Klarinet Archive - Posting 000606.txt from 1997/03

From: Roger Lewis & Denise Gulliver-Lewis <pmflewis@-----.NET>
Subj: Re: Thoughts on the future
Date: Tue, 18 Mar 1997 19:23:52 -0500

Peter Stoll wrote:
> I do a fair bit of solo and ensemble adjudicating in music festivals
> around the province, and have heard several stories of school boards
> omitting grade 7 and 8 music as a "frill" and patting themselves on the
> back for being so fiscally prudent. Makes me madder 'n I'd want to say on
> a public forum. Many teachers are perpetuating bands and choirs at this
> level ON THEIR OWN TIME, which I find to be an incredible testament to
> their dedication. My retort to the arts=frills argument is that school
> ought to be more than going to a series of classes for several years, and
> I wouldn't exactly call sports the same kind of fostering of mental
> creativity as the arts do. Quality of life, not quantity of classroom hours.
...........

Peter;
If it makes you feel any better, things are going great for music at all
levels in my district, and the surrounding ones as well. No cuts have
been made here in southern Michigan, to my knowledge. As a matter of
fact, I just got $12.000.00 from our school board in Dec. for additional
uniforms - I have so many kids I can't fit them all this year and look
for enrollment to increase again next year. I have many at-risk
students in the band program, and these students have made some dramatic
increases in grade point and attendance. I make sure the administration
is aware of this! Have some of these directors follow up on students
that are no longer in their programs due to cuts. Are they doing as
well socially and academically? If not, one has solid evidence to take
to the board and administration that would favor reinstatement.
One final question - how do these districts expect to feed a program on
the high school level?

Denise Gulliver-Lewis
Principal Clarinet
Elkhart Symphony