Anne Johnson Byrd '45 Music Scholarship

The following biography was written at the time of this scholarship establishment; some information may not be up to date:

Anne Graham Johnson graduated from Woman’s College in 1945 with a bachelor’s degree in music education. “My awareness of the beauty of music began ‘at my mother’s knee,’ so to speak,” said Anne. “An early memory is playing piano selections after the four children were in bed; a bit like story time I guess. There was one piece entitled ‘Whistling Rufus’ – not at all a lullaby, but I loved it! I am not a musician, but I am a person who appreciates music. More than soothing the savage beast, music is the universal language. Providing this scholarship in music is my pleasure. Sir James Barrie (Scottish dramatist and novelist, 1860 – 1937) once said, ‘Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves.’ I have long appreciated this idea, and I hope I have lived it a little. I pray this scholarship may bring sunshine to someone in need. As Dickens said, ‘No one is useless in the world who lightens the burden of it for anyone else’."

Anne Johnson Byrd died in November 2009.