School reorganization in rural Iowa was a difficult thing back in the 1950s. Earlham was a rival school of Dexter and, all of a sudden, we were told we’d be bussed to Earlham for the rest of our school days. For me, that was all of high school.
I went from a class of 13 eighth graders at Dexter, to a class of 30-some freshman at Earlham.
One of the best things about it, though, was we got Jack Oatts as band director. Earlham was his first job as a school band director, beginning in 1955.
I’d started out playing a trumpet and a clarinet with Dexter school instruments, but didn’t own one. Mr. Oatts worked at sorting out what kind of players he inherited from Dexter, and noting that so many of us could already read music. Since I didn’t own a horn, I played in the percussion section my freshman year.
When Mr. Oatts realized how many unused French horns he had in storage, he talked seven or eight of us into taking lessons on them. It was my instrument during the rest of high school. The school had one double French horn, which I played my senior year.
Mr. Oatts, a saxophonist, also wrote and arranged music. According to the 1962 Earlham Yearbook, the chamber band gave “the premier public performance of a new composition especially for the concert band entitled ‘Symphonic Sketch for Band’ by Jack Oatts. This number was a blend of old Roman, Oriental, and Asiatic harmonies are using along with African and Jazz rhythms.”
My senior year there were eleven French horns in a high school band of about sixty-five instruments. Mr. Oatts arranged “Dancing in the Dark” for the French horns and suggested we wear our homecoming dresses for the concert. Homecoming dresses were tame compared with today.
Gloria Neal is my sister. Judy Neal is my cousin. Marilyn Lawson, Jane Morford, Pat Willrich, Mary Nevitt were rural “Dexter girls.” Seven of us French horn players rode to Earlham school on the same bus.
The Earlham High School French horn choir earned “I” ratings at contest. Playing a piece our own band director arranged just for us was a delightful part of high school. Jack Oatts was an active member of the Iowa Bandmasters Association, Jack Oatts was recognized as the “Father of Iowa High School Jazz” and was named to the Iowa Jazz Educators Hall of Fame and the Des Moines Community Jazz Center Hall of Fame. More about Jack Oatts.
Your musical career took on a melody far different from my own. Then and now, I can barely play the radio, let alone any musical instrument (although I play around with a Jews harp!). In fact, even when I attempt the radio, I encounter, as someone once said, static!
I also played piano and organ! Would you believe I was an assistant church organist for a few years?
That’s a good-sized band for what sounds like a fairly small school. School reorganization creates all kinds of interesting situations. I’m sure you made some new friends while retaining some of your old ones.
I was kinda the odd girl in my class both places, since we lived on a farm, but I’m still in touch with classmates from both towns. Jack Oatts went on to many accolades, so we were blessed to be mentored by him in his first public school setting. https://joynealkidney.com/2019/03/04/jack-oatts-at-earlham-high-school/
Terrific piece on Jack. Most effective schools have a balance of experienced teachers with an injection of youth. It’s a great balance when the experienced teachers support the younger ones, while the enthusiasm of youth revitalizes the older ones.
Pete, you are so right!
“more about Jack Oatts” has a photo of the concert band. You were a freshman and I was 8th grade standing on either side of Johnny Jones in percussion. 6th-8th grade, I was in HS band: concert, marching, jazz, Dixieland, etc. Freshman year I switched to sports, but continued to admire Earlham Community School’s music programs.
I didn’t know you were in the band! Did you ever want to play Richard’s accordion?
I could never get the hang of learning to read music, so anything I did had to be from memory. It must be great to be able to play like you did.
Mr. Oatts was delighted that we could already read band music! Several of us had been taking piano lessons for years as well.
In band just those 3 pre-high school years. Ron Routh started drums a year later in 7th grade. He thought I was so much better than him at first, and he was the one that became a professional drummer. He and I were the 2 snares in marching band and concocted “jazzed-up” cadences. Mr. Oats could not have been more delighted!
What terrific details, Bob!
What memories! I, too, played the xylophone and bass drum until he pulled me to play the French horn. Do you remember how all the trumpet players played football so we had to switch to trumpet for marching band during football season? And we did not realize what a talent we had in Jack Oatts until we were long gone. We just thought everyone got I’s in contest!! I hated it that I lived too far away when you all honored him!
I was in percussion my freshman year as well. (That’s how “claves” ended up in a poem about woodpeckers.) John Busbee said he played French horn three years, then was switched to trumpet. Yes, French horns became trumpeters during marching band, so I tried out for flag waver instead. Yes, we took Mr. Oatts for granted!
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The old newspaper clips and photographs here and on Jack Oates site were a delight to look over. Being a member of the Earlham band sounds like a wonderful experience you shared with the Dexter Seven! 🙂
Since I wasn’t in sports, band and vocal got me through high school! Thank you, Nancy!
So lovely, every bit, Joy! And I’ll confess – I enjoyed seeing the photos of you ‘in action’ and your beautiful homecoming dress! 🥰
Thank you, Vicki! My homecoming dress my freshman year was pink with a big bow in the back. Nothing like today’s homecoming dresses, huh!
You know it! I prefer yours! 😉
Music brought a lovely depth to school nothing else could. Good post.
Thank you, Jacqui. Especially since I didn’t go out for any sports.
The French horn gang!