Henry Raymond

Fairfax News => Current News & Events => Topic started by: MikeF9 on June 20, 2010, 07:59:25 PM

Title: The Rev. George Russell-First Band Director at BFA
Post by: MikeF9 on June 20, 2010, 07:59:25 PM

I found an article about the original Music Man of Fairfax.
In an article from the Sunday Boston Post on April 2, 1950, it talked about the Rev. George Waldren Russell.
He was a professional musician back in the 1890's, playing coronet with the local Boston theatres.
He eventuall came to Fairfax and served as the Baptist Church minister from 1922 to his retirement in 1933. He organized and headed the music department at Bellows Free Academy in 1928. In 1929, the BFA Orchestra was State Champion at the Vermont State Music Festival. After his retirement from the ministry, he founded the Fairfax-Westford Band in 1933 and led the band for many years. Even though he eventually lost his eyesight, he could still play his coronet, remembering more than 200 songs.

Title: Re: The Rev. George Russell-First Band Director at BFA
Post by: Dick Brown on June 20, 2010, 09:03:49 PM

Good job, Mike....Terrific research . Was there another Director between Sterling and the Rev. Russell , because I was of the mind that Mr. Weed joined BFA around 1940 .  One of the little known facts about Mr. Weed's teaching was that it took place for years in less then ideal locations, and then, when the 1960 addition was built,  the old coal bin was made into a band room complete with an acoustical tile ceiling and a tile floor. Mr. Weed told me back in the 60's that he thought he had the best music room in the county when that space was completed.
It was also the location for the school's vocal program , and the stairway from the old gym to that room had the students  passing by both the boys locker room and the dirt cellar on the way to Music Class. Needless to say, there are lots of stories about events that happened in that stairway during those years.
As we were constructing the 1973 addition, Sterling turned 70 and the state determined that he had reached the mandatory age for retirement.  It's sad that he never got to instruct in the new music room which he had been involved in planning for and looked forward to using. Of course, 30 years later he was still teaching individual lessons in St. Albans, and was still an excellent musician, while those members of the State Board that we appealed that decision to, had passed away.   

Title: Re: The Rev. George Russell-First Band Director at BFA
Post by: Rev. Elizabeth on June 21, 2010, 02:14:58 PM

Thanks, Mike, I am glad to hear that my memory served me well!

Title: Re: The Rev. George Russell-First Band Director at BFA
Post by: cowtchr on June 22, 2010, 06:29:23 PM

Thanks for doing the research Mike!