Edges worn, pages and margins toned. Fore-edge foxed. 138 pp. Incexed.  

Stamps-Baxter Publishing Company was relatively short lived, blossoming from the early days of religious music on the radio and lasting to the Viet Nam War. They published in shape notes, always in four part harmony with piano accompaniment typical to most liturgical music. Sometimes--not often as I've seen it--with guitar chords. Always with full versification and always with music or indexes on the inside wraps.

Shape notes are a style of musical notation designed to facilitate congregational and social singing. The notation, introduced in late 18th century England, became a popular teaching device in American singing schools. Shapes were added to the note head in written music to help singers find inflection without the use of more complex information found in key signatures and staffs.Shape notes of various kinds have been used for over two centuries in a variety of music traditions, mostly church music but also secular, originating in New England brought here from a similar practice in Scotland and practiced primarily in the southern US for many years, and now experiencing a renaissance in other locations as well.