Stories to SongThe week of January 10-14, we were pleased to host an artist-in-residence to conduct an exciting program called “Stories to Song” in which area students interviewed local “community elders” and through the course of the week, wrote and performed an original song inspired by the elder’s stories. We partnered with Hoxie High School English Teacher Mrs. Peggy Eland to conduct the program with each of her six English sections participating. The artist-in-residence, Aaron Fowler, of Wichita, facilitated the program at the high school. Fowler, through the nonprofit organization, Sing It Out, INC, travels across the nation conducting this program in rural communities each year. Stories to Songs is a powerful oral history project that engages elders in rural communities with middle and high school students in a process called collective songwriting. The process involves students interviewing elders and then writing songs based on those elders’ stories. The project develops critical thinking and learning skills and engages students in a community building experience that develops deep community bonds. It enhances student learning, addresses problem solving skills through the arts and nurtures creativity and culture awareness through a powerful learning experience. Elders are valued and given an opportunity to meet and share with students, in a relaxed setting, important memories in their life. Six community elders were interviewed by Mrs. Eland’s English classes, including Harry Joe Pratt, Linda Frazey, Ruth Pieschl, David Leopold, Ed Heim, and Marcella “Sally” Cameron, all of Hoxie. During the week, the students learned the mechanics of songwriting, including the poetry and writing structures of lyrics as well as the musical composition components, culiminating in a public performance of their original compositions inspired by the stories shared by their respective community elder. The program was made possible in part through a grant by the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission, a sub-entity of the Kansas Department of Commerce, as well as a $500 grant from our local Sheridan County Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Greater Northwest Kansas Community Foundation, Bird City. |
Stories to song presentation
Stand Tall and ProudInspired by Harry Joe Pratt, Hoxie, Kansas Lyrics: Proud of his community, proud of his town. Negative voices, don’t let ‘em get you down. Proud of his farm, proud of his land. You can do your part, you can lend a hand. Chorus
He has four kids all of them unique. A proud father they make him complete. They all have achieved many great things. Family pride for them is everything. Discipline and hard work are what he does each day. Worked on a farm, loved to go and play. In everything he did, he did it with pride. |
Strong Foundations
Inspired by Ed Heim, Hoxie, Kansas
Aaron Fowler & 6th hour College Prep class
© January 13, 2022, Roomdad Productions
Lyrics:
How has it been over 40 years. With my best friend caring till the end
4 of our own, we have built this home. On love alone and till I catch up, I’ll
Build a strong foundation, build it over time
Built on firm commitments made over a stretch of time
You will see the fruits in your family and your work
A life well lived…takes time
Late to bed early to rise. Always stay humble and always be kind
Hard work is how life gets done. We build this path so the race can be won
Starting with no real plan. Let the wind carry you back to your roots
With little money responsible for another. Now taking on the legacy life works it’s self out
Proud to be a dad, proud of where I’m from. Life can be chaotic, but it all works out in time
While making a living to make a family grow . Look at the big picture, look how far we’ll go
Set Your Spirit Free
Inspired by Linda Frazey, Hoxie, Kansas
Aaron Fowler & 3rd hour Junior English class
© January 13, 2022, Roomdad Productions
Lyrics:
Playing with her sisters every day. Jumping in the barn, playing in the hay
Didn’t need to play with a lot of toys. Cause the barn gave her great joy
Life doesn’t always go as planned
Laugh and love it will be quite grand
The twist and turns we can agree
Can set your spirit free
Life surprised her with a baby boy. Being a mom gave her great joy.
Which taught her how to understand. The students who most couldn’t stand.
Didn’t know she wanted to teach. Then that passion she did meet.
Taught some lesson and made some bonds She loved it from then on.
Come Waltz With Me
Inspired by Ruth Pieschl, Hoxie, Kansas
Aaron Fowler & 4th hour Senior English class
© January 13, 2022, Roomdad Productions
Lyrics:
Born at home on the Oklahoma plains, One of nine she’d be
Lived her childhood the best it could be, young, wild, and free
Come feel the freedom of this brand-new day
Fresh cut grass and the new mown hay
Youthful voices and flower bouquets
Waltz with me my love
Loved the outdoors, days would be filled. With rocks she could build
Scoring goals on the basketball court. Her team she would support
Life was simple out on the farm. The animals there, she’d never harm
Cotton white and fresh picked fruit. Is where she planted her roots
Loving people was her gift to us all. Helping others so they wouldn’t fall
We’d like to thank you for all that you’ve done. We would waltz with you under the sun
Keep Moving On
Inspired by David Leopold, Hoxie, Kansas
Aaron Fowler & 5th hour Junior English class
© January 13, 2022, Roomdad Productions
Lyrics:
Living in the small town wasn’t much to do
Swimming pools and birthday parties those ideas flew
Keep moving on, keep moving on
Playing games with friends makes for the most fun
You can live a joyful life when you’re kind to everyone
Keep moving on, keep moving on
Live your life unfettered as you walk along the tracks
Find a great adventure where you never will turn back
Keep moving on, keep moving on
Loved the great outdoors, walking down the track
Coming together with all their backpacks
Keep moving on, Keep moving on
Seeing the rolling hills is a beautiful sight
Always moving always going down the track tonight
Keep moving on, keep moving on
When you’re in the mountains on your next big trip
Your family beside you building kinship
Keep moving on, keep moving on
Open up your senses to the silence of the trees
Trees of pine will guide you with the help of summer breeze
Keep moving on, keep moving on
When he was young, he worked at his father’s store
Then he came to realize that he wanted more
Keep moving on, keep moving on
He found another calling and became a mortician
Wasn’t quite enough he was an accountant in addition
Keep moving on, keep moving on
All Gas No Breaks
Inspired by Sally Cameron, Hoxie, Kansas
Aaron Fowler & 7th hour Sophomore English class
© January 13, 2022, Roomdad Productions
Lyrics:
Born in a blizzard in ‘52
The snow made a canvas of ice and blue
Ever since she was a little girl
She knew she was a goodie-two-shoes
Living your life at a breakneck speed
Taking in all you can
Never look back and never give in
It’s all out baby, sink or swim.
She went to Japan, a foreign land
With a trombone in her hand
Played in Chicago with her band
She is everything but bland
She is a Catholic girl in a small-town world
Playing piano is what she knew
Now she’s making gowns for all her friends
And her granddaughter too.
Always willing to lend a helping hand
There is nothing that she can’t beat
She’s an amazing friend Ms. Sally Cameron
She is someone you should meet.