Margaret Divito:  

What is the wildest thing that I ever did in school? Well, I think driving to Americus, GA, with my best friend Judy Brooks the very night I received a shiny new candy-apple red Duster from my parents is about the wildest thing I ever did. I got caught of course. My father was a speedometer checker. He was quite interested in knowing how in the "heck" I managed to have over 300 miles on a brand new car. I know that you guys probably were wilder than I was allowed to be, and my story is actually tame! MY HERO My hero has always been Mr. Tarpley, the best band director on the planet. I was so sad that he passed away last year. He always acted and looked so young, that I was under the false impression that he would live forever. By today's standard he certainly did die young. I ask myself what it was about him that I found heroic. The only answer I have is that during that time in my life, he provided me an emotional outlet. I don't think kids at that time were allowed to have emotions. In my humble opinion, we were much better behaved, as a result, but I wonder about the health of our psyches. Band was also the class where you were appreciated for your talent. I thought I had a lot of it at one time. After majoring in music in college, I was awakened to the fact that I was pretty danged average. However, without Mr. Tarpley's influence, I would never have majored in music and I suppose my college major would have been "Undecided". He helped me to get my first music job, and in later years supported me when I took a band directing job that was insane for anyone to even begin to consider as a means of employment. I'll just end this part of the story by saying that I think I will miss him...Expand for more