“The Sleighing Glee”

Then we all went inside and sang the scales and the rounds and “We’re All Here, Don’t Leave The Farm Boys, The Sleighing Glee, Dearest May, Don’t Go Out Tonight My Darling, Blame Yourself If You’re Sold, We All Have a Very Bad Cold, Wine is a Mocker,” and others. -Pioneer Girl

     
Sleighing Glee is mentioned once in Pioneer Girl, in a list of singing school songs. It was not mentioned in the corresponding part of These Happy Golden Years (see Chapter 22, “Singing School”).

Laura’s singing school book was called The Conqueror; it was written by C.E. Leslie and R.H. Randall, and published in 1880 by The Chicago Music Company. Leslie wrote a number of hymnals and singing school books, and he traveled widely, promoting his program and holding classes in a number of states. Many of the songs in The Conqueror were composed by Leslie or Randall. Laura’s singing school book was purchased for seventy-five cents and is today on display at the Laura Ingalls Wilder / Rose Wilder Lane Home and Museum in Mansfield, Missouri. The book begins as Wilder wrote in These Happy Golden Years, with an explanation of notes, rests, and clefs. It then continues with simple exercises, starting with “do re mi fa sol la si do” and moving on to simple songs.

Wilder went into more detail about singing school in both the Pioneer Girl manuscripts and the manuscript for These Happy Golden Years. Obviously an important and pleasant memory from her young adulthood, she included complete lyrics for a number of songs which were omitted from the published These Happy Golden Years. “Sleighing Glee” is found on page 33 of The Conqueror, and credited to E.C. Newbury.

     

“The Sleighing Glee” (PG)
     “Dashing thro’ valleys all covered with snow, Merrily-0, merrily O”