Dixie February 4, 2025

The Old Man got a call from a former student this afternoon. The student told him that The Old Man had influenced him to become a band director. Nothing is more meaningful to a teacher than to hear a former student say that the teacher was a positive influence on him.  

The student who called had come into his class the year that the school integrated. A small group of African-American students and teachers were transferred into the school where The Old Man taught, and two dozen or so of the students were in his Band class. 

Ever since the school opened, it’s “Fight  Song” at football games had been the old minstrel tune “Dixie”. The song itself is only mildly racist, but its playing at sporting events and parades was an occasion for great excitement , giving rise to “Rebel Yells” and waving of Confederate Battle flags.  

The Old Man considered his Assistant Principal at the time to be the most thoughtful, consistent and supportive boss he has ever had. He consulted with the assistant principal, who agreed that the playing of “Dixie” and the waving of Confederate flags needed to end. They collected all the scores and parts of “Dixie” in the band’s library and locked them in the school’s vault. At the last rehearsal before the Summer Break, The Old Man told his students what had been decided. A few of them were unhappy, but most understood why. 

The next couple of years were very stressful.  There were anonymous phone calls, hate mail, and unannounced visits from parents. There were bomb threats, requiring the evacuation of the entire school.  Somehow, the Administration, Faculty, and Student Body were able to survive all the turmoil. After a couple of years, the chaos settled down, and the school returned to a more normal operation. The Old Man is proud of the part he played in that drama. The stress on him and his family was great, but at a time when his community needed courage and calm, he feels that he helped to provide it .