Daniel Jay Grimminger

Louisville, Stark County, Ohio, exudes charm and beauty as one of the great treasures of Northeast Ohio. As a French settlement, it was established as a Catholic center, erecting a large parish church, convent, parochial school, and orphanage. St. Louis Church became the envy of other communities for its brick work, stained glass, single log pillars with ornately carved stone capitals, and gold-gilt apse adorning the high altar. It is on par with the best French parish churches and cathedrals. Over time, Louisville would attract many different people from various Eastern European backgrounds. In particular, Louisville would be attractive to local Germans, who were of the Reformed and Lutheran faith, and Anglo-Methodists with their revivalistic flare. It is notable that this city disseminated many children who would create a strong connection to their hometown, a feeling that exists to this day among so many who came from Louisville families. In the 20th century, the Louisville School District became one of the strongest educational institutions in the region, with schools that became models for other schools around them. Louisville has intrigued many for years with its alleged Klu Klux Klan ties. Racism was a part of its history despite it being named the "Constitution Town" in 1957. Yet its industry, rural surroundings, and key figures rose above hate and division. Today, Louisville is much more diverse; its residents come from many different ethnic backgrounds and geographic locations. Its annual Constitution Week draws people from all around who are charmed by this little town and its history.

Sheds light on the process of cultural change that occurred over the course of a century or more in the majority of Pennsylvania German communities and churches. The Pennsylvania Dutch comprised the largest single ethnic group in the early American Republic of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Yet like other ethnic minorities in early America, they struggled to maintain their own distinct ethnic identity in everything that they did. Eventually their German Lutheran and Reformed customs and folkways gave way to Anglo-American pressure. The tune and chorale books printed for use in Pennsylvania Dutch churches document this gradual process of Americanization, including notable moments of resistance to change. Daniel Grimminger's Sacred Song and the Pennsylvania Dutch is the only in-depth study of the shifting identity of the Pennsylvania Dutch as manifested in their music. Through a closer examination of music sources, folk art, and historical contexts, this interdisciplinary study sheds light on the process of cultural change that occurred over the course of a century or more in the majority of Pennsylvania German communities and churches. Grimminger's book also provides a model with which to view all ethnic enclaves, in America and elsewhere, andthe ways in which loyalties can shift as a group becomes part of a larger cultural fabric. Daniel Grimminger holds a doctorate in sacred music and choral conducting, as well as a PhD in musicology. He also holds a masterof theological studies degree and is a clergyman in the North American Lutheran Church. Grimminger teaches at Kent State University and is the pastor at Faith Lutheran Church in Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio.