Son of Joel and Elizabeth (Shannon) Glover.

Sergeant, Co. H, 143rd Regiment, Ohio Infantry (National Guard), Civil War.

First supervisor of music education in Akron Public Schools. Glover School in Akron was named for him.


from Heritage Pursuit, Akron and Summit County - 1928:

Mr. Nathan L. Glover was born in Coshocton County, O., December 1, 1842. He was one of fifteen children, eleven of them boys. His early training was in country schools and in farm work. His father and mother both sang and his father led the music in the village church in the days when the tuning fork was the only instrument used. During the Civil war nine of the eleven boys participated, Nathan being only nineteen when the war broke out.

As he had always had great interest in music, was the possessor of an unusual voice, both in range and in quality, he decided to make music his profession. This was much against the wishes of his father, as at that time musicians were not held in very great repute in this country. However, his mind was made up.

During the war an army bunk mate taught Mr. Glover what he himself knew of music, which was limited to singing in the keys of C and G, using the syllables. In 1865 and 1866 Mr. Glover held singing schools, in which his pupils learned to sing well, especially in the aforementioned keys.

The first singing school was held in Scoffold Prairie, near Worthington, Ind. It was advertised by announcing it in the schools and churches. A meeting was called at the church and prospective pupils arranged for a term of thirteen lessons at $1.50 a term. More than half of the school was made up of married people. Two sessions a day were held, one in the afternoon and one in the evening. During the recess between the meetings athletics (jumping, wrestling, etc.) held the attention. Some brought their lunch. Sometimes mothers attended in the afternoon, their husbands attending the evening session while they stayed home and cared for the babies.

The work was started by use of syllables. They had a blackboard with a cornstalk pointer. The members of the class were practically all beginners. During a visit to the neighborhood about twenty years later Mr. Glover was informed that there had been an organization of the people interested in music ever since that first singing school.

Instruction began with imitation work and teaching to read music. The tuning fork was the only instrument available except occasionally a violin. A free concert was given at the close of the term, the class singing the songs they learned. Parts were taught separately by syllables. At this affair Mr. Glover played violin, his brother playing a bass part on the cello. "The Campbells Are Coming" was one of the pieces played, with other things of that type.

N. Coe Stewart's normal was to be held in Painesville for a term of six weeks during the summer of 1868. The following subjects were taught : Harmony, voice culture, public school music, piano, organ and violin.

Books and blackboard formed the equipment. Model lessons were given by the leaders and pupils were expected to give the lessons a day or so later, when the rest of the class would criticize presentation, attitude, language, and every point of the lesson. These normal schools were advertised through newspapers and circular letters. The average attendance was about 100. Miscellaneous programs were given during the term, closing with concerts of chorus, solos, etc.

In 1870 another normal school was held in Painesville. In 1871 and 1872 normal schools were held in Akron, Mr. Glover acting as assistant to Mr. Stewart.

Henry Ward Ingersoll first taught music in the Akron school, teaching songs only by rote. He scorned the idea of teaching music reading in school and said it couldn't be done.

Mr. Stewart then was engaged to spend one day in the Akron schools as a successor to Mr. Ingersoll, but in a year or two the schools of Cleveland had increased sufficiently to require all of his time and he then recommended his pupil and associate, Nathan L. Glover, as his successor.

Mr. Glover was engaged by the Akron Board of Education to do the teaching of music in the schools. At that time there were thirty-two teachers ; the superintendent was Dr. Samuel Findley, well known as an educator in Ohio

The exercises and songs for different grades were written by Mr. Glover, then sent to the different buildings for the teachers to copy. This was done every two weeks.

There were two pianos, one in the high school and one in the eighth grade, and one or two organs. Teachers got the pitch usually by guess. Those who understood the use of the tuning fork used it.

As only a part of the week was necessary for taking care of the music in the Akron public schools, several of the neighboring towns employed the services of Mr. Glover. One school changed their holiday from Saturday to Monday so that they could have the benefit of his work there as a teacher. As the City of Akron grew, more and more time was needed, until finally, in the year 1914, Nellie L. Glover, his daughter, was appointed as his assistant. As time went on the force of supervisors was increased. During the last two years of Mr. Glover's teaching, the executive work of the music department was carried on by Miss Glover, and at his resignation in 1921 she was appointed as his successor.

During Mr. Glover's life in Akron he was very active in all the musical organizations of the city. From 1873 to 1876 the Apollo Musical Club, composed of representative musicians, was in existence. In the minutes and programs of this club Mr. Glover's name appears many times, as an officer, singer and director of programs. In 1879 the Akron Choral Society was formed, with Mr. Glover as its director. This organization presented musical programs not only in Akron but in neighboring cities.

Newspaper clippings of a successful performance of "The Chimes of Normandy" given by this group in Cleveland are full of interest. This organization continued until 1896 and was a great factor in the musical life of Akron.

Mr. Glover was always active as a choir director in churches. For many years he was the director of the First Methodist Choir, then was for seventeen years singer and director of the Congregational Quartet. This quartet and the Grand Army Quartet had state-wide reputations. The Grand Army Quartet was especially active during the McKinley campaign, all the members of the quartet being personal friends of President McKinley.

Mr. Glover was a charter member of the M. T. N. A., working with N. Coe Stewart and Theodore Presser in this organization. He was also president of the music section of the N. E. A. at one time, and in the year 1878 he organized the Ohio Music Teachers Association.

Mr. Glover was succeeded after his death by his daughter, Miss Nellie Glover, who now serves as supervisor of music in the Akron schools.