From 1961 to 1965 I lived in Russellville, Ark.,

population about 8,000, home of Arkansas Tech and the Arkansas

Tech "Wonderboys." The primary businesses were education,

farming and forestry. It was horribly hot and humid during the summer

and very cold during the winter.

Like Peachtree City's McIntosh High School, Russellville had

a horrible football program one or two wins per season. So

bad was our football program that when we had intramural track

competition between members of the band and members of the

football team, the band crushed the football team. The band probably

could have beaten the football team in a game of football if it had

been allowed.

What we had to be proud of was a tremendous world-class

high school band program headed by Hosea L. Sheperd. So good that

it put most university and college bands to shame. So good, that

every few years tremendous financial offers would be made by

colleges and music schools for Mr. Sheperd's services.

While I was there, Mr. Sheperd turned down a number of

offers when local officials matched the universities' offers. The band

was so good that when our Crimson Cyclone football team came

on the field, there wasn't much enthusiasm. But when

the Russellville High School Marching Band came on the field,

there'd be a standing ovation with yelling and cheering.

What made the Russellville High School Band program so

terrific was not the money spent but the attitude of excellence that

suffused the program.

Mr. Sheperd was involved in the beginner band, Junior

High Band and the elite 88-member Senior High Band.

Senior High Band might be a misnomer because it was

composed of the best. A 12-year-old musician could be a member,

or even first chair, of the Senior High Band and a talented, but not

phenomenal, 17-year-old musician might not be a member of

the Senior High Band. Ability and dedication were rewarded.

One of the primary acts of dedication was to participate in

band functions and band activities. This included marching in July

4, Veteran's Day and other celebrations. You might be a world

class musician; but if you did not participate in marches and

celebrations, you would not be a member of the band.

What I saw and heard July 4, 1998, was a combined

Fayette County Marching Band that compared favorably with

Russellville's Beginner Band.

Ms. West seems to take exception to my comments and

make excuses for the poor showing by claiming that spending

more money will make McIntosh's band better. Ms. West sounds like

a Clinton Democrat or a Rockefeller Republican. Am I in

Fulton County?

For the past 20 years I've paid between $5,000 and $25,000

in yearly direct taxes. On top of that, I've spent another $2,500 to

$6,000 yearly sending my child to private or parochial schools. Plus,

I've spent a few thousand dollars of my money and committed

thousands of manhours of my time trying to increase academic

skills of America's kids via education reform - more specifically

The Choice in Education Movement.

Every child. Every child, regardless of income or status, who

wants a world-class academic education should be able to receive it

and can, with the monetary resources now available.

Every child with the talent and dedication who wants to become

a world-class musician, can, with the monetary resources now

available.

Ms. West's bleet that mo' money is needed to make things

better leaves me nauseous. Saying that, I commend Ms. West's

dedication of her time and money to making Fayette County and

children's lives a little more enriched.

Bill Bryan

Peachtree City

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