When Dr. Robert Penna became the superintendent of schools in Guttenberg nearly three years ago, he wanted to create a holistic learning approach for the district’s 900 or so students – including the teaching of music.
“There’s much more to learning than reading, writing and arithmetic,” Penna said. “I think music is an important element and should be part of the learning process.”
A full-time music teacher, Donna Janusko, was hired to teach the students. Penna also wanted to see if he could institute a school marching band, much like the one that is featured at the school in Fairview where his wife is the principal. There was only one problem – finding instruments.
“We were able to get six drums from the school’s PTO (Parent-Teacher Organization) and two glockenspiels,” Penna said. “We also found four other glockenspiels just sitting around, collecting dust. We also found 10 xaphones (pronounced ZA-FOON), which are like small saxophones. There were 10 in the building, and we ordered another 10.”
Well, it’s not exactly 76 trombones with Professor Harold Hill leading the way, but it is a start – the rebirth of the Anna L. Klein School Marching Band.
Mutual aid for the Memorial Parade
Last Monday, the fledgling marching band received a major boost when the Guttenberg Memorial Day Parade Committee purchased a new bass drum and presented it to Penna and Janusko at the school.
Larry Giancola, the chairman of the parade committee, said that it has been getting increasingly difficult to secure the services of a marching band for the annual parade.
“It is the toughest thing we have to do each year,” said Giancola, who said that neighboring high school bands all participate in their respective towns’ Memorial Day festivities. “We wanted to do anything we could to help out.”
Giancola found out that the Klein School was starting a band when he attended a ceremony inducting his daughter, who played basketball there, into the school’s hall of fame. At the ceremony, there were drummers representing the new band, but they weren’t playing conventional drums.
“They were using empty garbage cans and empty pails as drums and garbage can lids as cymbals,” Penna said. “It was impressive to see,” Giancola said. “It was a real eye-opener. They sounded great. It made me start to realize that we should be able to help them.”
The Guttenberg Memorial Day Parade Committee sells t-shirts every year for the event, so they raised the money through the shirt sales to purchase the bass drum.
“We also get donations from the town and from the merchants and businesses, so we operate in the black,” Giancola said. “This year, we’re honoring the 50th anniversary of the Korean War.”
And heading the parade will be two bands, the one from Fairview and the debut of the Klein School Marching Band.
“The town hasn’t seen anything like this in many, many years,” Penna said.
“I am so excited,” music teacher Janusko said. “I knew that I should be here. I see the motivation and the caring of the kids. The children are so motivated by seeing the instruments. You should see them come alive and feel what it’s like to play. It’s changing their lives. I believe music effects intelligence and enables them to do better in school.”
According to fellow parade committee member Dr. Bill Bocchino, the Guttenberg Memorial Day Parade is a vital asset to the community, to remember the 42 native sons who perished in the four wars (World Wars I & II, Korean and Vietnam).
“Our little working class town had so many heroes who gave of their lives,” Bocchino said. “We have to remember them, every way we can.”
Giancola said that the committee plans to honor the 42 fallen heroes with laminated biographies that will be displayed at the Guttenberg War Memorial.
Penna believes that the re-institution of the band serves two purposes – an increased participation in music and participation in a parade with historic proportions.
“It’s more than important,” Penna said. “It’s critical that these children know about the history of the community. An event like this builds a lot of pride in the community. A lot of our residents are foreign-born and don’t understand the history involved. We promote Americanism and patriotism in our school. Participation in an event like this is essential.”
The Klein School kids will be participating in grand style, playing to their hearts’ content, with drums, fife, glockenspiel and xaphone, thanks to the help of the community as well.