrama. The chapter presented a Chorus Travel Show on May 24 with the Far Westerners from California to help out. At the contest, the Phoenicians were third again, but the Western Continentals were crowned the International Quartet Champion of 1968.

The chapter elected not to compete in FWD competition in the fall of 1968, but in 1969 they flew to San Francisco and became FWD Chorus Champion for the third time.