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South Carolina Band Directors Association

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"It’s Time To Blow Our Own Horn!"

The State Newspaper, April 1, 1998, Front Page: S.C. Wants Out Of The SAT Basement by Alan Richard

Here we are again folks! South Carolina is considered the nation’s "April Fool," and this is no joke! Dead last in nearly every measurable category of education, and everyone is wondering what to do to get out of the statistical basement. It seems that the little state of South Carolina, population 3,500,000 +, can’t break the barrier of success. The publicity the education system receives is a sore point with state residents, and discussions of our schools nearly always bring on a fit of temper. We were even outraged with the recent comments of former Clemson Basketball Coach Rick Barnes when he stated his opinion of the South Carolina school system. He commented that the poor school system was a major factor when he decided to coach in Texas. (Money was probably a much bigger factor!) It seems that scores on standardized tests like the SAT will be the measuring stick of our success or failure. I invite each of you to check out the figures on your school in The State Newspaper’s Report Card: Education - SAT Scores <http://www.thestate.com/schools/index.htm>

Question: How successful are our band programs?
Answer: Among the best and working to get even better!

The evidence shows that our band programs are catching up with the best in the nation, and let me also assure you that the we will continue to improve. We are experiencing unimagined growth in our programs; both in numbers of participants and in quality of performance. As an association we are experiencing the growing pains that are the direct result of quality teaching. The recent District Band realignment was necessary because of increased participation levels; the result of your hard work in the classroom. The numbers of South Carolina bands that represent us beyond our borders is also impressive. Our bands are performing at the Mid-West Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago, the Western International Band Clinic in Seattle, the Bands Of America National Concert Festival, the National Adjudicators Invitational, and many other distinguished venues. We are certainly doing more than just Marching Band. Clinicians and adjudicators coming to our state tell us that the quality of performance is constantly improving. We should be proud of all that we are doing!

But . . . . . What else do we teach our students? What lessons do we teach that will make parents and legislators appreciate the programs we are developing? Why should our place in the curriculum be protected? Should tax dollars be used to support our bands?

If we are going to have answers to those questions, we need to tell our story. "It’s time to blow our own horn!"

Do "YOUR" legislators, administrators, parents, and students know:

• A University of California (Irvine) study showed that after eight months of keyboard lessons, preschoolers showed a 46% boost in their spatial reasoning IQ.
• Students with course work/experience in music performance and music appreciation scored higher on the SAT: 51 points higher on the verbal and 39 points higher on the math for music performance, and 61 points higher on the verbal and 46 points higher on the math for music appreciation than students with no arts participation.
• The College Board identifies the arts as one of the six basic academic subject areas students should study in order to succeed in college.
• Physician and biologist Lewis Thomas studied the undergraduate majors of medical school applicants. He found that 66% of music majors who applied to medical school were admitted, the highest percentage of any group. 44% of biochemistry majors were admitted.
• A study of 811 high school students indicated that the proportion of minority students with a music teacher role-model was significantly larger than for any other discipline. 36% of these students identified music teachers as their role-models, as opposed to 28% English teachers, 11% elementary teachers, 7% physical education/sports teachers, 1% principals.
• The very best engineers and technical designers in the Silicon Valley industry are, nearly without exception, practicing musicians.
• The arts create jobs, increase the local tax base, boost tourism, spur growth in related businesses (hotels, restaurants, printing, etc.) and improve the overall quality of life for our cities and towns. On a national level, nonprofit arts institutions and organizations generate an estimated $37 billion in economic activity and return $3.4 billion in federal income taxes to the US Treasury each year.
• Without the arts, education is not education but vocational training. Practicing one's profession successfully calls for skills in dealing with people, for being able to comprehend the connection between cause and effect, and for the ability to carry the burdens placed on the individual in a free society. The arts help to prepare the human mind for such needs.
• A study at California State University in 1987 compiled the following results from other studies:Music Education in primary and secondary schools leads to:- cognitive and basic skills development.- increases interest in academic learning is correlated with higher grade point averages.- aids in the development of academic achievement skills.- helps students develop faster physically, mentally, emotionally and socially.- improves student listening skills.- is correlated with high self-perception and cognitive competence.- improves reading, mathematics, and history skills.- improves eye-hand coordination.- reduces discipline problems.

Now let’s show what our band programs are doing in South Carolina. In the next few days each High School Director will receive a letter asking for their support for our next Public Relations Campaign. The SCBDA needs to gather information concerning our current graduating class, the Class of 1998. This information will be used to write a report that will be presented to every member of the South Carolina State Legislature, both the House of Representatives and the State Senate. The information must be carefully gathered and verified by each director. Student names will remain confidential but must be available for verification purposes.

The SCBDA will need the following information:

• Name of School and Director’s Name
• Student’s Name (List every Senior enrolled in your classes)
• SAT Score (Verbal - Math - Combined Score)
• Student’s Class Rank and Grade Point Average
• What are the student’s plans after High School Graduation? (College, Tech School, Military, Work, etc.)
• Did the student receive any Scholarship money to attend college? (Amount offered - Amount accepted)
• Senior Class / SAT Score Averages (Verbal - Math - Combined Score)
• Senior Class / Scholarship Totals (Amount offered - Amount accepted)

The information collected by this survey will provide verifiable information about the success of our programs. It is hoped that this information can be developed into a statistical report that can be made available to the media throughout the state. It’s time we tell our own story. "It’s Time To Blow Our Own Horn!"

Question: How do we improve test scores?
Answer: Get more students involved in our band programs!

Let’s "BAND" together! We do make a difference because "Music Is Instrumental To Success!"

Glenn C. Price, President
South Carolina Band Directors Association