Klarinet Archive - Posting 001280.txt from 1998/04

From: "Jason Hsien" <jasonavhs@-----.com>
Subj: Re: budget cutbacks
Date: Wed, 22 Apr 1998 22:31:21 -0400

-----Original Message-----
From: Edwin V. Lacy <el2@-----.edu>

|> uniform can cost on the upwards of US$300-500. > Also, on uniforms, you
|> are being absolutely unfair. One good wool-made band A football players'
|> uniform, as long as the athlete opts not to pay for it him or herself to
|> get personalized, can cost, maximum, $75-100, including all that thick
|> padding. Normally, football uniforms are nothing more than nylon,
|> polyester, and spandex. Band uniforms are much more complex, with custom
|> embroidering, an interior lining, etc...
|
|Were we discussing uniforms, or were we discussing education? Where are
|your figures on how much it costs to outfit a football player?

I was discussing school budgets (hence the subject: Re: budget cutbacks),
not education or uniforms, and one of the issues was uniforms, how football
players got new uniforms every year and band students get stuck with the
same uniform for years. (The original poster stated that her school's band
uniforms were second hand 25 year old ones.)

Granted, my figures for outfitting a football player are only from my
school, and don't include shoes, helmet or the extras. Even using Rogers'
estimates, without the extras, and even including the mouthpiece, it's be
less than US$100, as my original mesages pointed out) Why should it. I
didn't include those figures in my band uniform estimate (which I got from
my school as well). Most schools will provide shoes for sports, unless
student opts to get their own, socks, and obviously the school provides the
instrument unless the person opts to use their own, similar to how football
players get their helmets from school

Now, I agree. There are very inexpensive band uniforms out there. I've been
to a few band showswhere all the marching band wore was a black turtleneck,
black pants, black socks and black shoes, no hats, gloves, etc... I've seen
overly extravagant uniforms with huge metal and feather helmets, kilts,
sashes, gloves, capes, etc...

Now, I can understand why people can get angry because of my support of
athletic programs over music programs. Yes, I love music, but I am trying to
be rational. Instead of thinking of schools as simply places of education,
think of them as small businesses. Athletics is a great public relations
device. So is music, but which one seriously makes a bigger punch? Which one
is the student body more likely to support? ("Sports Jocks vs Band Geeks")
Which one has a stronger student base?

I am always open to different points of view, and I will defend my points,
but I do ask that you try and keep an open mind about the subject. I will do
the same.

   
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