By Joseph Batory

During my years as Upper Darby Superintendent of Schools )1984-1999),  I collected a great many memories that I cherish to this day.

And here is a very delightful one.

I had met and become familiar with two Baptist ministers in Drexel Hill, PA (where my wife and I lived)  who happened to be married to each other and had their children enrolled in my Upper Darby schools.

This couple had been reassigned to come to the Upper Darby area from somewhere in the Midwest of the USA.  On a social occasion with them, the Baptist couple expressed an interest in learning about Du-Wop and the music that had captivated multitudes of young people.

And so, I found am upcoming concert by the popular Du-Wop quartet, the Duprees.  in nearby Clifton Heights, PA.

I invited the two Baptist ministers to attend this concert as my guests. And to  my surprise, that evening, the female minister dressed up in a form-fitting  red dress for this event because she wanted to wear something special for this concert.

Things got underway typically. The Duprees began singing their beautiful love songs one after another.  But then,  as was their procedure in every concert, they picked out a guest to bring to the stage. And of all the persons in that huge Clifton Heights arena, they picked out the female Baptist minister in the red dress.

And then, the Duprees proceeded to sing love songs to her “up close and personal” on stage.  I was horrified.  But thankfully, her minister husband was delighted to see that his wife was the center of attention and having fun.

Incredibly, all of this turned out to be a wonderful evening for my guests, filled with great love songs by the Duprees.

A few weeks later at a casino in Atlantic City,  I was in the VIP room. The Duprees had appeared that night and were relaxing and having a couple of cocktails after their performance.

 They had no idea who I was,  but I walked up to them and asked if they remembered their recent concert in Clifton Heights. Two of the members said what they really remembered was the beautiful woman in the red dress that night!  And then I dropped the bomb on them!!!  I told them that the  woman they brought on stage for their love songs that evening  was in reality an ordained  Baptist minister. And all four of the Duprees nearly fainted on the spot!

All of this adds up to an unusual experience, something I will never forget, certainly filled with the quality vocals of the of the Duprees.  But it was also a successful  “Welcome to Du-Wop” for two curious Baptist leaders who then spent much of their future lives in Delaware County dedicating themselves to touching  lives positively!

Joseph Batory was the Upper Darby School District Superintendent from 1984 to 1999.  He is the author of three books and nearly 300 published op-ed pieces on politics, education, and history.