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You Are Not Alone! by
Bob Blue
You are not alone! You, who recently heard about our network,
may feel alone. You care about children and know that music
could help them—possibly could alleviate conditions children
often face alone. You are so committed to your work that you are
considering joining a network that looks awfully big! All the
members look or sound friendly enough, but what if their
welcoming spirit is a facade? What if they are really an
exclusive club containing an "in-group" that's even
more exclusive? But you have taken the first step—you've
contacted the Children's Music Network or somehow begun to learn
about us. We hope you know how welcome you are.
We formed in the mid-eighties of the last century when a
small group of teachers, parents, and musicians got together to
support each other. Individually, we were fighting city hall,
school administrators, librarians, fellow teachers, parents, and
musicians, media, and other elements of society determined to
keep us quiet. To many, we who considered music important were
troublemakers, and education would work better if music were
confined to music rooms and taught only to the
"talented." Schools were for education, not
entertainment! If we couldn't deal with that
"reality," we ought to concentrate on gigs, festivals,
recordings, and listeners in the streets, not governments,
children or schools.
It was comfortable meeting as a small group; we got to know
each other (some more than others) and spent hours and days
complaining, singing, planning, and dreaming together. Sometimes
there was talk of growing—even incorporating. The string of
numbers and letters 501C3 kept creeping into our conversation,
and we formed a board. At first, we joked about corporate
status. We came of age at a time when the word
"corporation" was not popular among members of our
counterculture. We were not going to be one of those,
were we? The word "nonprofit" didn't help. So what if
we weren't going to make money? We would still be a corporation,
and you know what they do!
But three of us donned three-piece suits and met with some
lawyers (one was actually only a phone claiming to be a lawyer).
They were pro bono lawyers, so at least they weren't going to do
one of the things lawyers were famous for. Representing us would
help their image—would demonstrate that they weren't in it only
to get rich. They told us we'd have to have a secretary, a
treasurer, and a president, and we'd have to fill out all kinds
of forms. I knew we weren't far away from a great ice cream
place, and I think we all would have enjoyed eating ice cream
more than we were enjoying discussing the details of
incorporation. After all, ice cream is to Boston as coffee is to
Seattle. We returned to our cozy club with the information we'd
been asked to find, and after lots of meeting and thinking, we
did decide to incorporate.
But we were not going to become the kind of corporation that
would make newcomers nervous; we wouldn't screen people to
ascertain that only the "right" ones were allowed to
join us. We would welcome anyone who shared our commitment to
children and music. If that didn't happen, we wouldn't keep
going! Our meetings continued to be parties, with lots of food,
music, and fun. We even developed silly traditions, such as our
"corporate structure" — a circle we formed around our
very own Ruth Pelham. Ruth was and is one of our guiding lights,
as well as the easiest of us around whom to form a circle.
Our circle has continued to grow since those early days. In
Pete Seeger's song, "It's Darkest Before the Dawn," he
sings, "and when these fingers can strum no longer, hand
your guitar to young ones stronger." We want musicians,
teachers, and parents to keep supporting each other, even after
we've lost the energy such support requires. Please join us! If
you are already swamped and overwhelmed by the work you do, use
us as friends who will listen, commiserate, support, advise (if
you want advice), and perhaps remind you why you ever decided on
a career that doesn't usually lead to wealth or security. We are
richer than any for-profit corporation or tycoon, in what we
value. Come share the wealth!
Back
to e-PIO! 2004
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