As the daughter of very pragmatic German immigrants, my
great-grandmother was deeply affected by her parents’ struggle to
build a better life in America.
“Most people live and die with their music still unplayed. They never dare to try.” – Mary Kay Ash
As the daughter of very pragmatic German immigrants, my great-grandmother was deeply affected by her parents’ struggle to build a better life in America. Determined to hold onto the safety and security of the family’s improved socio-economic status, her philosophy could be summed up in this one phrase she drilled into her children: “Stay out of the water until you learn to swim.” In other words, don’t try anything too risky.
But it is precisely by giving children the opportunity to try many different things at an early age, such as swimming – or singing – that makes it possible for them to begin learning before they become too intimidated and afraid of doing it. “By the time a music teacher in fifth grade asks them to sing a song, it’s like pulling teeth,” music teacher Phil Robb says. “They don’t want to be embarrassed by making a mistake … But sit down with a group of kindergartners, and they’ll jump right in.”
Thanks to the generous donation of Dale Connell and his wife Ruth, a fund has been established to develop and implement a vocal music curriculum district-wide in Gilroy’s public elementary schools. “It’s been proven time and time again that kids learn better when they have music education. Grade averages go up by 34 percent,” Dale Connell says. You may wonder why they chose vocal music in particular. Well, the Connells feel that it is especially important that kids learn to sing from an early age because “then they can always make music, even the kids without the money to buy or rent instruments, because they have their voices for free – God’s gift to them.”
Their gift establishes a $1 million endowment through the Gilroy Foundation, an organization that provides a stable way for community donors to invest and channel donations to target specific favorite causes and needs. It is expected to generate about $58,000 a year for vocal music programs.
“Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, and flight to the imagination … ” – Plato
Music has a value to kids not only in improved school attendance and performance in other subjects, as well as the development of their creativity, but, as veteran Gilroy music instructor Gretchen Vandenberg puts it, “There are so many children whose lives are different because they learned to sing. These children are getting a message that will be uplifting, that in fact will make them better people.”
The Connells were singled out for recognition in March by the Arts Council of Silicon Valley to receive the prestigious Individual Civic/Community Leadership Award for 2007. They were nominated by the school district and the Theatre Angels Art League, and chosen from a field of 9 accomplished nominees.
Theatre Angel Sherri Stuart described how the Connells had no idea they were being given an award at the ceremony until their names were announced, and they received a standing ovation from the hundreds of people present from throughout the county.
“I got teary-eyed at the award ceremony when I saw how meaningful the award was to Dale Connell,” Stuart said. “These are not wealthy people; this was a significant gift which Dale Connell said, as he accepted the award, would live on long past his and Ruth’s lifetime. He also remarked that he first became involved and intrigued with local elementary schools’ effort to keep music going when he heard the kids came on their own time – during summer vacation – to participate. That impressed him a lot.”
Rather than using their savings to benefit themselves, the Connells have reached far beyond their own family circle to keep music alive in our schools. Music is the Connells’ gift to the children of Gilroy, a gift whose good will keep on giving for generations to come.
“Music is God’s gift to man, the only art of Heaven given to earth, the only art of earth we take to Heaven.” – Walter Savage Landor
