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Show Friday, May 25, 1990 DIXIE SUN Page 5 3 The Roene Effect Worked If there has been anything genuinely unique about Dixie She has sitini lege, it has been "Mrs. D" - Roene DiFiore. fathei nndied what we all "the Dixie Spirit," Other schools talk ofte mt a similar phenomenon - Snow College has "the Spirit of in t, lW." Then there is "the Aggie Spirit in Logan and "the Spirit will But these spirits are mostly intangible. he Y", in Provo. ts at we in Dixie have a real person who has In contrast, age ti "the Dixie Spirit." She has been the one who brought jrated augh t cami ether the traditions, the fervor, the memories and the usitf rsonal aspirations of students, alumni and friends of Dixie -- lollegi legeesider When I was :ome t mediately about appointed president of Dixie College I heard "Mrs. D- "- well before I arrived on campus, islators, board members and friends of Dixie College the rywhere congratulated me on my good fortune to have on d "That lady who gets everyone to sing. moved Jty As soon as school started that fall (1986) I went to in lome the to see for myself. Roene had me up there immediately. She gave me a tape of to be gic fin songs and assigned me to learn them. She informed me il yean she would call me out of the audience to join in, just like formei did with all "PB " alumni. So I learned the words of "Are nunit From Dixie? irtunitj In case any reader does not know "Mrs. D and ed jram Bureau class 0ng with the group int-- i to hti otion ti was m His aim was to promote loyalty and identity in the students. It was a time when students in America were often and He hoped to forestall that with something positive, some genuine espirit anti-societ- de corps. That the was challenge he gave Roene. She used the old Dixie College songs from her own student days here. She also revived others from decades earlier. She other songs from the campfire setting and wrote new words for them. She revived the school anthem. DIXIE COLLEGE SPRING QUARTER FINAL EXAMS SYMPHONY POPS CONCERT 8:00 p.m., Dixie Center Cox Auditorium 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.. Smith's Convention Hall can sing. She did not expect her students to read 0 years, iic. There were no auditions. The music of Program Bureau in from ne from zest and spirit. She taught the songs through the Her piano was legendary. She could nt kboard and keyboard. nj and felt her students could catch ,y anything without music ited, a! from her leading. Scores of singers picked up the music from hours like a revival caller. It was as she shouted out the words three ectious. Audiences were disarmed. Here were a group of in plare e 75 at once, singing ege students, as many as 50 or e, and i e The songs were player. piano gs. led by an munitj all those things that embarrass the n repaid lalgic: even patriotic 9 00 a.m., Dixie Center Bums Arena 5:00 - 10:00 p.m., West Elementary Dixie Center Cox Auditorium Sun Desert Coif Academy Coif Camp Ages 7 Intensive golf with PGA pro, food, lodging, evening activities, 1. ext. 289) hosts. $279.00 (673-4- 8 i histicated. is, after The things that were "out" in the 60 s and '70's were lene ra" with ming (i rular fare for "PB." But the Program Bureau did them jrybod lively verve that toes were soon tapping and audiences itude fo, humming. Before it was over, they were all on their feet, for her,' ding hands and singing, "Let there be peace on earth and Dome, it begin with me." I saw it happen at the opening of the ars sir. ver ated skO' Bures heall erson page ext 289) (673-481- Dixie College Summer Quarter Classes Begin SW Theatre Dance Review old-tim- ski Dixie Festival of the Performing Arts outstanding professional concerts (673-481- 1, ext 289) Dixie College Basketball Camps Ages - 4th grade to 12th grade, (6734811, ext. 245) awards ovemighter fee: $175. includes room & board, awards, lunch daily commuter fee: $100, includes Colorado River Run Ceology Trip Senior Games. The athletes left the ceremonies on Cloud (673-481- ext. 289) Colorado River Run Ceology Trip ext. 289) Washington County Fair Queen Contest What did all this charisma do for students? Roene's capture the lonely freshman, the awkward left out struggler and mix them with the lent leaders to create a unity of friendship. Thats why the lents really meant it when they sang, 'Just Come Down to (673-481- natty was to ihomore, the Dixie Center Cox Auditorium iie.'' Dixie's Olive Esplin tells the story of a "PB trip to to discover High School, in Las Vegas. They arrived Roene just t there was a racial tension incident in progress. I'll be layed right on into the school, assuring officials, "Why, the right.! Unbeknownst to her, there was a student in irlio ntorium named Lionel Hollins. Dozens of colleges were infectious 'Dixie miting him for basketball. After feeling the could be a Pai" nt," he opted to come to Dixie College so he who could reach nat." Olive says she has never seen anyone and love students like Roene did. She knew how to find needed her the most. Roene used the piano and the song and the rhythm ce as tools to build students. Her piano skills are legen ary. C. Paul Andersen has depended on her to carry the school acals for two decades. She trained soloists and choruses and ew held the pit orchestra together for theorperformances. or clear purpose, talent hers have in raw her surpassed ee t etr of cake the on the iy students she was "frosting ea s e cation; for others she was not the frosting, ins le all the difference." All went away feeling much better at themselves. And "PB" shared this exuberance with :ences all over the , region. "fne i For several years Dr. Ron Garner broug then musicals, re from Richfield to play for the college e posi ion. President Ferron Losee offered Roene a who ) A jst n a full-tim- ext. 272) "In the Cood Ole Summertime" Country Fair old-tim- n (673-481- Dixie Collete Commencement i rid So Roene has left us for now. The funeral in the Tabernacle tomorrow and the viewing in the Fine Arts Center this evening will bring out hundreds of students and friends that will be together to celebrate and sing about this great lady. Roene's life will now become a legend. Stories of her impact have circulated for more than two decades. Now they will continue on in the lives of thousands who were her kids. Pres. Douglas Aider SVV e ryone lr worked Girls. Calendar for MAY - JUNE Bureau, let me explain. Her idea was to build dent3' through singing. She believed that whic) Bowler, the Singing Mayor of St. George, and the Golden Guest Writer igram self-imag- Sts IViacaic "Just For Now which she had written for the college as a student. Her concept seemed so that it was doomed to fail, but her charisma gave it vitality. It was catching. We all know the rest. Roene taught right up to the last month of her life. It took crutches and canes and wheelchairs to make it but there was no question that she would teach. Her students gladly went to the care center to fetch her and bring her to the piano in the Fine Arts Center. She was still giving public programs with Marion Congratulations to ths Dixie College graduates front your official Schwinn dealer in Vashington County x Schwinn Rappelling Equipment Schwinn USGS Maps Mountain Bikes Recreational Accessories Parts Service Sales Shop Bow-Fle- (801) 673-449- 2 0 p m Mon Sat 90 South 100 East, St George, Utah 85770 8 a m.-- 7 |
