Robert Shaw

NOVEMBER AND December are to choral singers what July and August are to Ocean City: peak season. For the last two months, all across the United States, singers in choruses large and small have rehearsed and performed thousands of holiday programs. For singers, Santa's arrival means they finally have a day off. In a recent study conducted by Chorus America, the association of choruses, researchers found that there are more than 250,000 organized singing groups in the United States. More than 28 million people participate in these groups, far more than in any other performing art. Fifteen percent of American households include an adult who has performed publicly in a chorus within the last 12 months.

Ballet Theatre of Maryland ended its season with an interestingly varied and challenging program held together by a common thread celebrating life. Works included guest choreographer Keith Lee's Choral Dances, celebrating spring and set to Schubert songs, and BTM director Dianna Cuatto's Episodes, a memorial tribute to Eddie Stewart, the company's founder and director for 22 years. She also chorographed a new work, The Forgotten Path, featuring the music of Rob Levit, and reworked Igor Stravinsky's The Firebird.

At the end of July 1945, U.S. bombers were dropping tons of explosives on Guam, the Japanese were pouring reinforcements into Bougainville and Shaw & Sons Amusements set up rides for the first time at the Big Glen Burnie Carnival.This year, the nation is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II, and next week Shaw & Sons will celebrate its 50th year of providing rides for the carnival.Working with the family business has "just been a very comfortable feeling," said Muriel G. Carter, the Glen Burnie Improvement Association's assistant chairwoman for the carnival.

The Carroll County commissioners unanimously enacted an ordinance yesterday that will allow bioscience research facilities to operate in areas zoned for agriculture. The ordinance could affect any possible expansion of Spring Valley Laboratories in Woodbine, the county's only animal research facility. The facility, on a 110-acre farm, has housed labs for breeding and testing animals since 1980. The business tests vaccines and has contracts with the National Institutes of Health and several private companies.

Helen BrowneTeacher, volunteer tutorHelen Browne, a former teacher and longtime volunteer tutor, died of of lymphoma Thursday at Howard County General Hospital. She was 82.She was born Helen Kohler in Philadelphia, graduated from high school there in 1928 and earned a teaching certificate from a two-year college. She taught first grade until her marriage in 1939 to Joseph C. Browne.The couple moved to Catonsville in 1942. Mr. Browne, former president of the Maryland Housing Corp., died in 1959.

James W. Lewis, teacher, musician, dies at 83Services for James Winship Lewis, who was a teacher, organist and choral conductor, will be held at 11 a.m. tomorrow at Old St. Paul's Episcopal Church, North Charles and Saratoga streets.Mr. Lewis, who was 83 and lived on St. Paul Street, died Sunday of cancer at the Joseph Richey Hospice.He retired in 1973 as chairman of the Department of Speech at what is now the New Community College of Baltimore.He had joined the faculty of the school in 1950 when it was still the Baltimore Junior College and was one of the founders of WBJC-FM with a volunteer staff in 1952.

From the wonderful melodies of the Passover Haggada to the dramatic exultation of the Easter liturgy, this is truly a season bathed in the light of great music.The spring holiday season will be capped off by the Annapolis Chorale's ascent to the towering heights of Beethoven's "Missa Solemnis" some two weeks hence.Here are some musical offerings that might help bring alive the unique joys of the Easter-Passover season.* Handel: "Messiah" -- Let us not forget that the familiar Christmas portion is but a fraction of the complete oratorio.

Jane Strawinski Ashton, who directed volunteer services at the University of Maryland Medical Center and was a former modeling academy director, died of heart disease complications Wednesday at Good Samaritan Hospital. The Parkville resident was 88. Born Harriet Jane Tewell in Chaneysville, Pa., and raised in Philadelphia, she had a cosmetology license and worked in a beauty salon as a young woman. She also took courses at Temple University and at the Towers College for Girls in San Antonio, Texas, where she also worked as a medical secretary.

You've seen them. Terrorist toddlers screaming at the supermarket. Kamikaze kindergartners with anger issues on the playground. Surly adolescents with no respect for anyone over 18. And you've wondered: Have kids always been this way and I'm just getting crankier? Or are today's parents spineless saps producing an inordinate number of brats? Talk to parenting experts, school principals and teachers and you'll get an earful. Most think children behave more poorly than they did in the past -- some even call it a crisis in discipline -- but disagree on why. Theories range from the absenteeism of working parents, to the loosening of morals, to the violence and flippancy seen on TV shows.

It's a slow night on TV -- but for once, I'm not complaining. After so many days on "O. J. watch," I could use a slow night.* "Women of the House" (8 p.m.-8:30 p.m., Channel 13) -- The plot of tonight's show has Jennifer (Julie Hagerty) deciding to change her image. Since Ms. Hagerty joined the cast only a week ago, isn't it a little presumptuous to figure she even has an image? CBS.* "ABC News Special" (10 p.m.-11 p.m., Channel 2) -- The title of this special is "Boys and Girls Are Different: Men, Women and the Sex Difference."