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Readers’ Views

They can meet challenge

To the Editor:

I attended a surprise concert the evening of May 18. I thought it would be the usual kind of concert staged by the Fairmont Area Schools band department every spring — but I was wrong. What a pleasant surprise!

It started with the fifth-grade band. the members weren’t watching the director quite like they should have but, except for that, they did great. What an improvement over previous years. Younger musicians have a tendency to play a little off key and behind the beat sometimes but not this year — they were right on. The fifth grade was the opening act and each band after them played a little more difficult music than the last. I was very impressed by each one of them.

It was obvious that everyone has been working hard — and that’s the point I want to make. We hear — and see — so much about lack of discipline these days, but it’s obviously not true in the Fairmont band department. And it’s paying off — big time. We can all learn from those directors and students.

I’m older now — have many more days behind than ahead — which (I think) qualifies me to make this judgment: if we expect nothing from people, nothing is what we get. It’s not only OK to have expectations, it’s only fair to people that we do. These band students proved what I’ve experienced all along — today’s youngsters can and will not only meet the challenge, they’ll surpass it.

Good job, everyone! It’s a real pleasure to hear you play. Your hard work is very noticeable. Thank you for fully investing yourselves in what you do.

William T. Raine

Fairmont

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