As the new school year begins, memories of my earlier childhood and education come back to my mind, and also, those days when my musical education began.  It certainly was not my choice at the time but it happened and so we must go back to Central School in Bisbee.
                   

                                  An Ode to Central School
                 
                      Where have the little children gone?
                           the little children that came from their houses
                           embraced by their mothers before they went to you
                     Where have the little children gone?
                          the little children that ran to embrace you 
                          when they heard the sound of your call each morning
                      Where have the little children gone?
                          the little children that played in your yard
                          under your watchful eye until teachers called them forth
                      Where have the little children gone?
                          the little children that stayed within your classrooms
                          where they learned, and played, cried and laughed
                      Where have the little children gone?
                          the little children that once were yours
                          now have gone, your calls no more,
                          only silent halls, quiet stairs, and a peaceful serenity
                          your mission complete.
                                  Felipe Antonio Hirales (Phillip A. Hirales)

We had wonderful, dedicated teachers at Central School, and it was a K-5 school that had Mexican( Mexican-American, Hispanic or Chicano labels did not exist) as well as White kids enrolled there at the time. In 1948, I started there in Kindergarten and when my class was in 3rd grade, we started to learn about basic music.  In the 3rd grade, Mrs. Bell my teacher, for whatever the reason, recommended to the Band Teacher, Mr. James Quill, that I should learn to play a musical instrument.  And at that time, band teachers did give individual or group lessons to students that were to be in elementary band.  In 4th grade and later in 5th grade, I had a rough time because it was not something I wanted to do.  However, with Mrs. White, my 4th grade teacher providing me with a lot of support including my mother, I proceeded to study with Mr. Quill.  And in this blog, I wish to honor Mr. James Quill, my first Band teacher,  a master teacher, and a man that taught me the essential and basic music elements that I have used in my teaching and professional life.
      

JAMES QUILL

Bisbee Educator 33 Years

Mr. Quill served in the United States Marine Corps during World War II, and received the Purple Heart and the Silver Star for action in the Pacific.  After that, he attended Arizona State Teachers College which is now Northern Arizona University, and came back to Bisbee to teach in the Bisbee schools.  He was the band teacher for the elementary schools, and then later at Bisbee High School where he was also coached football.

Many of his former band students went on to have successful careers in their chosen fields, but I am sure that each and everyone has memories of Mr. Quill like, "the only teacher that good drive a Blue Bird school bus up OK Street in Old Bisbee loaded with band kids at anytime of the day or night and usually not at the speed limit indicated".  I still remember playing for high school baseball games at Warren Ball Park, and playing marches from the stands between innings.  As a matter of fact, the "On Parade" march books and others used by Mr. Quill and the elementary bands are still at the high school in the band room.

My most memorable and lasting memory of Mr. Quill was in November, 1969 when Mr. Quill had been tasked to temporarily teach the elementary band at the old Horace Mann School because of the loss of the regular band teacher.  I had just been discharged from the military, and they were looking for a band teacher. So, I was able to get an emergency teaching certificate. and I was their man.  Leaving out the details for another blog, I walked into the Horace Mann band room where I saw about fifty 5th and 6th graders scampering about their seats when Mr. Quill said in his usually disciplined voice, "Band, this is your new band teacher, Mr. Hirales.  He can make a musician out of you."  Then, Mr. Quill turned to me and said, "Mr. Hirales, these are your band kids." and then, he gave me the baton, and walked out the door.  With my military band experience under my belt, I got after the kids, however, things were not working out the way I thought they would.  And then, a chubby little kid who was playing the sousaphone, was not following my directions.  So I took him outside for a little military band discipline when suddenly, the kid looked at me with a perplexed stare, and, just like in the comics and Charlie Brown, the kid opened his mouth forming a perfect circle, and he went, "Whaaaaaaa" for several minutes.  I immediately said to myself, "this is not going to work", and I started pulling out every trick I could to be able to survive that day.  This episode was my first unsupervised "Student Teaching" 101 in-the-trenches event that officially baptized me to teaching. After that, I chuckle quietly to myself when I hear a presenter say we are going to study and learn how to become a terrific and great teacher by using this model that is going to solve every problem under the sun in your classroom.

Mr. Quill, my mentor, my teacher, my role model, and my friend, thank you for teaching me.  You still continue to make a difference in young people's lives.

Trumpet Call

This year, the Bisbee High School Cuprite yearbook, is celebrating their 100th year anniversary, and so in collaboration with the Bisbee High School Library department, and the Bisbee Mining and Historical Museum, my blog,

A Trumpet Plays Over Arizona, will be featuring music teachers and musical groups from the Bisbee High School past.