This 6th Grade Song Surprises Me!

In my last post, I shared a story about Lloyd J. Dotterer, the Illustrator of the New Horizons music book I learned from in First Grade. As I was looking through the 6th-grade music book we used at E. E. Morrison School in Great Bend, Kansas, I noticed this entry:  

We can see the sub-title "Mormon Hymn". This book was copyrighted in 1946 and 1952 by Silver Burdette Company. This hymn is currently in the hymnal of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as #30, titled "Come, Come, Ye Saints".

I don't remember learning this song as a 6-year-old. But I'm surprised to see that this song was included in the public school music book at that time. For one thing, I'm surprised to see any Church Hymn in our elementary school music book. And I'm mostly surprised to see a "Mormon" hymn in a public school music book for 6th graders, in Kansas! 

I will certainly add that while I'm surprised, I'm quite happy to have made this discovery. While attending Morrison Grade School, I was a very devoted member of the local Trinity Lutheran Church. In 1995 I became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and have happily sung "Come, Come, Ye Saints" in our Church services. I just had no idea this song was in my 6th-grade music book. Small discoveries like this just blow my mind! And I'm grateful for that.