18. Miss Hagerty

The best part about middle school was band! And the best part about band was Miss Hagerty! 

Miss Hagerty (or Mrs. Bohrs to you younger folk) was the middle school band director, and we all worshiped her. She loved being a band director, and we loved being in the band. In 6th grade I was in the Red Band (which everyone knew was for the younger kids, and the not-very-good older kids) but in 7th and 8th grade I was in the Gold Band. This was the big time!

We did a lot of rehearsing because we had a big itinerary! We of course had our spring and fall concert, and we also marched in each town parade. And some of us, the lucky ones, got to be in the Jazz Ensemble and play at local events.

There were 3 of us in the Jazz Ensemble as I recall, and when we had a gig we somehow all squeezed into Miss Hagerty’s Karmann Ghia.   I don’t even think we had permission slips, and we definitely didn’t have seat belts.

Ah, the 70’s!

What did I love about Miss Hagerty? That she loved what she was doing, that she treated us as equals, that she assumed we were up to the task, that she was interested in us.

I loved the way she made me feel. Like I was important, and was a good flute player, and a person worth being around.

She set the tone, and we rose to the occasion. All hail Miss Hagerty!