HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1975-05-22, Page 18Second Sectfon'
caws -Record
Thursday, May 22, 1975
119th Year -No. 21
n. m
Holmesville school ane o
Put a group of 12 and 13 year olds
together with as many musical
instruments, and you expect the
racous din that results. What you
don't expect is the fierce con-
centration on the face of the freckled
boy in blue jeans and scuffed
sneakers as he tries to get scales out
of a tuba which is bigger than he is.
When you meet 'Ha Stewart, " the
ambitious music teacher who made
the dream of an instrument band in
an 11 room country school a reality,
the dedication of her pupils is ex-
plained. She has the invaluable
teaching ability to get students
enthused about what they are doing,
because she loves what she is doing.
To some in this rural community
near the shores of Lake Hu-ron, a
public school band seems like an
unnecessary frill. Mrs. Stewart sees
it as an important part of the child's
development.
"The band gives students an
added dimension in music. Because
he is in the band, he is aware of other
instruments, he notices music
around him. This is an enrichment
story Kevia Cox
photos bg Jim Fitzgerald
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process which will last the rest of his
life," Mrs. Stewart says.
Up on the stage, the students are
warming up their instruments,harsh
scales echo throughout the small
gymnasium almost drowning out the
conversation.
"It may not seem like it now, but
music teaches discipline, he has to
practice to learn and he has to work
at it. In education we tend to get
away from the highly disciplined
skills, but you don't get the great
feeling of accomplishment without
the effort," she said, amidst the
confusion.
The children on the stage aren't
thinking about these lofty goals, they
enjoy what they are doing, even if.
they have trouble explaining it. This
is their show, even. if there are only
five or six people at the practice, one
of which is a reporter who knows
little about music. Mrs. Stewart
coaxes and cajoles them after every
set of scales, gently prodding them
to try harder.
"Flutes, let's try again. All we
want is perfect, nothing more," she
asks.
The students work together like a
team and failure is letting the group
down. A small red-haired boy lost
track of the notes on his trumpet and
he clenshed his fists in disgust. He
couldn't have appeared more pained
if he had just missed a chance to
score the winning goal in a school
hockey match. When Mrs. Stewart
praised the clarinet section, every
ew rural schools with a band
face in the area lit up, the team had
come through.
George Collins, the freckle faced
tuba player, said the .group ap-
proach was most important. to him.
"You get to be with other people and
do what they're doing. It gives you
something special everybody can't
do."
Mrs. Stewart agrees. "These kids
are in the band because they want to
be. Too often in school we have to
push them to do things here we try to
get them to try •harder and so they
get more out of it because' they like
it."
Although the children have only
been in the band since October they
appear to have confidence in what
they are doing.Mrs. Stewart rein-
forces that confidence, building
them up, as one student said, "Until
you can't help but do your best."
In an age when education too often
treats students as mass products,
Mrs. Stewart has turned the
situation around.
'"We try to build up students, to
make them part of a respected
group. This really gives them
confidence -,in themselves especially
with shy students. They lose their
fears of making mistakes, because
ewe don't put pressure on them.
Confidence is important in
everything you do," she says.
The very existence of the band is a
tribute to Mrs. Stewart's per-
severance and dedication to music.
She taught music in Toronto, where
public school bands exist and
decided to give it a try in the Huron
. County system. She sent out letters
to all parents explaining the costs of
the band and asking if enough in-
terest was there to start such a
project.
"The response was very
favorable, so we were able to ap-
proach the board of education to get
them to pay for Music books and
stands. The parents of the children
involved pay for instrument rental
and where that isn't possible, the
Lion's Club from Goderich is paying
for four students who couldn't afford
it, "she said enthusiastically.
So now Hol mesvi I le,a school of
about 350 students, has a band,
something most metropolitan
schools have not even considered.
The students love it. Karen Bolger •
said she practices five or six hours a
week outside of the three school
sessions.
"I do it any time my parents don't
have to listen to it. I started playing
because I thought I would like it, and
you know, I was right."
Since the band is only putting on a
few shows this year, the students
don't feel the pressure of practicing
for a show before a huge audience.
They can relax under Mrs. Stewart's
guidance, she can talk to them as
people not as numbers.
As Pete Davey, a sandy haired
trumpeter said; "Just between you
and me, she sure knows what she's
doing."
sn't easy
Playing in a school band means ents at Holmesville forlot of practice at tthe most parthlovg tat ie playing
to get children to do, but the students
in their band and do the extra work. Here Catherine Orr, left, and Sharon Thompson
play clarinet.
Blowing their hardest during a recent prr-actice are, left to right,
trumpeters Laura MacDonald, Danny Freeman and Jeff
Surridge. Other trumpeters not shown are Janice Miller, Susan
Goodwin and Pete Davies. There are 33 members in the band.
Holmesville Public School can be justifiably proud of its band. They're very good.'
Here under the direction of teacher Irla Stewart. the band goes through a practice
session recently at the school. They have been asked to play at several concerts and
have pleased their listeners.
The driving force behind the Holmesville band is music teacher Irla Stewart, who
has been instrumental in developing the band at the country school, making it one of
the few rural bands in Ontario.
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