Ben Davis High School - Keyhole Yearbook (Indianapolis, IN)

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I N -lllHlElIlIQ WAY Composing, contests help students begin their careers Performing solos, writing com- positions, and composing dance steps allowed BD students to open up, have fun, and show their creative abili- ties. For most students, band, choir, and art helped them develop and improve their talents. NO STUDENT was without ability twhen he came to usl, Mr. Larry Lam- bert, An Department chairperson, said. Ml always liked to sing, said Jennifer Tyson, senior. 'Being in choir helped me open up. Choir helped me get over my fear of performing in front of people, said Tom Gibboney, sophomore. He added that students practiced singing in front of the class in groups of three to help them get over their fear. Although most students got into choir, art, or band because they liked to sing, draw, or play a certain instrument, the classes sometimes taught students other useful skills. Mrs. Geraldine Miller, Choral Depart- ment chairperson, said she let students write compositions, and compose their Performing at one of their concerts, Jazz Band member Tammy Wilson, sophomore, played the or- gan. The Jazz Band, composed of members from other concert bands, performed at concerts where students played as a group and in solos. Through one man art shows art students dem- onstrated their creative abilities for the whole school. Students' artworks were displayed in the B hall showcase for two weeks. One of senior, Brian Weatherfords' featured art works was this pencil drawing of a kitten sitting by an open window. ZGIWFNESER own dance steps for their music. Stu- dents also designed their own programs and formats for their shows. If a student wanted to make a career out of the field he was interested in, teachers would try to help the student succeed. Mr. Lambert said, lf I knew a student was good, I would do anything I could to help him. Mr. Darrel Horton, Band Department chairperson, said he found out exactly what the student wanted to do, then he recommended a school. Mrs. Miller agreed. She explained she would do anything she could to help a student, but she didn't really recommend music as a career. Music isn't an easy job, she said. l'lt was difficult, costly, and very time-consuming. 'iMusic made a wonderful hobby, but it was a 24 hour a day job, she added. Few students had talked to their teachers about making a career in music or art. Some teachers felt the reason for this was because of the amount of time they .LL 1 would have had to put in to succeed. Mr. Lambert said in order for a stu- dent to get into any college as an art major, he must prepare a portfolio. The purpose of the Advanced Fine Arts class was to enable students to get their portfolio. Interest sometimes drop- ped because of the amount of time de- manded of the students, said Mrs. Kathy Hollingshead, art. Mr. Lambert added, Students still had to work their way up, even if they were good. Although teachers knew of few stu- dents who had planned a career of mu- sic, several students had already started their careers. Kay Walser, junior, played drums at the footlight Musicals three times a week. Walser said he played as an un- paid amateur, but he wanted to play professionally. He said he hadn't talked to any of his teachers yet, but he would probably be talking to them more as the days went on-if

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W NNIINIQQS Noir I viliilowrihilwie Students find 'pulling together' and proving 'we're good' satisfying Although the thrill of victory was al- ways much nicer than the agony of de- feat, students in band, choir, and art found that winning wasn't everything. When the BD marching giants lost the state marching contest by one- tenth of a point, the students were let down for a couple of days but came back and said 'wait till next year,' Mr. Darrel Horton, Band Department chair- person, said. We weren't disappointed in them, we just wanted them to do their best, Mr. Horton, continued. MANY OF THE MISTAKES made during concerts were often turned into learning experiences for the students. Mrs. Geraldine Miller, Choral Depart- ment chairperson, said, When a stu- dent made an error during a concert, I tried to correct it, but it wasn't a life or death matter. Students weren't ex- pected to be perfect. We needed to know we were learning something, we didn't need medals. Although students enjoyed winning more than losing, most of them could handle a loss, and sometimes they found good in it. I felt good anyway, Cabout the state band contestJ, Kay Walser, junior, said. We're a good band and we're getting better, he continued. I think we came closer to winning this year than we did last. MISTAKES WERE ALWAYS possible while giving concerts, no matter how hard students practiced, but students didn't die because they messed up. They were just a little embarrassed. Jennifer Tyson, senior, said, We practiced so hard it was a little embar- rassingf' We're all human, said Mrs. Miller. We're all here to learn. Art students entered the L.S. Ayres Scholastic Art Contest for fun, to say you did it -not with winning or losing r in mind. JEAN McFARLAND, SENIOR, said, The teacher didn't promise we'd win. She said to do it to say we did it. The chances fof winningj were really slim, said Michelle Williams, senior, who entered a painting in the contest. lt was no big deal if you lost. Winning could have been an excuse for teachers and students to get a we're number one attitude, but BD students and teachers seemed to want to keep striving. I don't like the 'only we can be number one attitude,' Mrs. Miller said. Other schools could be, but if we worked hard we should have been first. Mr. Horton said, To me the hardest years to teach were the ones after you had already won. SWING BAND---Front Row: Lorna Smith, sophomore, Maure- en Moore, sophomore, John Winegard, sophomore, Jan Hynes, sophorgore, and Greg Neilander, sophomore. Second Row: Mlrk lffl,100f1'lG'O.lldKl!WllK junior. Udrhov Cindy Kinney junior, Max uson, sophomore, Charles Stedman, sophomore, Jerry Walser, sophomore, David Neal, sophomore, Tammey Ledbetter, sophomore, Mike Baxter, sophomore, Jerry Beasley, sophomore, Fiobin Altmeyer, senior, Marla Wagner, so homore, Mr. Carl Ouiliette, S director, Tom Danz, junior, ob Bild, sophomore, and Dennis Wade, sophomore. Following his solo performance, Greg Hill, soph- omore, relaxes aI'ter placing third in the State Choir Vocal and Solo Ensemble Contest at Butler University. Hill placed first in his division of the regional contest in order to go on to the state contest. IEHI -I Ll IINIEIIQ -I ll IHIINIGS 2SS'CBAtS2 125

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lhiili I IINIEID Il :HW 5 Designing a three-dimensional hard-edged acrylic painting, Denise Mullens, junior, uses mas- king tape to straighten the edges of the geometric shapes she has used. The paintings were done on canvas paper by Mrs. Kathy Hollingshead's Ad- vanced Fine Arts students. lt took approximately three and one-half weeks to complete each paint- ing. The new Ben Davis drum line consisted of a xylo- phone, triples, cymbals, and bass drums. Twenty- four students, all members of the Ben Davis March- ing Giants, made up the drum line which performed a drum feature with the marching band at all of their concerts. During the drum feature the drums played alone while the rest of the band marched. Dancing for the freshmen during the freshmen orientation days, Jennifer Burke, junior, performed with other Deep Purples members in groups of eight. The groups sang and danced for the freshmen to the same music they performed in concert to in- terest them in joining choir. ART, CHOIR, AND BAND