So interestingly, this school was McKay Elementary in Beaverton--the school I went to in 4th, 5th and 6th grade. The gym is right inside the main doors, and after I had seen the exhibit, I decided with the encouragement of one of the teachers I had been visiting with, to walk around and see if I could remember anything. I guess it's been 36 years since I walked those halls, since I don't remember going back after I advanced from 6th grade. Well, I wondered if anything would trigger any memories. As I stood in the doorway of the library, gazing around, the librarian saw me and asked if she could help me find something. As we visited, she took me down stairs to a little office and storage room where there were some boxes stored with all the class pictures from bygone days. There in the box were pictures from 1972-73, 1974-75, 1976-77 with my class mates and me! It was fun to know the schools repository still contained a record of little me!
She mentioned that in this little room, now an office, they had taught beginning strings. That sent a twinge of memory through me, this is where I began playing the viola. This is where I gained a little feeling that I was special, and that I had some talent for something. My teacher was so encouraging, and she gave me special attention because I was the only viola player in a group of violins--and viola was her first love.
We walked up stairs and my guide took me into the music room, and then left me with my thoughts. Here is where I loved general music from "Miss Morris formerly Mrs. Mouldy". We did a little production on this stage in 4th grade, something about a rabbit, with music--it was a play. I remember singing on that stage for class, and feeling bad that I couldn't be in the choir, because I was playing viola instead.
At this window, maybe even on these book cases, I remember the autoharp with song pages and chord changes. I sang "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands", and "The Ink is Black, the Page is White". She set up little stations around the room where you could do independent music activities sometimes. I remember loving to play the autoharp and singing. I loved music class.
This is where it all began, at McKay Elementary. This is where I began to learn and love music outside of my home. Wow. Somehow going into that room sent a flood of emotion over me. Feelings of gratitude for a time when music was really valued in the schools, a time when I was the recipient of so much instruction, a time when I was thirsty and ready to learn all that I could.
I'm so glad I had music class. I'm so glad I have had music as a major part of my life for all these years. I'm so glad that I have the opportunity to give back a little something to the music world through the Voices for the Performing Arts foundation. I'm so glad for an unexpected moment of reflection in a little empty classroom, on a random Friday in June. Sometimes it's the little things that happen that mean a lot. Aaahh. Life is sweet.
