Please Keep Instrumental Music in our Elementary Schools

Our local Board of Education is meeting today and a large segment of our school community is in an uproar. One of the meeting agenda items is the proposal to remove funding for the 4th and 5th grade instrumental music education program. Plainly stated, they are considering cutting the money for our elementary bands and not offering bands until middle school.

Emails and Facebook postings have been flying over the weekend in protest. There is at least one Facebook event invitation for an actual protest at the Board's meeting. I personally have sent emails to the Board in general and to specific members of the Board.

Aside from the obvious reasons NOT to remove music education from our elementary schools, here's the one that stands out in my mind. If you wait until middle school to introduce instrumental music to students, the percentage of those who take up an instrument would be less than those who would in elementary school. I have no statistical proof for this but I just feel it's right. At the end of 3rd grade, when the instrumental music program is introduced to the students, the kids are enthusiastic, full of wonder and eager to try something they have watched older students do for the past few years. They are not self-conscious. They are not so affected by peer pressure. They are innocent and pure. They want to learn.

Fast forward to middle school. They are older, obviously. They are self-conscious. They are more subjected to peer pressure. They have pubescent attitudes. They are riddled with hormones. They do not want to be seen carrying a band instrument for the first time as it might draw attention to them.

This may be a bit of an overdramatization of the middle schoolers mind, but I do think the odds of a 6th, 7th or 8th grader agreeing to try the trumpet for the first time is remote. Give a 4th grader the option and the odds are higher for an affirmative. Removing instrumental music from the elementary schools will have a negative impact on the middle and high school programs. But maybe that's the plan.

You could argue that parents who really want their kids in an instrumental program earlier than middle school could seek private lessons. Many already do that when it comes to piano or possibly violin. But I do not know one person who gets private lessons for percussion, clarinet, flute, trombone or any other band instrument. It just doesn't happen. Public schools are the place where most kids are exposed to this type of instrumental music and it needs to stay that way.

I could go on and on about this. I was in the band from the 4th grade all through high school. I am proud of it and have countless memories from all those years. I could play "Night Train" and "Horse" right now if I still had a clarinet. 

The instrumental music program here in Frederick County is a good one. To convey my conviction that instrumental music should remain in our elementary schools, please enjoy the following repost of

A Little Night Music, TJ Style.

The 2nd Annual Governor Thomas Johnson Feeder Pattern Concert was held last night. This concert is a showcase event of the band, orchestra and choral programs from all the elementary and middle schools that feed into Thomas Johnson High. The purpose of the event is to highlight the musical talent that overflows in our schools, to promote music and arts education and to generate parental and community support for that education.

Over 500 music students from five elementary schools, two middle schools and one high school performed. There were stirring choral performances from the both combined elementary and combined middle school choruses.

The combined elementary band played a rousing rendition of "Louie Louie".

As the stage was changed from elementary students to the middle schoolers, the TJ drum line performed in the theatre aisles, receiving a rock star-like response. 

Both the middle school band...

 ...and high school band and orchestra played beautiful and challenging selections.

Even the TJ colorguard was there, in the aisles, spinning their flags and rifles and getting huge applause from the crowd. And if all this wasn't enough, the high school chorus gave us a taste of hometown "Glee" with Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'".

All of these groups performed individually with stage changes in between. The organization of these stage changes was seamless. The kids moved on and off stage quickly and orderly. Everyone seemed to know exactly where they needed to be at all times.

I must point out that these kids only had ONE rehearsal to prepare for this night. Of course, each individual school group rehearsed at their own schools for much of the fall semester preparing for their own school concert. But there was only one rehearsal with all 500+ students to organize the logisitics of this performance. I am amazed by the organization and commitment of all the choral and band directors involved and specifically the lead organizer, Christy Caulfield. Ms. Caulfield is the TJ High band director and apparently the brains behind this large event. She does a fantastic job with help from lots of supportive teachers, administrators and parents. And of course, highly talented music students.

The evening's finale was the most impressive part of all. All 500+ students were on stage performing together. The band played while the chorus sang "America the Beautiful". The musical bridge was overlayed with a rhythmic recitation of the "Pledge of Allegiance" by all the students. I did hear several audience members joining in to sing and pledge. An unspoken purpose of the evening was to make all hearts in the audience swell and burst. I think all of the evening's purposes were reached. Who can keep their emotions in check to sound of 500+ children's voices singing the praises of our great country?

Please click on the above picture to get a better view. It is an amazing sight.

Music is a beautiful thing.

China Girl

What to blog about in late January when everything is covered in snow and my motivation is just as frosty? Stuff in my warm cozy house! This is the second in a series of posts about some of my family heirlooms. In the first post in the series, I mentioned the different sets of china that we might have eaten a holiday meal or two from when I was a child. You probably wondered what that was all about. Soon you will know.

I did not register for fine china before I got married. Fine china was not something that was important to me at that time. I registered for more practical things and did not see my life evolving into one where fine china would play a vital role. Plus, I had a backup plan if my life did evolve into such. Being the only daughter of two only children who were the holders of several sets of china from the previous generations, I felt sure if the need arose I would have a set of fine china at some point in my life. It might not be one that I selected, but that would not bother me.

Sixteen years later, fine china still does not play a vital role in my life but I do have a set of china that belonged to my maternal grandmother, Oma. It is her Noritake from the early 1930s. Some pieces were broken through various moves and stints in storage. But I have nearly all that I would need to present a nicely coordinated, formal meal. But that doesn't happen very often.

I also have pieces of china from other family members and have them displayed in my dining room.

I have them hanging in an odd-numbered arrangement, just like Martha would expect.

The centerpiece is my parent's wedding china, Castleton Turquiose, from 1956.

It is simple and elegant with its silver border.

One of Oma's Noritake Naomi salad plates hangs to the upper left of the Castleton.

To the lower left hangs a dinner plate, my parent's Myott Finlandia Staffordshire, that mom acquired in the not too distant past.

While we're on the topic of Staffordshire, I have Granmaggie's (my paternal grandmother) Jenny Lind Staffordshire salad plate hanging on the bottom left. She was married in 1932 and probably got her china sometime in the late 1940s.

And continuing in a counter clockwise manner, on the bottom right is a 1970s Avon Cape Cod salad plate belonging to Oma.

On the far right side is also one of Oma's, her Hammersley Victorian Violets. Of all the patterns it looks like it belongs at a tea party the most. With three contributions to my collection of seven, it appears Oma had a thing for china.

And lastly, the oldest piece I have is a handpainted dessert plate from the early 20th century. It belonged to Irm (my paternal great-grandmother) who was married in 1908.

While I am still a practical girl (somewhat) who has little servicable use for a full set of fine china, I love my heritage hanging on my dining room wall and Oma's Noritake sitting at ready in the buffet for all those formal meals I might one day host.

Kid's Perspective

My boys crack me up. They always have. Kids always say funny things which many times they don't intend to be funny. But as an adult I find them hysterical because of the kid's perspective...I've lost it much of the time and don't see things the same as kids do.

I used to carry a small notebook in my purse to write down the funny things my boys said.

Recently, I found the notebook in the kitchen catch-all drawer. Here are a few kid nuggets from the notebook:

Do you know how many Obi Kenobis there are? Obi One Kenobi, Obi Two Kenobi, Obi Three Kenobi...as many as you can count.

A bun is just a naked sandwich.

I come in peace...actually I don't.

A few nights ago, my husband had brought in the large leather firewood tote filled with logs for building a fire. Our cat, Max, immediately began sniffing the wood, crawling in and around the bag, and stalking the scents of creatures that were left on the wood. Once some of the logs were taken from the bag, Max crawled in and out repeatedly with the focused look of a cat on the prowl. To my "Silly cat, get out of the wood tote," my youngest said,

Max thinks the wood tote is a portal to the outsideness.

I never thought of it that way. At least not since I was seven.

** All photos in this post are the clever work of Helios.

I Knew It Before Real Simple Told Me

I'm feeling pretty smug right now. The editor's note in the February issue of Real Simple magazine sings the praises of kale. This is old news to me. I have so many kale recipes that we actually eat. I buy kale every time I shop. My 10 year old eats it. I will omit my 7 year old's response to kale, but I bet you can guess what it is.

I am the Bubba (a.k.a. Benjamin Buford Blue from Forrest Gump fame) of kale. I make sauteed kale, stir-fry kale, roasted kale, garlic kale, kale with herbs-de-provence, kale and chicken stew, kale and beans....

My smugness comes from doing all of this before Real Simple told me to. I usually am picking up new things from them. They should have asked me.

So while I have the upper hand, I'll share another little dietary secret of mine. I'll start with a question. What do Dora the Explorer and edamame have in common? Nothing, you probably think. But you would be wrong.  Their commonality is that Dora is on the outside of my new favorite product's packaging and edamame is on the inside of my new favorite product's packaging!

I thought I was done with Dora years ago when my boys figured out she was a girl and chose Diego over her. Actually, I was done with her long before that but she still somehow got into my family room before the boys became wise to her gender. And now I have let her back in the house, but only in the kitchen.  And she has her endorsement of Seapoint Farms edamame to thank for it.

I have long purchased shelled edamame but it was a more adult brand like Cascadian Farms. But recently, I was reaching to my grocer's freezer for my adult brand edamame and noticed Dora right next to my regular brand...at a cheaper price. That's her game: undercut the competition. Well, it worked.

And then I got home with my new brand and found out she had another trick in her backpack...eight individually wrapped 1.5 ounce snack-size packs.

Yes, Dora knows how I like to eat my edamame...not as a full-on side dish, but as a sprinkling, a garnish. So she has solved the problem of cooking a large bag of edamame only to eat small portions of it at a time before the rest of it goes to waste in the fridge.  Now I can whip up a smattering of soy anytime I feel like it not worry about having too much to handle. So I love Dora now for her wise endorsement choices and ingenious serving size option. And thankfully, the packaging does not sing. Or repeat itself incessantly.

For the record, I have not seen Dora's new soy venture mentioned in Real Simple. My smugness just went up a bit. I wonder how kale with edamame would be? I'll let you know.

This post is linked up with Mrs. 4444's Friday Fragments.

Go Team Scott!

For years now, my exercise of choice has been running. My husband choice is road biking. He rides faster than I run so exercising is not something we can do together...until now! We are joining forces and will be participating, dare I say competing, in our very first duathlon. We have signed up for a little race in March along with another husband and wife team, friends P & K (you guys have signed up, right??).

I say it's a little race because the distances are minimal and it would be easy for all of us to go outside and do it right now. No training required. But it will be cold. March is a bit too early for real Spring weather to make an appearance here in Maryland. Aside from the expected low temps, we are all (the four of us, right?) excited about the race. It will be fun. And we have our sights set on a few longer races later in the year.

Hubby and I haven't had a shared fitness goal or interest in many years. We've both stayed very active but he's done his thing (refuse to run) and I've done mine (refuse to bike). But way back when we were young and in love (as opposed to not so young now and in love), we did share a common fitness activity. Here's a hint:

That's my back and sundry rippling muscles, not his.

Here are his.

We bodybuilders were nothing if not vain.

This was in the 80s and lots of things (read body shapes) have changed. But one thing that hasn't change is the motivation of a competition, a new distance or pace goal, an new max weight lifted or a new PR. It's been too long for me since I've had a specific goal in mind and signing up for this little race is just what I needed to get 2011 and my exercise regime off to a good start.

Go Team Scott!

I Take a Little Colonial In My 21st Century

My parents are the sole heirs of their family fortunes. They are both only children and thus always knew they were to inherit everything. Their families were not monetarily rich so "everything" came in the form of things rather than financial accounts. They have kept much of the stuff from both their families and they know what belonged to whom and other historical tidbits about the items.

They have always told us kids the history of the pieces. We'd sit down to a holiday meal and be reminded on which ancestor's china our dinner was being served. For much of my younger life I wasn't that interested in this type of history. But now I find myself asking my parents to tell me again who those silver candlesticks belonged to.

I recently have begun calling my dad "The Curator." My recent questions have proven that he knows precisely the who, what, why, where and how of everything they have. He has all this information cataloged in his brain assisted by sundry scrap notes strategically placed throughout their apartment. And he has the help of his docent, I mean, Mom. I envision burgundy velvet ropes at the entrance to my parents' home, Dad as museum curator and Mom as the friendly, knowledgable docent.

Mom and Dad have given my brothers and me several family pieces for our own homes. I try to remember the history of these pieces, but I'm not really good at keeping up with the details. So I thought I would do a few posts on some of these items, telling their history, in hopes that I can preserve some of my parent's knowledge for my boys' benefit. Although the boys may not care now, I think they will one day.

Back in the 70s, Dad was heavy into woodworking. He bought a router and routed everything he thought could benefit from a good routing. We had lots of cutting boards and one particular kitschy sign hanging over the kitchen sink that he fashioned to read "Sally's Ye Ole Kitcher".  His routed "n" didn't quite come out clear.

Back then, Dad eagerly read each month's issue of Early American Life. The December 1975 issue in particular held a fascination for him with an advertisement for reproductions of wooden "Liberty Bell Lanterns" that originally hung in Independence Hall. Dad read the ad and decided to make a few lanterns. He drew a pattern based on the dimensions described in the article. As Curator, he still has the original magazine issue and his hand drawn patterns. I had the Docent scan the Curator's original documents, complete with his handtyped and signed commentary on the excessive asking price for the magazine's reproductions and Polaroid shots of his own reproductions.

One of the things Dad received from his father was lots of old wood, some of which had been a primitive late 1800s walnut rope bed that in 1975 was already approaching 100 years old. As I said, it was old wood. I think Dad may still have some scraps of it left. I won't be surprised if one of my brothers ends up with what remains of this old wood one day. Dad cut and routed the walnut and over the next few months made several lanterns.

I have two of the lanterns hanging in my dining room flanking a large cabinet.

They create dramatic light and shadows.

The back is mirrored, the sides are glass and the top is open.

The mirror and glass combination create a bounce effect that generates multiple reflections of the flame. 

To the Curator's chagrin, I do not keep my lanterns dressed with period authentic candlesticks. I guess Pottery Barn has too much influence in my house for me to maintain an 18th century decor. I like a little colonial mixed with my 21st century. But Dad thinks we should all be living like we're on an episode of Frontier House or at the very latest 1900 House. The Docent helps keep him somewhat current.

My boys beg to light the lanterns at dinner time and they like to count the number of flame reflections they see. Just like my brothers and I did when we were little. And one day my boys will each have a 45 plus year old 18th century lantern reproduction made by their grandfather from 140 plus year old walnut from a 19th century bed that was stored in their great-grandfather's cellar in Belleville, Illinois. And their kids will count all the reflections they see.

Friday Fragments

Week Two of 2011 has not been the routine-ruled week that I was hoping for after Week One (a.k.a The Week of Vomit in The Face). So I have dropped my expectation of a schedule for next week. This is especially wise since our local school calendar has incorporated three days off next week, one for the holiday and two teacher work days. This is good for the teachers but bad for the kids and parents since we had an interrupted school week with a snow day this week. Stop & start education doesn't work well with my kids. Or me. My kids are great when they have a consistent routine. But since we basically have not had one since mid-December, they are rebelling against the school/homework/whatever parents want routine.

Which is why I am going to the mattresses. I am breaking out my old copy of Love and Logic. This is for me a tried and true technique to get my kids back on track with whatever - homework, sassy mouths, basic listening, cleaning their rooms, eating - while keeping my sanity. My favorite technique suggested by L&L is to say "I love you too much to argue" in response to EVERYTHING. It keeps me from engaging in arguments with them (or rationalizing with the irrational as I like to think of it.) Try it yourself. It works on ANYBODY. That little phrase takes the ummph right out of the other person's argument. They have nowhere to go. And you come away the nice one...because you threw love into the mix.

On another note, this week I used the phrase "that's a young person's sport". I was referring to skiing and snowboarding. I am a Southern girl and skiing was never something I did frequently. Maybe twice in my life I have skied. The risk of injury for me now is too great. And even the risk of just being really sore is too great for me now.

And speaking of being sore, I have a pulled muscle. As a runner, that can happen from time to time. But this is not a running injury. In fact, I am not sure how I pulled this muscle. It's in an odd place for muscle pulling...it's in my face. Yes, I have somehow pulled a very tiny muscle that sits right along the lower edge of the cheek bone.

I think it's the zygomaticus major that I've pulled. It hurts. My orthodontist suspects that I inadvertently shifted my bite while clenching my jaw. Could that be a response to our upset routine? And now do you see why I say things like "young person's sports?" Pulled muscles should come from real exertion.

But I think something else happened. Like maybe when I was holding the long note in Sister Christian ("motoriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin!") at a red light earlier this week. Maybe I got a bit carried away. Hey,there is no law against reliving the '80's while driving. Yet. And that definitely is not a young person's sport.

This post is linked up with Mrs. 4444s Friday Fragments.

Raptors, Hutts and Asian Salads

Fountain Rock Nature Center in Walkersville is one of our favorite places to take our boys and has been since we discovered it so many years ago. The park offers a fishing pond, playground, historic lime kilns, a quarry pond stocked with fish and turtles. Our favorite part of Fountain Rock is the nature center. The center is home to many rescued and adopted snakes, turtles, insects and amphibians. We have come to love Toby the turtle and Maizie the corn snake who live there. And we also tolerate like the Madagascar hissing cockroaches and tarantulas that live there too.

The nature center receives support from the non-profit group, Fountain Rock Nature Council. The council organizes free monthly educational programs like the one we went to Sunday, "Raptor Rehabilitation". We were introduced to a blind screech owl named Rootin Tootin. He lives with the raptor rehabilitator because a blind owl in the wild is no longer a bird of prey but merely prey.

And forgive me but apparently I wasn't listening when this little guy was introduced so I don't know what specific type of raptor he is or what his name is. I bet my boys know but they are asleep right now so I can't get confirmation.

In case you are wondering, I was listening when the raptor rehabilitator defined raptor for us. Raptors are birds of prey, specifically eagles, hawks and falcons.

This part of Maryland has a large population of birds of prey and other birds which might be prey. That is one thing that we love about this area. Moving here from metro Atlanta, we were not accustomed to seeing many birds other than pigeons. The birds here are much better than pigeons.

After the raptor program, we said hello to Toby and Maizie and met some creatures we had not seen before at the nature center. This guy may look like your basic toad...

But I do believe he was the inspiration for the Jabba the Hutt.

This little tree frog is too cute and not much bigger than my thumb.

There are creatures at the nature center which are definitely not cute but downright creepy. I saw this and thought the nature center was now offering food in the form of this strange Asian salad.

But found out that this is actually Walking Stick insect nymphs and that is their salad.

Nymph sounds like a nice word, like fairy or sprite. But these nymphs grow up to look like this.

It's hard to tell which is the stick and which is the Adult Walking Stick Insect. Not so nice. But I was just happy they didn't have new display of bed bugs. Maybe that's in the works.

A Little Night Music, TJ Style

The 2nd Annual Governor Thomas Johnson Feeder Pattern Concert was held last night. This concert is a showcase event of the band, orchestra and choral programs from all the elementary and middle schools that feed into Thomas Johnson High. The purpose of the event is to highlight the musical talent that overflows in our schools, to promote music and arts education and to generate parental and community support for that education.

Over 500 music students from five elementary schools, two middle schools and one high school performed. There were stirring choral performances from the both combined elementary and combined middle school choruses.

The combined elementary band played a rousing rendition of "Louie Louie".

As the stage was changed from elementary students to the middle schoolers, the TJ drum line performed in the theatre aisles, receiving a rock star-like response. 

Both the middle school band...

 ...and high school band and orchestra played beautiful and challenging selections.

Even the TJ colorguard was there, in the aisles, spinning their flags and rifles and getting huge applause from the crowd. And if all this wasn't enough, the high school chorus gave us a taste of hometown "Glee" with Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'".

All of these groups performed individually with stage changes in between. The organization of these stage changes was seamless. The kids moved on and off stage quickly and orderly. Everyone seemed to know exactly where they needed to be at all times.

I must point out that these kids only had ONE rehearsal to prepare for this night. Of course, each individual school group rehearsed at their own schools for much of the fall semester preparing for their own school concert. But there was only one rehearsal with all 500+ students to organize the logisitics of this performance. I am amazed by the organization and commitment of all the choral and band directors involved and specifically the lead organizer, Christy Caulfield. Ms. Caulfield is the TJ High band director and apparently the brains behind this large event. She does a fantastic job with help from lots of supportive teachers, administrators and parents. And of course, highly talented music students.

The evening's finale was the most impressive part of all. All 500+ students were on stage performing together. The band played while the chorus sang "America the Beautiful". The musical bridge was overlayed with a rhythmic recitation of the "Pledge of Allegiance" by all the students. I did hear several audience members joining in to sing and pledge. An unspoken purpose of the evening was to make all hearts in the audience swell and burst. I think all of the evening's purposes were reached. Who can keep their emotions in check to sound of 500+ children's voices singing the praises of our great country?

Please click on the above picture to get a better view. It is an amazing sight.

Music is a beautiful thing.