Where art doesn't endure

While listening to a Chicago public school advocate lamenting educational cuts to CPS on TV, I was stunned by her statement "Kelly High School just lost its entire music program to school cuts". I was a clarinetist in the Kelly HS concert band from 1959 to 1963, and what a great band it was. Under the direction of the revered Frank Borger from 1935 to 1956, and then by one of his band students John Rhymak for many years thereafter, the Kelly HS band consistently achieved an S for Superior in the city wide concert band competition. I still have my long play albums from 1959, 60 and 61 when we scored two Superiors and one Excellent playing such pieces as Mozart's Overture Impresario, Leugini's Ballet Egyptian, and Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6. Besides competitions, we played school concerts, football games and Chicago State Street parades. Best memory? Our 84 strong contingent was reduced to just 26 when foul weather kept most home from one parade. Playing through wind and rain was a challenge but we never faltered. My mind's eye can still see the blackboard where Conductor Rhymak put up our names under the heading: "26 Loyal Kelly Band Members at St Pat's Parade".

A wise aphorism states: "All things pass, only art endures". I guess that doesn't apply at Kelly High.