More memories of High School

This is a special contribution to this blog. I wrote it one evening when I was feeling grateful for all the teachers and experiences that had helped to mold me. Mr. Genualdi was one of the best!!! Band members, you know what I mean.

We called him Coach. He was, of course, officially the Band Director, but for those of us in the band, he was our best coach. If we were especially familiar we would call him Jet too. Jet Genualdi.

Some people don't know this, but Jet Genualdi wrote our Round Lake High School Fight Song. I remember him doing it. He talked about how he wanted to be a composer and this was an act of love. We all played it with verve and zest, just the way he wrote it.

Mr. Genualdi directed Concert Band, Marching Band and when I was a Jr. he organized a Jazz Band as well. We played in the Spring, for Christmas Holidays, at all of the football games of course and marched in every parade Round Lake held. We practiced marching out on the football field. I still remember the bug bites I used to get around my ankles from the grass.

Our uniforms were not the snazziest. I think the school got them second hand. I'm trying to find the picture of me in mine. They were wool and scratchy and very old fashioned, but we were proud to wear them and under Jet's tutelage we practiced formations, right turns, line and file discipline. Looking back, it was fun and I appreciated him so much.

He also tutored those of us who were still learning our instruments. He was a good tutor and of course could play every instrument himself. I can still see him baton in hand drumming out a beat for my lackadaisical clarinet.

He took us to competitions. We went to State as a concert band and did very well. We were introduced to every kind of music --classical, modern, marching, Broadway. I still remember many of the pieces we performed and I loved it!

Mr. Genualdi touched out lives for the better. In band we were all equal. Even though there were first chair, second chair and even third chair performers, he treated each of us as an important part of the band . And we were. I learned how true harmony worked from being in band with him.

Thank you Mr. Genualdi!

Sandy Jo Anderson