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The Madison Daily Leader is running a four-part series on "Changes Taking Place in Madison's Arts Programs." I've read Tuesday's and Wednesday's installments and eagerly await the remaining reports. (Sorry, web friends -- no links! MDL's only offering the text to paying customers, in print.) Special correspondent and well-known local arts advocate Gale Pifer swings the big stick, as he has before on the pages of the local press, seeking out quotes from numerous Madison HS band alums who express concern and disappointment at the apparent dwindling of support for music and the arts in general in the community.
I'll see how this massive series (two pages both nights so far) plays out in full before offering my commntary. For now, I will note one striking image and a couple comments from last night's installment: Pifer quotes local music teacher Ginny Ziebarth, who makes it clear that, contrary to the misperception that she is retiring after a long and respectable career with the Madison Central School District (she was a regular accompanist back when I sang in the glorious Nancy Edwards's MHS choir), her position has actually been eliminated by the school district and folded into the remaining positions. Last night's article also shows an unsmiling Ziebarth painting over an impressive mural, a giant musical score, in the middle school music room. The reason for the whitewashing? Ziebarth says she wants to give the new music teacher a fresh start. The words say one thing, but the image -- ouch.
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One thing that no one is saying and that Gale Pifer didn't mention in his first article on the dwindling band problem last year is the trimester scheduling. When trimester first appeared on the scene, there were many comments about its shortcomings and that it hindered participation in band and arts classes. Isn't this one of the problems? My youngest graduated from MHS in 1997 so just escaped trimesters, which I am glad of BTW, so I also don't have firsthand knowledge of this.
ReplyDeleteIt was said that it was hard to take all three semesters of band consecutively, which would seem to be important to keep a viable program.
There are less students in school, but I also think the music and other arts programs are the stepchildren to athletics. Just let them try to pare down the consolidate the coaching positions for say, football, basketball, volleyball, etc etc, and I would be able to hear the screams clear out here where I live in the country!
Maybe it's time for those interested in more academic programs or music and other arts programs to get as vocal as those sports afficiendos would be in like circumstances.
You're right (as frequently is the case), Nonnie -- I'm surprised the Pifer articles have not yet made any mention of the trimester schedule's impact on the music program. It's the elephant in the band room. I'm curious to see if Pifer brings that issue up in Parts 3 and 4.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter graduated last year and trimester schedule was the only reason she was not involved in vocal music. She was in band, jazz band (which practices before school) and marching band, and also in athletics (practices outside of school). She would have loved to be in the vocal music, too, and in plays and interp. But you just can't fit it all in and still take the classes you need, especially if you are trying for as many AP classes as you can.
ReplyDeleteI have another daughter who just finished 6th grade, and is very sad to see Mrs. Ziebarth leaving.
A question for anonymous above. Are trimesters better than semesters in your opinion? Just curious if they really accomplish what they intended to. Heard a lot of complaining when trimesters first started, and most places don't have them, do they? So why does Madison still continue them? And I head they are going to maybe start trimesters in middle school. Just wondering. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteBTW people, Gale Pifer lacks a Y chromosome. The MDL staffer is a woman.
ReplyDeleteUm, Anonymous, are we thinking of the same person? Are there two Gale Pifers in Madison? Unless we fell into a parallel universe sometime in the last few days, Gale Pifer is a very social, popular, and active gentleman. And he has produced a very thorough survey of the arts in Madison. Now that his fourth and final report has appeared, the Madville Times will be offering further commentary in a new post. Stay tuned!
ReplyDeleteHa ha... yes there are, indeed, two Gale Pifers in Madison. I had always thought that my former neighbor lady was writing for the paper. My mistake!!
ReplyDelete