The Band Director
was under the impression that this was to be a non-partisan Voter
Registration Rally at Popeye's Restaurant in East Orange, but
when we got there, it was obviously a very partisan rally for the
Democratic Party, judging by the signs that covered the parking
lot and the huge political display set up at the rear of the
parking lot. The Band knew nothing about the politicizing of the
voter registration event prior to arriving at the site and we
hope no one takes their performance as an endorsement of any
political party in violation of East Orange School District
regulations as a non-profit organization. Because The Wiz Kids,
Inc. is a non-profit organization, we also are not allowed to
endorse any political party, so to resolve this dilemma, this Web
page will only show the Band's preparations and march to the
site. The rest of the performance at the site can be seen by
links to neutral Web sites not affiliated with The Wiz Kids, Inc.
or the Band Parent Association which is currently seeking
non-profit status.
In spite of the fact that the bus
got back to the school from Delaware late last night, early this
morning, Band students began showing up for today's Parade and
Rally. While students waited for more to arrive, the band room
was buzzing with music lessons. We have many new students who
have never played their instruments before this year and the
experienced students become their instructors.
An old saying attributed to Plato
is that, "a school is nothing more than a log with a student
sitting on one end and a teacher sitting on the other." In
this case, the school is a stone wall outside the Band room, but
all over you find lots of Teachers sitting with Students like
this. In the above case, the student literally learned to play
her first few notes on the baritone horn as I watched. By the end
of the lesson, she could play all the notes to one of the band
pieces for that day, and this good enough for a start.
The trumpet section includes
brand new students with experienced students, and all learn from
one another each time they get together. Learning is a non-stop
process throughout the Band at every level.
By 11:30 AM, the students who are
participating have all gathered and are ready to begin the first
part of the parade as they march from the school to City Hall.
It's a short distance of one
block, but they take even short distances seriously when they are
in marching formations.
They reform at City Hall where
they meet up with their police escort that will be with them as
they parade down Arlington Avenue to Central Avenue.
Nothing causes as much excitement
in the city as when the fully dressed Band marches down the
street on a Saturday morning.
They arrive at Popeye's parking
lot about noon, as promised. That's when they discover that they
had been duped into endorsing the Democratic party candidates at
a very partisan event, but they were here, they were committed,
and so they went ahead as planned. However, we will have to
transfer to another Web site to continue to show you what
happened next. This event continues at the Web site belonging to
the East Orange Interactive Museum which does not have non-profit
status. Click HERE to transfer.
