Ever since Dr. Robert Penna became the superintendent of schools in Guttenberg three years ago, he has always had one dream in mind: To form a marching band at Anna L. Klein School.
“I’m a big proponent of the multiple intelligence theory, written by Howard Gardner,” Penna said. “It’s more than the ability to do reading, writing and math.”
According to Donna Janusko, the school’s music teacher, learning music can help a student’s mathematics skills.
“Learning about the rhythms of percussion help the students’ mathematic ability,” Janusko said. “There are a lot of benefits to learning music.”
So it has been Penna’s passion to see that Klein School gets to have a full-fledged marching band once again, like it had in the 1930s and 1940s.
About a year ago, Penna started collecting used musical instruments to start the ball rolling. He then called upon local members of the community for donations to purchase new instruments. A trombone was donated by the family of school Principal Robert Tholen. A senior citizen group raised the money to purchase a trumpet.
Not exactly the makings of a symphony, but a beginning all the same.
In the spring, members of the congregation from St. Peter and Paul Lutheran Church on Jackson Street contacted Penna and informed him that they wanted to help the cause of the school marching band.
After all, Mary Sarnoski, the vice-president of the church’s council, was once a member of the Klein School band when she was a youngster in the 1930s and served as the church’s minister of music. The congregation always felt a strong bond with Klein School.
“At one time, before the church was built in 1934, we did use Klein School for services,” said Stan Dudak, the church’s council president. “There has always been a community connection between our church and the town, especially the school. We’ve also had a special love for music, especially in the Lutheran faith. Mary had a conversation with Dr. Penna about the band and we saw the need that they had. As part of our ongoing ministry to help the community, we wanted to help.”
The church leaders asked Penna to put a formal request in writing, in order to make a determination of how much they could donate.
“I wrote a three-page letter, outlining what musical instruments we wanted to buy,” Penna said. “I knew we needed the marching band and I was going to continue to plug for it. So in the letter, I said that $5,000 could buy a host of instruments and that an additional $2,000 could purchase the ORFF musical system that features a series of percussion rhythmic instruments, like xylophones, triangles and chimes.”
“We asked them to specify, but we were going to respond to their needs,” Dudak said. “We were prepared to give them anything they needed within reason. We want the children of the community to be exposed to fine arts and music. I always believed that people who learn music grow into fine adults. I was exposed to music as a youngster and I think the entire congregation’s love of music inspired us to do something.”
Penna sent the letter in April, then didn’t hear anything from the group for a while.
“A few months had passed, then I received a letter that they had read my request and said that they would send a check for the entire amount,” Penna said. “You couldn’t imagine my joy. I started calling music outlets all over to see if we can get the most pieces we could buy. For these people to do as something as marvelous like this, these children will be playing for the entire community. It’s really a beautiful thing.”
The representatives from the church presented the check to Penna last Monday in a special gathering that was truly emotional for everyone involved.
“This is so big,” Janusko said. “We’re going to be able to change lives here. People don’t realize how big music is to these kids. It’s literally changing lives. I was in shock when I heard we were getting the full amount. I couldn’t believe it. I was so happy and excited for these kids. We have 50 or 60 kids that want to get involved. We have 30 kids signed up just to play the drums. I had a little boy, a fifth grader, who had trouble doing his homework, but now he’s so focused, because he’s begging to play the saxophone.”
Flutes, clarinets and saxophones
With the grant from the St. Peter and Paul congregation, the Klein School band will be able to purchase flutes, clarinets, saxophones, trumpets, trombones, a tuba and more drums.
That collection will be added to the donation of a clarinet, flute and saxophone from some friends of Janusko from Cleveland.
“We’re really trying,” Penna said. “We’re still looking for more instruments, so anyone who has a used instrument to donate, they are more than welcome. We’ll take any instrument and refurbish it in order to be a part of the band.”
Penna said that he couldn’t believe the reaction he received from the students.
“I think we were going to be happy with anything we could get,” Penna said. “But we were absolutely thrilled to see that it was the complete $7,000. Kids are coming up to me in the halls and saying, ‘Thank you, Dr. Penna, for giving us a band.’ The desire is definitely there, so we have to give them every opportunity to fulfill that desire.”
Thanks to the people of St. Peter and Paul, the desire to learn music is becoming a reality – as the band played on.
“We’re thrilled that we could make such a positive impact,” Dudak said. “It was our desire to continue to serve the community and provide the funds to make this dream come true.”