About a half century ago this school, Washington Intermediate in Bay City, MI was about to be torn down and replaced by a new one. This amazing building was, as you can see, very old with a gym that served every purpose, locker rooms that were - well they had indoor plumbing and that's about it. I was in Mr. Hopkins class - second floor, far right. Bay City Junior College used a lot of the space and we couldn't go to the observatory floor, try as we might.
I have to tell you that the spark was in that neighborhood. I can't remember his name but a 19th century French philosopher explained things by "observing" that there were things in the air that at key points in your life, you inhaled and they put the muse in you...talent, intellect, whatever....something that you just breathed in willy-nilly and off you went.
A music teacher came our way. A friend as well. He had us wear white pants and white shirt uniforms that sported a red cape. We were so proud and he unleashed the muse. That little elementary school - 2 classes per grade - 2 singers who have sung at the Met, the principal trombone with the Israel Philharmonic, a half dozen professional orchestral musicians and almost a dozen music teachers, not to mention a very well known pianist. That was the music stuff floating in the ether..
He took us on a field trip each year to the University of Michigan to see the band - his band from college. Garby, a professor of some note (I intended that so don't shoot) at a LA university played oboe and when we went to Ann Arbor for that field trip, Jim and I bet him that he couldn't run around the entire football field "on the field". Such a stunt now would land him in jail but this was the late 50s so down he went, over the little brick wall and ran around. We lost. He won.
I have no idea why I remembered that. I think I listened to the UM fight song on YouTube and that set me off. My parents were both alums or connected and my mom used to play piano in the student union at UM in the lounge - it was her student job...
Memories.
Yeah the good old days. But Harold - it was 8th grade!! AND - the only reason I was there was because the old building was torn down and a new one built - making the transfer possible for yrs truly. Btw there was a great music teacher at the Bay City public school which I left - McGregor School - Mr. Bernstein, perhaps named Karl? He was an inspired composer who wrote a show every year which the students performed in the spring ... that was where I got my oboe playing started .. I'll never forget playing the solo from the 2nd movement of Beethoven's 5th with the band... But Doug Campbell at Washington was every bit as charismatic, a tremendous inspiration with a dry sense of humor that wouldn't quit. Jim Hargett and I used to haunt his house on weekends - I wonder how his wife Sheri stood up for it? There was a lot of music in Bay City, no question - that's something which deserves to be documented further - cheers, g.
ReplyDeleteNow that you have passed on I'll admit you were right..8th grade. See you soon friend.
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