OT: Random Act of Culture

Definitely tissue required. Wonderful, wonderful, Louise. Thank you so much. Polly

Oh, I liked that! Wouldn't that be fun to be part of!

G> This is so cool!

Wow. What an Organ at the beginning. Murf, a dear late friend of mine, taught Organ and Piano, mostly Organ at Interlochen Arts Academy in my hometown and was the organist at the church I attended. The organ he played only had three manuals (keyboards) and a fraction of the stops (all those colored tabs). Many was the time during church services that I was balancing on one foot, leaning over to turn the page, (as I was counting furiously because I don't read music very well), and pushing a stop button all at the same time. I was also the grand gopher for the first 15 performances of the Messiah Sing held at our church before I moved north.

Lots of fond memories and a few tears as I watched this.

Steve, who is suffering from a really nasty, full-on, mostly in bed cold, and taking a day off from school tomorrow. Alaska

Jay Leno sometimes takes his tv show out on the sidewalk and asks questions in a feature I think he calls " JayWalkers". One of the questions he asked a happy passerby was "Who wrote Handel's Messiah?". The guy said, " I don't read books". Ah. Well. Polly

I grew up in Philadelphia and still live nearby. What is now Macy's used to be Wanamaker's until about 10 years ago and the organ recital was always a favorite destination particularly during the holiday season when you would "meet at the Eagle" a juge sculpture of an eagle in the middle of the atrium. If you catch the organist, he is/was? always willing to talk about it and show it off. The store is built around a huge 4 or 5 story atrium and when the organ plays, the music swells and rebounds from all over. Really spine chilling and emotional.

After the concert, we would go up to the tea room on the eighth floor, alas no more, and have old fashioned 3 layer tea sandwiches with the crusts trimmed off and soup. I still remember wearing white gloves to "tea".

Diana - PA

You wonder if the Jaywalkers aren't "set up". I wish they were -- but I don't think so! and these people vote... and drive cars! What ever happened to just knowing the "basics" of culture, history, geography and the like. So sad that these young people are so ignorant (which is not the same as stupid!).

Roberta, I certainly agree with you about music in our schools. It's been proven over and over again that kids involved with music do better in their other classes.

Donna in IDaho

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On Wed, 17 Nov 2010 10:59:10 -0600, Roberta wrote (in article ):

And art! And I've heard that some of the kindergarten classes around here don't even have recess any more. I simply can't imagine my 5 year old nephew with a severe case of the wiggles having to sit still for the whole day with no recess.

Maureen

I did.

And we did all kinds of religious music, our choral director was doing his PhD. on Gregorian Chants.

But it was the late 50s early 60s, we also had a bi bile reading, the Lords prayer and the pledge of allegiance every morning in the public schools! I was also there when we added "under God" to the pledge. It was the "dark ages" and they can't do that in the U. S. public schools today.

So, I don't know if Handel's Messiah is allowed now.

Bonnie, in Middletown, VA

The high school here has an incredible choral department. I don't know if they sing Messiah or not, but I suspect they do. The choir ends up traveling to Europe most years to perform. They're quite good. But the cuts to arts, music and (I cannot believe this one) recess are very real. True education has taken a backseat to making a high score on some engineered test. Bah!

Sunny

I remember Wanamaker's!! When I lived in Phila,PA my girlfriend (who ran the longerie dept) and i would go to the tea room for her dinner break! it was wonderful. they also had the best Mother's Day brunch, it was always a "dress-up" occasion. thanks, Diana for the memories!!!!

I'm glad I could bring back a nice memory or two. When did you live in Philly? I never worked at Wannies, however I did work during grad school in Strawbrige & Clothier's china and glass department. I loved going to the tea room. I always felt transported back 50 years or so.

I noticed your moniker says SoCal. I'm flying out to Orange County tomorrow morning to help my MIL after hip surgery. I've already made a list of the local fabric and thrift stores for the in-between times. LOL

Diana - PA

Oh Sunny

Where do I even start. We seem to forget that music helps math, art helps web design, home ec feeds and clothes us everyday, the other fine arts entertain us this weekend at Harry Potter Part 1, etc, etc.

Testing. Didn't you hear me running through the streets screaming last night? We've been in school 13 weeks so far and because of some sort of test or state/federal mandated intervention or other program, 11, YES 11, of these weeks have been interrupted so far. In these 11 weeks, 15 days, YEEEEEESSSSSS, 15 days have been interrupted and of these 7 have been such that when even one grade level of students is pulled out for whatever, we are not allowed, by law, to present new information. We are told to make progress, such as review, extra practice, etc., but we cannot present anything new. That means that we have lost one whole week of instruction and another 8 days to either meetings, or interruptions that for part or all of an hour have pulled students from our room. And, oh, by the way, be sure to cover all of the curriculum so that they can pass the test that they are being pulled out of class to take.

I was directed (by the principal) to adjust my grading practices this year so that I had fewer students with failing grades because it looked bad on our school to the district office and in comparisons to the other schools. I explained that if a student refused to turn the computer on, and if they did to even open the book, that I could not force them to work and that no amount of "adjusting" would make them pass. I also said that I would not "adjust" my grading practices. You have to do the work and do it right to get a grade. Imagine that.

Okay, rant over and thanks for understanding. But, I am so ready to retire. I could have last year, but financially need to go four more.

Steven Alaska

P.S. Nothing like music to highlight a school and the effects last way longer than any football game won.

Wow, I thought I was the only one. I have the same issues here in Nevada. I might be "forced" to retire at the end of this year, but I'd like to go two more years past that. Teaching used to be fun and creative. Now it's just a case of follow the prescribed program. Sure don't need a certified teacher to do that.