High steppin’

When the tall blond tuba player took the field last weekend in his purple plumed hat and tailored uniform, I wanted to cheer – and to tear. I did both. This was our grandson Jimmy, who was performing in his North Carolina high school’s halftime marching band show. The cheer came from pride; the tear from nostalgia.

Thirty-three years ago this fall I first went to a high school band performance. We were at Sumter High, watching our freshman saxophone player David. Since that time Jim and I have attended – according to our personal paternal tally – more than 300 hours of band performances over one chock-full decade of football games and band competitions. We’re now happily ensconced in our second generation of same.

At the end of David’s sophomore year, Jim was transferred from Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter to Charleston AFB and David entered Summerville High. We brought him down early in that summer of 1978 to audition for legendary SHS band director Gus Moody, who laid it on the line for our 16-year old: “I direct this band,” he told David, “what I say goes. Follow my rules and you’ll do fine; otherwise. . .”

“Oh Lord,” I thought, “Our casual, laid back son, who was used to an informal band structure, will never go for this!” David surprised us though. He said as we drove back, “At last, I’ll be part of a band that has firm discipline and wins competitions!” And indeed he was. And when he matriculated into Clemson’s USAF ROTC in 1980, he had no trouble with musical performance, personal wardrobe, uniform standards, military bearing or precise scheduling. He had learned from a master.

Then five years later, along came our daughter Mary Clare. Another sax player, she studied under Moody and made the McDonald’s All American Band. We got the real pleasure of seeing her march on television in New York City in Macy’s 1984 Thanksgiving Day Parade. What an experience! And now, a quarter of a century later, her son marches in his high school band show.

During those long ago decades we took our two band students to visit diverse professional practices and offices as well as a variety of colleges to expose them to a number of fields of study. In all cases, counselors advised us that musically inclined students were highly sought after for their eye-hand coordination as well as their precision and generally, accompanying good grades. In other words, this cultural art laid a good foundation for many professions.

Today, David is an architect and builder. He has to be creative as well as exact. Both of these attributes he honed in band. Mary Clare is a music educator and a performing jazz saxophonist. Her abilities too were nurtured by music as well as by academics.

Grandson Jimmy plays guitar and drums as well as tuba. Right now he plans to study international business and travel extensively. Whatever he does, he’ll do it in tune and with precision, just like his melodic relatives. Jimmy’s siblings also study music and art. And thank God.

In my view, it’s this kind of background that brings a special quality of life balance to whatever kind of high steppin’ the future has in store.

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