John Burroughs Middle School - Burr Yearbook (Los Angeles, CA)

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MUSIC IN JOHN lrlURROUG.HS . Music plays an important part in John liurrt ughs, the foundation starting eight years ago, with the beginning of our school. A bigger anl better organization has deve oped each year. This Fine success we owe to our capable music stahfz Mrs. Perry, Miss lirhart. and Miss Donnelly. Q Eight years ago when John Burroughs epeued its doors to afl pupils. there were twenty- hve teachers in the faculty. including Mr. 'l'hompsc1n Mrs. Hroaded and the ollice clerk and secretary, Mrs. Perry. the only music teacher in the entire school. started by herself all the musical organizations here. She had a ful day from eight in the mwrnfng until four-thirty or five at night. including a variety of subjects. ine nding choruses from each c ass two days out of the week. a class of straight ninth grade music appreciation, four groups of B7's, half a period each, Girls' Glee Club three noon ln.u:'s. Boys' Gee Club two nfions, anl one orchestra which practiced after school. Even before school opened. Mrs. Perry wrote, l lail to john i'il.ll'l'tDll2'll3,H :uri she brought with her several other songs which coufrl be nged for any sch io.. An assembly was held once a week for community singing alone. ln the lirst assembly John Burroughs ever had there were no seats in the auditorium. Probaby one of the first oi Mr. Thompson's few announcements ran this way: VVe are the pioneer c'ass of john Burroughs and will have to do what the first pioneers of our country did. mal-ze the best of everything and use what we have, and what we don't have we can't nie. So he said. VVe'll have a regular Indian powwow and all sit on the floor. Accn'ding'y all th: stu:lents and faculty comfortably seated themselves. lfollowing this they hail lots of fun singing. After the seats were put in and even after the Student Body cwmplete y fil.ed the aulitorium. they con- tinued to pass out song books, one for two peopfe. Mr. 'l'hm:-mpson used a stop watch to time them. and books were passed to every one in two minutes. Quite a recrdl In September. 1924, with an increased enroliment, Miss lirhart came to help ont. After several more terms the number of pupils grew to such an extent they added another teacher to the staH', having several substitutes before Miss Donnelly came, four years ago. All musical organizations were put in regular school hours. this arrangement proving much better for every one, so instead of practicing after school and at not n the orchestra and glee clubs had a regular class period. Miss Erhart and Miss Donnelly traded off teaching the respective glee clubs. The two boys' glee clubs were combined into one, so as to have changed and unchanged voices together. A junior orchestra. a senior orchestra and a band were formed. 'l'hese groups are working in the same way now, the junior Orchestra really being in preparati: n for Senior Orchestra and Band. so that these groups are not held back by inexperienced players. The musical organizations of john Burroughs are for the purpose of creating a cultural background among all students. so that the coming men and women of our country will have a better understanding and more thorough appreciation of this art. ln the meantime all music organizations serve the school by entertaining their guests anal fellow students at assemblies a11d other gatherings.

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4 BURR PRINT CLASS

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