In step with band

To the editor:

In a recent editorial, you revealed yourself to be a tuba player. Your editorial inspired me to write about one of my favorite subjects: school band programs.

Band changed my life. I was a lonely child at school and home until seventh grade, when I joined the school band.

Suddenly, I had a tribe. I became attached to my school and looked forward to the following year when I would have a uniform and be able to play in concerts and perform at halftime shows.

At the age of 72, band is still the center of my social life.

I play clarinet with two concert bands, so I attend practice twice a week, carpool with band mates, and often share a meal after morning practice.

I have made many friends, ranging from those for whom I would lay down my life to friendly acquaintances.

Research shows that we seniors in rural areas are experiencing an epidemic of loneliness and that lonely people suffer more mental and physical health problems and die earlier than non-lonely people do.

Without band, I would be lonely.

For some students, athletics is an excellent fit. For many students, it isn’t.

Band offers students a tribe and the opportunity to develop leadership and cooperative skills that last a lifetime, as well as increased academic achievement, especially in mathematics.

We seniors can help.

To support our community, we can donate funds to help pay for band trips to state contests. Many rural schools cannot pay for these trips, so the students have to raise the money.

We can donate used instruments to band programs. A district near my house is so poor that they have only half as many instruments as they need. Every two students have to take turns playing one instrument during band class.

To help an individual student, we can purchase a beginner-level instrument (many music stores offer low-interest monthly payment programs) or we can pay for a student to have private lessons.

Not only will we help that student find a tribe in school, and perhaps spark a career path, but we will provide a leisure activity that will last a lifetime and combat loneliness.

Millie Gore Lancaster
Hot Springs Village, Arkansas