Getting to Know Professor J.D. Luse

Image Credit: FamilySearch.org

Jesse Dial Luse is the younger man at the far right in the picture above. This family photograph shows the nine children of Jesse and Sylphina Luse. Often known by his initials J.D., Jesse D. Luse was born in Cuyahoga County in 1847.

In the very late 1800s and early 1900s, J.D. Luse was the Supervisor of Music for Sandusky Schools. During the homecoming parade for Spanish American War soldiers in 1898, “Professor Luse” arranged for a chorus of one thousand individuals to sing patriotic songs.

J.D. Luse was the author of several music books. One of his series was known as the Wreath Music Course. The books were used widely throughout Ohio and beyond. In the book The Royal Wreath of Song, there were several graded lessons in music for use with students in every grade.

Also in the book were: hymns, glees, part songs, patriotic songs and songs for choruses and duets.

Professor Luse advertised often in educational journals. The advertisement below appeared in volume of the Educator Journal in 1906.

Throughout his career, J.D. Luse taught in many different school districts, including Tiffin, Sandusky, Zanesville and Mentor, Ohio. He was a popular speaker at educational institutes for teachers as well. By 1904, he and his family moved to Columbus, Ohio, where he remained active in music publishing. Professor Luse died there in 1920.

You can view the full text of the 1890 version of The Royal Wreath of Song at the Internet Archive. By paging through this book, you can see some of the songs that your ancestors may have sung in school in years gone by. The Sandusky Library Archives Research Center has two of Professor Luse’s music books in its collection. Today you can find copies of his books at college and theological libraries throughout the United States.