Passion for the Arts

 

There are a few things about which I am passionate. One of those things is the quality of life of the people in my community, and especially the children of my community. Having a long career in human resources, and working to help companies choose the right individuals to help them be wildly successful, I find that an education in the arts is critical to a well-rounded and effective employee.

It’s not only about business though, in a greater sense, I believe the arts make human-kind better than it may actually be. Whether it’s Grade School Art Class or a World-Class Museum, the Arts have the ability to bridge the gaps between the factions of human-kind. Here is a quip that I wrote when I heard my hometown school board had decided to de-fund the multiple award-winning High School Band program.

I remember during my days in the Alexandria-Monroe High School Tiger Band that our band director, Mr. Everett “Zeke” Rossow, taught us over and over the virtues of discipline, order, self-esteem, team work, accuracy, synchronized performance, relationship building, and integrity. As a result we were among the top ten bands in the State of Indiana year after year.

Bands were easily the largest groups of students belonging to any one organization in the school at any given time. Being the largest, there was a continuous effect of the many ways band members touched the lives of countless numbers of teachers, students, friends, acquaintances, family members, etc., and stirred the hearts of citizens and boosters with pride each time they saw or heard their band play and perform.

The center pieces to all this were the music and the teachers. The results of all this were the many students who, even today, speak and act with pride about their experiences then and how music affected their lives over and over again. Many went on to successful careers in music, but many, many more went on to successful careers in a myriad of disciplines because of what they learned in band.

In my opinion, taking the resources away from the arts and ending these programs is not only short-sited, but catastrophic from a futuristic point of view. It hurts not only the students, but lowers the quality of life for the whole community. Where does the average student go to learn about the character of applied knowledge that only the arts can provide to the creative and adventurous mind? It is superficial when the quality of education falls to the cold, unthinking cutting brought about by cost accounting. What good does reducing and eliminating the arts from education do to the community?

Don Swift and Associates is dedicated to helping companies be wildly successful through the use of Quality Management Systems, Human Resource Management, and Mediation services.   As a loyal group of ethical practitioners, we hold confidentiality in high esteem and guarantee you will not regret trying our services. Call us today at (940) 228-0550 or email us at Don@donswiftandassociates.com to receive your free consultation.