Charlotte Schoolboy Chorus

The Charlotte Schoolboy Chorus, singing "La Marseillaise," under the direction of M. Hasselmans and Robert Lee Kessler, posed for this photo. Hasselmans, who is standing left of center, was ready to return to his native France but was invited to remain in America to assist in patriotic music festival. Under the appointment of the French High Commissioner he came to Charlotte and trained the military band for six weeks prior to the Entente Allies' Patriotic Music Festival to benefit the American Red Cross on April 26-27, 1918.