Letters from Our Readers

Subject: Money Solves Everything!? Reaction to comments made by Ms. Rebecca R. West, President, Spirit of McIntosh Band Boosters, regarding my comments about Fayette County high school bands.

From 1961 to 1965 I lived in Russellville, Ark., population about 8,000, home of Arkansas Tech and the Arkansas Tech "Wonderboys." The primary businesses were education, farming and forestry. It was horribly hot and humid during the summer and very cold during the winter.

Like Peachtree City's McIntosh High School, Russellville had a horrible football program one or two wins per season. So bad was our football program that when we had intramural track competition between members of the band and members of the football team, the band crushed the football team. The band probably could have beaten the football team in a game of football if it had been allowed.

What we had to be proud of was a tremendous world-class high school band program headed by Hosea L. Sheperd. So good that it put most university and college bands to shame. So good, that every few years tremendous financial offers would be made by colleges and music schools for Mr. Sheperd's services.

While I was there, Mr. Sheperd turned down a number of offers when local officials matched the universities' offers. The band was so good that when our Crimson Cyclone football team came on the field, there wasn't much enthusiasm. But when the Russellville High School Marching Band came on the field, there'd be a standing ovation with yelling and cheering.

What made the Russellville High School Band program so terrific was not the money spent but the attitude of excellence that suffused the program.

Mr. Sheperd was involved in the beginner band, Junior High Band and the elite 88-member Senior High Band.

Senior High Band might be a misnomer because it was composed of the best. A 12-year-old musician could be a member, or even first chair, of the Senior High Band and a talented, but not phenomenal, 17-year-old musician might not be a member of the Senior High Band. Ability and dedication were rewarded.

One of the primary acts of dedication was to participate in band functions and band activities. This included marching in July 4, Veteran's Day and other celebrations. You might be a world class musician; but if you did not participate in marches and celebrations, you would not be a member of the band.

What I saw and heard July 4, 1998, was a combined Fayette County Marching Band that compared favorably with Russellville's Beginner Band.

Ms. West seems to take exception to my comments and make excuses for the poor showing by claiming that spending more money will make McIntosh's band better. Ms. West sounds like a Clinton Democrat or a Rockefeller Republican. Am I in Fulton County?

For the past 20 years I've paid between $5,000 and $25,000 in yearly direct taxes. On top of that, I've spent another $2,500 to $6,000 yearly sending my child to private or parochial schools. Plus, I've spent a few thousand dollars of my money and committed thousands of manhours of my time trying to increase academic skills of America's kids via education reform - more specifically The Choice in Education Movement.

Every child. Every child, regardless of income or status, who wants a world-class academic education should be able to receive it and can, with the monetary resources now available.

Every child with the talent and dedication who wants to become a world-class musician, can, with the monetary resources now available.

Ms. West's bleet that mo' money is needed to make things better leaves me nauseous. Saying that, I commend Ms. West's dedication of her time and money to making Fayette County and children's lives a little more enriched.

Bill Bryan
Peachtree City