Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1915-07-01
Value of Home Town Band

OF the professional band. whose
players are artists and whose
playing is a finished product
there is no chance for argument
it bears the same relation to
the community that the art
galleries and libraries do. So,
therefore, take it for granted
that the above q1ery refers to
the ordinary country or village
band, whose name is legion.
There is a bare possibility that
| may be biased in my ideas on
this subject, for from the time,
when g years old, the tuba play.
err in the little country band in
the little country town of Mos
herville, Mich sent me to his
home after his instrument, and
| played my own march to my
own delight land no other's) on
the way back to the band room,
which happened to be the village
blacksmith shop, and where |
sat in open.eared and open
mouthed delight way beyond my
usual bedtime, and in fact until
| was led home by the ear by
my mother, | have been the
champion Of the country band.
| have played in them and |
have taught them, and | have
laid under the trees in the park
Saturday evening and listened
to them, and it would take
mighty strong financial interest
to make me live in a town that
could not, or would not, sup
port it's band.
of benefit to the communi.
ty?"
AS the community is made up
of individuals, so anything affect.
ing the individual affects the
community.
There is that in the human
breast that demands amusement,
enjoyment, relaxation, and if we
cannot get it at home we are go.
ing away from home to get it.
There are a certain few young
men in every village and town
who are. unsteady inclined; it is
just as natural for them to play
an instrument as it is for others
to add a column of figures, and
all that is needed is training.
His longing is constantly that
way; soon you will find he has
procured an instrument and the
trials of the community begin
the probabilities are nothing of
the kind has ever been seen or
heard in that community before,
and the result is every neighbor
within hearing strolls around
within 4S hours, and the proud
possessor has to deliver a lecture
on it's mechanism and deliver
samples of its tones. Within 80
days every one within hearing
delivers a lecture on that same
instrument and consigns it to
places thought of but not men,
toned. But as that young man
begins to develop melodies the
community sits up and listens.
Again, other young men catch
the inspiration, more instru,
ments L purchased; the same
thing occurs in other communi,
ties until the performers reach
the zenith of their uninspired
single ambition finally a num-
Der get together, the band is
suggested-the boys chip in and
buy a beginners band book, one
of the number attempts to direct
them and they collectively start
all over again. By this time the
neighborhood sheltering one Of
these young men, who has learn
ed by previous experience, all
the different shades and qualities
of tone that can be produced
with Home, Sweet Home, March.
ing Through Georgia and the
Last Rose of Summer, is startl.
ed by hearing "Um.Tum-Tum,
I'm -Tum- Tum" from the same
source and once more begins to
investigate. The result is about
the first band rehearsal night
every unoccupied man, boy and
many times women and girls
are as near to the band room as
they can get, and stay until the
last toot is footed.
The community has taken its
Grst lo,en, -, +bo e,bool - 80,