1968-1985 McLain

Myron McLain  1968 - 1985

Parsons 1979 – 1984 and Hayes 1985-1987

Myron McLain was a student of Freeport’s orchestra program from 1944-1952.  He started violin lessons at Lincoln Grade School in 5th grade.  Class met twice per week with Ernest Seeman as the instructor.  During his high school years, McLain was one of the many students whom Seeman invited to play with the Rockford Symphony.  After graduating from high school, McLain went to Washington D.C. to serve 4 years playing tuba in the US Marine Band.  While in D.C., he studied violin with the concertmaster of the Air Force Symphony.  He used the GI Bill to continue his education.  He received both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in music education from University of Illinois, majoring in violin and tuba.  He taught in Champaign for 7 years before coming to Freeport in 1968. 

            While teaching in Freeport, McLain kept his skills fresh by completing coursework beyond his degree, attending ASTA workshops in Madison, WI every year, and performing.  McLain was a member of several area chamber ensembles, and Dubuque, Rockford, and University of Wisconsin Platteville orchestras.  Additionally, he played in several orchestras in Washington D.C. and the Owensboro Symphony Orchestra.  McLain was also an active educator on the national scene.  In 1973, he was elected as National Secretary of the National School Orchestra Association, serving in this capacity for 8 years.  Furthermore, he served on the Illinois Board of American String Teachers for 4 years while at Champaign and 4 years while at Freeport.  McLain worked with Paul Rolland for two years in the planning and development stages of the University of Illinois’ String Project.  He also presented at the 23rd Summer Conference of the NSOA in Boone, NC in 1984 in the company of Merle Isaac, Robert Frost, and Edmund Siennicki.  McLain resigned in 1985, married, and moved to Owensboro where he teaches and performs (M. McLain, personal communication, January 11, 2010).

Freeport School Music:

            In a typical teaching day, McLain arrived early to teach fifth graders at the elementary schools.  Students at each grade school would receive two group lessons per week.  The groups were heterogeneous and, depending on a school’s enrollment, would be very large or small.  Then, the official school day began with the junior high orchestra (7th and 8th graders together).  Seeman directed the ensembles while McLain pulled students from class for small group instruction, seeing all students at some point throughout the week.  The high school class met midday, McLain directing.  The remainder of the day was spent completing the elementary school rotation.  The directors helped build the program by holding after school classes for any interested students.  The 1972 enrollment letter clearly describes the philosophical foundation of the music programs at this time. 

Besides its social value, band and orchestra playing develops good health, posture, and poise; it gives the individual a possible source of additional income, a fine appreciation of music, a wholesome recreation, and tends to develop a greater sense of responsibility.

McClain stated, “We were trying to develop playing skills, experience all types of music, have an understanding of styles, and increase the technical facility on their instruments in order that they could carry the interest in to adult life.”  If students were interested in pursuing music, the directors would encourage this pursuit however they could.  “We looked for opportunities for the students to experience musical activities outside of school.”  Seeman and McLain encouraged students to play with them in Dubuque, UW Platteville, and Rockford orchestras, as well as church services such as Messiah.  “Some years Ernie would drive his car loaded with students and I drove my van with as many as 8 students going to Dubuque symphony” (personal communication, February 7, 2010).

            In 1979, McLain formed a studio orchestra to perform for local functions such as church, board of education, American Business Women, and Kiwanis meetings.  The ensemble consisted of volunteers, invitations extended to the top players in the sections.  Students rehearsed one evening per week and performed light classics and popular music such as Beatles, Mancini, and John Denver.  The orchestra purchased its first electric bass guitar and amp for the studio orchestra to use (M. McLain, personal communication, February 7, 2010).

            During McLain’s years with the orchestra, they were very active as performers in the community.  For example, in the early 1970s, the ensemble performed for Dubuque television and radio broadcasts, at a regional meeting of Men’s Garden Clubs, advent vesper services at St. Joseph’s and Embury United Methodist churches (1973-1976), summer strings played for Freeport Rotary Club, the Festival of Classical Music in 1974 at Highland Community College (Organ, Brass, Harpsichord, and Strings portions), the 1976 Winneshiek production of the musical 1776, variety shows at the Masonic Temple, supporting other school’s productions such as playing for Belvidere High School’s Mame in 1973, and a St. Patrick’s Day concert at St. Joseph’s Home.  These community performances were in addition to their traditional school concert calendar which included a fall concert, Christmas Pageant, high school musical, Pops program, spring concert, and Tri-II.  Special events would be given throughout the year at school too.  An example is an ensemble recital given in 1983, grades 5-12.  Each small ensemble was coached by a different director or area professional musician from a symphony.  Typically, each concert included 10-12 pieces.  Students also had the opportunity to participate in annual solo and ensemble contests and district and All-State festivals. 

            Grade school students also had frequent performance opportunities.  A Fiddle-In was a performance medium and recruiting tool.  Beginning 5th grade students would perform when they finished each major unit.  The first unit was played for kindergarten, the next for 1st graders, the next for 2nd graders, etc.  Some years, students performed for all elementary classes; other years, they did not make it that far.  This provided excitement and anticipation about the orchestra for incoming students and proved to be motivational for the beginners (M. McLain, personal communication, January 10, 2010). 

            State sponsored summer classes began in 1972.  For a fee of $4, students would receive 2 hours of class daily.  Class choices included orchestra, band, driver education, and sports.  In orchestra, students learned tuning, new bowings, vibrato, solo pieces, and technique.  Students were urged to take summer orchestra class instead of private lessons due to “daily teacher contact and supervised practice” (M. McLain, personal communication, January 10, 2010).  In 1976, 27 students were enrolled in summer orchestra, and by 1977, the number increased to 39.  Over time, the state gradually withdrew funding, parents needed to pay more, and enrollment went down until the programs ended.

            Just as Ernie Seeman had, McLain repaired instruments for the students and school.  He even learned to fix and regulate harps while attending a Lyon & Healy repair workshop in Iowa.  McLain purchased a harpsichord for the orchestra in 1972 for $550.  The walnut instrument was built from a Zuckermann kit with a range of nearly 5 octaves, a lute stop, and a single set of 8’ strings.  In 1975, a new recording device made it possible to record rehearsals for the first time.  In 1976, orchestra students and parents began working concession booths at sporting events as a fundraiser for the program.

            When Seeman retired in 1976, McLain was left to direct the program on his own for a year.  The band staff was also reduced by a ½ position at this time.  These decreases in staffing meant no small group lessons.  The years leading up to this reduction in staffing also brought drastic budget cuts despite enrollment increases.  Board records indicate that the middle school band consisted of 95 students, and orchestra had 49; the junior high band had 100 students, and orchestra had 33; the high school band had 70 students, and orchestra had 52 (January 1977, p. 1724.62).  The following table indicates band and orchestra budgets for Carl Sandburg, the Junior High, and High School from 1973-1977 (p. 1754.40):

                                    1973                1974                1975                1976                1977                          

CS Band                        $1414.50         $1000              $1000              $500                $636.78                   

CS Orchestra                  475                  400                  400                  300                  382.07

JH Band                          1645                1645                1500                700                  1300                       

JH Orchestra                   700                  705                  600                  325                  500

HS Band                         1800                2300                3150                1800                2500                      

HS Orchestra                  1080                1455                1098.80           685                  1080   

More complications arose in 1978 with block scheduling.  Junior high classes were held in 20 minute pods, and high school classes were held in 15 minute pods.  Different classes would be scheduled over 2 to 3 pods.  Scheduling teaching responsibilities for itinerant teachers became very difficult.  Additionally, the new schedule set band and orchestra during the same period.  For the first time, the orchestra had to share full orchestra members instead of having them full time (Polaris, 1979, p. 86).   

            The parent organization, Orchestra Patrons, repeatedly raised their voices in concern, and the board hired Timothy Parsons in 1979 as part time band and part time orchestra staff.  In the June 1980 Annual Report of Carl Sandburg School, Lyle Reedy, principal, admitted that the addition of Parsons had improved the music programs.  Students were able to have a full week of class and be pulled from music class for lessons instead of academics.  In this report, he also emphasized, though, that a full time band and full time orchestra teacher were necessary for complete success (Board of Education, July-September 1980, p. 119).  The junior high report described instructors teaching during preparatory time and expressed the need for additional staff.  Teachers must organize two department recitals, an open house performance, grade school concert, 4th grade demonstration, 4 junior high play performances, a spring concert, and high school commencement.  These were just their junior high obligations, not to mention their other responsibilities (p. 135).  Despite the hardships, the program continued to thrive.  In 1980, the orchestra sent 12 students to district festival, three of them earning 1st chair in their sections. 

            Parsons continued to assist with both band and orchestra programs until 1981, when his position became solely that of an orchestra assistant.  In 1984, however, Parsons’ position was eliminated.  He was one of 19 staff members cut because of tight revenues and declining enrollments.  Additionally, differential pay was discontinued for teachers instructing the middle school and junior high bands and orchestras.  This left McLain alone again with the responsibilities of the entire program.  An impact can clearly be seen when comparing programs from one year to the next.  A 1983-1984 junior high spring concert included 5 large group pieces and 2 small ensembles.  The personnel included 27 violins, 7 violas, 5 cellos, 2 basses, and 1 harp (no full orchestra).  The same program one year later included 6 group pieces and a roster of 13 violins, 5 violas, 1 cello, and 1 bass.  Instantly, one can see the impact of the cuts.  It was at this point that McLain decided to resign in 1985, and the orchestra enrollment continued to decline for several years.  The next director was Pamela Hayes, formerly a teacher in Chicago.  She filled the position of orchestra director for the entire Freeport School District from 1985-1987.  A winter 1985 concert program shows the following enrollment: 

            Violin              Viola               Cello                Bass                 Harp                Piano 

5th:       10                    2                      3 

6th:       11                    3                      1                      1 

JH:       12                    4                      2                      2 

HS:      24                    4                      1                      2                      1

As of one year later, these numbers had declined even further to: 

5th:       8                      4                      5                                              1

6th:       12                    2                      2                                                                      1

JH:       13                    3                      1                      1                                              1

HS:      19                    2                      4                      2                      1

Sheila Kennerly Felder took to the baton for Freeport School District in 1987, to the benefit of the program.

5th:       17                    4                      4                      3                      3                      3 bells

6th:       8                      9                      1                      1                      4

7th:       7                      4                      2                      1                      3                      2 + 3 mallets

8th:       14                                            2                      1                                              1 mallet +full orch

HS:      26                    8                      9                      4                      6                       1 mallet