Show Sagging School hand Band Program Brings Protests From Parents Parents of hand band students in Uintah High and Vernal Junior HIgh Schools met with the dis school board Wednesday last week appealing for a band instructor for the schools music departments SERIOUS discipline pro and a general lack of in terest now exist among the students the parents and school board agreed Two delegations met with the board the first was a group of 15 persons with Ray Stone as spokesman concerned about the Uintah High Band The sec and was Mr and Mrs Mrs Glade and Mrs Gene Stewart concerned about about a similar situation at Vernal Jun for High School WEVE GONE from super for rated bands at both schools down to nothing since our band director left one mother cons com The director was Donald Ad ter ler whom Supt Evans praised as being one of the finest band teachers In the West lIe Ile left leftin leftin in midsummer for a California pos post t Class discipline problems which Mr Evans admitted exist apparently stem from the students lack of interest now that they no longer have an in of the highest caliber LEADERSHIP of the bands in both schools is by substitute staff members who are work ing their hearts out but who ad mit they are not lot qualified b hand nd directors Mr MI Evans explain explain- explained ed cd Weve contacted every Uni Uni- Uni University music house other schools personal ces everywhere and every one we could think of to find finda a replacement Mr Evans told the parents We simply have not been able to find a band instructor STATING THAT there is a shortage of music teachers Mr Evans noted that there are sov sev oral eral districts in each of the Western states all searching for qualified persons Enrollment in the Uintah HIgh School band program has dropped from 93 to 39 in four months since the beginning of school the parents told the board expressing their fear that at semester break the reo re students will drop out of the program SALARY mentioned by some critics as a factor behind the loss of several band teachers in recent years was not thought to be the reason Mr Evans and the board observed We are paying more than many districts Supt Evans pointed out With the few prospects weve we've had we hadn't even gotten to the question of salary before other changed their minds We had only two prospects come out here this year and we couldn't sell their wives One was homesick and another pre fert d another state A tAs s for Mr Adler he wanted a University location and to work for his doctorate others before him left for personal reasons even though they said they enjoyed working here Mr 11 Evans continued WE ONLY lost one to a higher salary and he went to the Job Corps We simply can can- cannot cannot not compete with the federal government on salaries Mr 11 Evans asserted The only apparent weakness in the Uintah School District salary schedule would apply equally to music instructors and athletic coaches Mrs Glade president of the Ver Vel nal Junior High PTA pointed out she was one of three memo hers bers of the second parents del del- delegation to meet with the school board Wednesday evening Continued on page 6 Sagging Band Continued from page 1 MRS had cor corresponded responded with three former bythe music Instructors employed by the Uintah District and found that only In Mr Adlers Adler's case was a significantly higher wage being earned The other two Pace and Fer Fer- Fer Ferron ron were working for lower base salaries Extra pay for additional hours spent drilling and Instructing their bands was paid to Adler and Ferron Fenton mak mak- mak making ing a average increase in yearly salary UINTAH district at present does not give extra or over over time pay for coaches or music Instructors Most 1 schools including Uin- Uin tab tah district offer a summer program which pays 1100 to 1500 extra for a G 6 to week 8 period Parents suggestions discus discus- discussed sed at the meeting for other Improvements Included giving a school letter for band which would have equal significance of athletic letters earned by val var- varsity sity players I Another possible action men boned d was a proposed band parents group which the par par- parents would work through to provide new uniforms and in in- in instruments I for their children THE DISTRICT is continuing to pursue every possible lead to find a qualified Instructor Mr Evans said lIe He mentioned one prospective instructor who might decide to come in Janu Janu- Janu January ary Should that person decide against taking the post the theother theother other alternative would be to re- re recruit recruit cruit a University senior student who could fill in for for forthe the remainder of the |