Patriotism at the pole

With hands over their hearts and paper flags flying, students and teachers filled Senior Court at Flathead High School on Wednesday morning to pay tribute to one of the most significant songs in U.S. history.

The high school symphonic band struck up the first strains of "The Star Spangled Banner" as the Stars and Stripes tossed overhead in the fresh morning breeze.

Kindergarteners through high school seniors joined in on Francis Scott Key's ageless words, recorded on the back of an envelope as dawn illuminated a tattered but still-flying American flag at Fort McHenry on Sept. 14, 1814.

Those gathered at the flagpole were taking part in the National Anthem Project, a national initiative for people across America to gather at 9 a.m. this Sept. 14.

Over at Peterson School, Principal Rick Anfenson led his students out to the flagpole in solidarity with the idea.

"We are one people," Flathead High band director and music department chair Allen Slater said.

"Even though we yell at each other, there are some things we agree on. The national anthem is one."

Slater is the local point man for the project chaired nationally by First Lady Laura Bush and Maryland Gov. Robert Erlich, who launched it on the steps of the Capitol in Washington, D.C., last March.

The National Association for Music Education is spearheading the project.

As a member of the association's state board and its soon-to-be treasurer, Slater traveled to Reston, Va., for a meeting this summer. There was talk of every music educator across the nation joining the bandwagon.

Slater caught the vision.

"This works in our community," Slater said. "Also, we see music programs in danger across the nation in favor of getting reading and math scores up" to meet No Child Left Behind criteria.

In actuality, he said, music enhances learning in both those areas. "The reality is, we're creating 'whole' people."

And Slater wanted to bring the whole town in on the observance.

He invited Elrod School students and their teachers to make the block-long walk over to Flathead High. Buffalo Hill Terrace residents and everyone interested in the community were welcome, too.

Anna Hansen-Lane, Elrod's music teacher, led her 350 students and their assorted classroom teachers as they marched up the sidewalk to the flagpole.

Kindergarteners led the way, each holding a sheet of typing paper neatly colored with a red-white-and-blue flag.

First-graders sported their hand-glued construction-paper flags.

"We made these in music class," first-grader Vanessa Bowens said, proudly hoisting her flag glued to a wooden ruler.

The rest of the school filled in behind them as Hansen-Lane explained the cross-curricular infusion used with "The Star Spangled Banner" this fall.

In history, Hansen-Lane said, they studied the British bombardment of Fort McHenry during the War of 1812, then wrote their own poems on the backs of envelopes.

In music, they learned the song, set to a tune by John Stafford Smith. For the art emphasis, they made flags.

At the center of the grassy courtyard, students in high school social studies and other classes filed out with their teachers to take part.

Kevin Allen-Schmidt led his choir members to front and center at the base of the flagpole, ready to lead the singing.

Off to the side, the symphonic band lined up in full uniform, at attention with instruments poised.

Slater gave a thumbnail history of how the national anthem came to be, asking those gathered to ponder the question, "O say, does that star spangled banner yet wave o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?"

Senior drum major Amanda Dudis conquered her fear of heights and climbed to the top of a sturdy metal ladder.

She lifted her baton, and the well-practiced music floated across the common ground.

Small voices, a golden baritone, tremulous teens and proud adults joined to form Kalispell's tribute to a nation's pride.

Unable to leave after just one song, the band then broke into a rousing rendition of the FHS Fight Song before the crowd dispersed.

It was a moment of unity, with a long-term goal.

"I hope we as a community and a nation will reaffirm the importance of music," Slater said.

"There are certain things that take us back to the core of who we are as a people. Music does that."

Reporter Nancy Kimball can be reached at 758-4483 or by e-mail at nkimball@dailyinterlake.com.