Nellie Clayton Cornman was born in Carlisle, and Robert Tempest in Philadelphia. Music was their common bond, but in personality and temperament they were complete opposites. Both were born in 1868 and were 39 years old when they met.
Carlisle in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries was a town that provided many cultural opportunities. Social, scientific, literary and musical clubs existed. Concerts, operas, pantomimes, dramas, operettas, recitals and readings were frequently held in the Carlisle Opera House, the Armory, and Metzger, Lloyd, and Bailly Halls. The Oratorio Society first performed in 1907, with Frederic Martin conducting both the local chorus and the Boston Festival Orchestra in Haydn's "Creation." This was followed in 1908 with Mendelssohn's "Elijah," Handel's "Messiah" in 1909, the "Erl King's Daughter," Saint Saens's "Samson and Delilah" in 1910, and Verdi's "Requiem Mass" in 1911. Before each performance the Carlisle Evening Sentinel published an exhaustive description of the music by Father Henry G. Ganss of St. Patrick's Church, and on the day following it printed Father Ganss' review. The paper's issue of May 19, 1908, reported that the 5:39 and 6:00p.m. trains brought such large numbers of people to attend the evening presentation that it was necessary to add a local train at midnight to accommodate people going home to Greason, Newville, Shippensburg and Chambersburg. The Mechanicsburg, West Shore, and Harrisburg patrons were able to use the scheduled late evening train.1
It was this musical atmosphere that Robert Tempest became aware of when he came to Carlisle in 1896 to visit the Indian School, where his friend Dennison Wheelock was director of the school band. The Sentinel of January 8, 1896, carried the following notice: "Robert Tempest, the celebrated pianist of Philadelphia, recently visited the Indian School and has composed a march, 'The Roosters of Carlisle', which he dedicated to Dennison Wheelock, leader of the band."2 Before reading their correspondence, it is important to understand the different backgrounds of the two musicians.
Miss Cornman, teacher of music, was born on June 3, 1868, the daughter of Annie Bretz and William Cornman of 33 South Pitt Street, Carlisle. Mr. Cornman kept a livery stable in Liberty Avenue and was also tax collector of the borough of Carlisle. Nellie was educated at Metzger Institute. A clipping from the Sentinel in her scrapbook, undated but probably of about 1886, reports that among the pianists at the annual musical exhibition at the Institute were the Misses Cornman, Norcross, Halbert and Campbell, "whose technique reflects great credit on their instructors." In another clipping from the Sentinel preserved later in the scrapbook, appears the notice: "The Musical Kindergarten, formerly under the management of Miss Prince, will reopen September 24 under the joint management of Miss Prince and Miss Cornman. Pupils desiring to take this course will please register this week with Miss Prince, 101 S. College Street or Miss Cornman, 33 S. Pitt Street." This "musical kindergarten" later became Miss Cornman's alone. Of one performance by her pupils the Harrisburg Telegraph reported: "The kindergarten School of Miss Nellie C. Cornman of Carlisle, rendered an exceptionally interesting program at YMCA Hall yesterday afternoon.”3
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