Note from Howard Buffum

Subject: Winfield's Music History
Date: Thu, 30 Nov 2000 09:00:53 -0600
From: "Howard Buffum"
To: "JJ Banks"
CC: "Bill Bottorff"

Hi JJ - I appreciate your sharing Joe Watts' comments. Several - and I do mean several - of my
readers have commented with similar concerns. One even said he feared Winfield simply took
its special situtation for granted. My love of good music has probably enouraged me to pay
closer attention to the subject here, and when I have shared things with friends of like interest
back in New England they have all been especially amazed at the amount and calibre of music in
the schools and that this all began in the late 1800s.
I wish I were up to tackling this subject, but I'm frankly on borrowed time with severe
limitations. The column is fun, something I can easily do with no one shouting deadlines at me.
I'm so thankful it has been received so well.
I agree that it is imperative that this subject be tackled - and soon. We've already lost Ross
Williams. Let's not do the same with Marie Burdette. Though she will be 100 next July, her
mind is still sharp, and she loves to talk about the old days. Someone should sit down with her
now. While she has a thing about tape recorders, I'm sure that a little tact and reminding her of
the value of this history would make the difference. (Seriously, if someone needs a little help in
cracking her stubbornness, let me know. She seems to have developed a soft spot for me.)
Both Lou Tharp (in the college fine arts dept) and Lois Torrance, former SC librarian and still
active in H&A productions, are two especially good sources, I'm told. John Willoughby, also.
Ditto for Jackie Hauer, Marie's niece who recently retired and returned to Winfield, buying Dr.
Strand's home, and now organist at the Epis church. Back to Marie: From my several interviews
with her for that column I did, I am firmly convinced that she has in that house a copy of every
musical program ever presented in Winfield. Her only problem: trying to find something! The
only seats in her living room not piled high with memorabilia are the piano bench and the chair
next to it! Example: she has the printed programs for when she was (while still a student) the
WHS pianist! One other suggestion: if it can't be accomplished any other way, I'm sure that
there are enough concerned folks with a few extra dollars in their pockets who would gladly
share in paying for this being done. I hope I've helped a bit. Best to all, Howard Buffum