Anyone else have any fond (?) memories of singing in church?

[many a good man]

22. Being ordered NOT to sing

As part of my parochial school education, the entire school was marched off every Friday morning to attend Mass. Our principal Sister Genevieve had the expectation that we would sing our little hearts out, filling the church with our angelic voices. There were serious consequences if we disappointed her.

If we hadn't sung to her satisfaction, she would cancel recess and roll out the piano outside her office. We were all ordered to line up outside our rooms in the hallway as she led us in song practice. She would march up and down the hallways with her conductor stick and evil scowl. Anyone not singing loud enough would get the business end of that stick. Alas, I knew it well.

Unfortunately carrying a tune is not one of my many talents. Fearing the rod I sang louder than anyone. Sister Genevieve stood in front of my for what seemed like eternity. At the end of the song, in a very serious voice, she told me I was excused from ever having to sing in church again. I was the only one in the entire school given this special dispensation.