Witnessing Wainwright history
Thursday, June 30, 1988

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Pix #1 - Wainwright’s first band was the Oberlin Boys Band, organized in 1913. They took a trip to Washington D.C. to present a program. Wainwright is at the far right.

Pix #2 - Wainwright as he appeared when he cam to Fostoria in 1918 with the U.S. Navel Reserve Band to help sell Liberty Bonds.

How and why Fostoria Had a Winning Band in 1923

(Author’s note: It didn’t happen without much practice, discipline, and enthusiasm to win. The complete story about Jack Wainwright is a resume to refresh reader's memories, or for those who did not see the earlier articles. It answers the question of why and how the F.H.S. Band was named National champions in 1923.)

Jack came from musical family

John William Wainwright was born in Lisbon, Ohio, Oct. 30, 1889, part of a family that come to the U.S. from England in 1888. The whole family was musical, but Jack was the only one to pursue music as a career.

Jack Wainwright enrolled in the e Oberlin Academy in 1911. In 1912 he spent the summer at Manlius Academy, Manlius, N.Y., where he has won a scholarship to play trombone in the band.

After graduation from Oberlin Academy he enrolled in Oberlin college Conservatory of Music for the years of 1914-17.

Pioneered method of instruction

Music of Wainwright’s success as a teacher and director was due to his discovery that it was possible to teach boys and girls how to play band instruments in a class made up of absolute beginners on the various instruments at one and the same time. They learned to play in the band from the very first lesson.

In 1914 Wainwright entered the Oberlin college Conservatory of Music at the insistence of Professor Karl W. Gehrkens,, who was impressed with the work he had done with his group training methods. He assumed directorship of the Oberlin college Band until 1918 when he entered the service.

Enlists and weds

In the spring of 1918 Wainwright enlisted in the Nave Reserve Band in Cleveland. In August of the year, he announced his secret marriage to Jeanette E. Streeter of LaGrande, Ind. She was a graduate of Oberlin college conservatory and taught at Wooster College while her husband was in service.

Band come to Fostoria

During the month of October 1918m the Navel Reserve Band came to Fostoria to play a concert and promote the Liberty Bond Campaign. When the band arrived Wainwright asked a trainman the name of the town. He replied, “Fostoria,” and Wainwright replied “Never heard of it.” Little did he know at that time of the opportunity Fostoria held for him.

The concert was given in the Fostoria High School Auditorium under Wainwright’s direction and was extremely well received, This author and many readers will recall that concert.

Wainwright impressed Supt. F.H. Warren

“Wainwright told Supt. Warren that after the was war over he would like to come to a town like Fostoria and start a new band.

“Jack looked like he could do anything he wanted to do so I told him to get in touch with me after the war.”

Wainwright said it was his dream to see some day, every high school in this country with a band equal to the Great Lakes Naval Training Station Band.

Wainwright leaves Oberlin for Fostoria

Wainwright was discharged from the Navel Reserve Band in Dec. 1918 . By February of 1919 Jack and his wife, and new infant daughter had settled in Fostoria, By that time he had already worked out many of the details of organizing the Fostoria High School Boys band.

He had presented his plans for an instrumental music program in the schools to the Fostoria Board of education in January of 1919,. He would organize the students of various ages and grades into classes, and teach them instrumental music for $3 per student per month.

In return, Wainwright would be given a classroom at the school where he could teach. Agreement was reached to the plan. There were only two restrictions; (1) music instruction must not interfere with school wore: (2) rehearsals were to be conducted after school hours.

Wainwright’s only condensation from the school board was the use of a classroom to teach in. In return he was to conduce band and orchestra rehearsals.

C.C. Conn Co. rents instruments on deferred plan

Pupils were to pay monthly rental for instruments, and for all repairs. The rental was $3 and $5 per month, depending on the type of instrument.

Jack was adamant that his plan and fee was not to sell instruments but to provide them so that the band and orchestra could be developed.

Students with talent, but without financial means to pay were provided instruments and lessons. In return for the favor they worked: helping to repair torn music, setting up chairs and stands on the stage, and loading instruments and equipment on trucks for trips.

It was truly an awesome and staggering program Jack had set up. But the lack of money didn’t stop him. He borrowed money to meet Conn’s payments

Organized other bands, orchestras

By the spring of 1922 Wainwright had organized three bands and two orchestras in Fostoria. The orchestras included one for the High School and one called the Emerson Orchestra, composed off Freshman, with Wainwright as their advisor, but playing under the baton of 140-yearj-old Richard Conley, who was a regular member of the bane.

The bands now included a girl's band, a junior band and the High School Band. The band of 40 girls included youngsters from grades four through high school. they played in the memorial Day Parade and in the Knights Teplar commandery parade in Cleveland.

When the Junior Band became proficient on their instruments they were placed in the High School band.

Far reaching results

Wainwright’s efforts were more far-reaching than he even anticipated, and only the years that followed showed the fruits of his work.

As the young people in his bands and orchestras, both boys and girls, graduated and went out in the world, many of them made music their life work. Others clung to music as an avocation, and as a result those who continued to live in this area helped carry on the music tradition by becoming involved in musical groups.

Lola Lutzie, who was in one of Wainwright’s early orchestras, became the featured pianist in Phio Spitalmy’s All-Girl Orchestra.

the Richards brothers, Jim and Bill, had their own dance band.

Ernie Duffield also had a dance band for many years and has contributed to the success of local musical groups such as VFW Band and City Band.

Jurd Bayless studied under Wainwright and later became a music instructor and band leader.

Continued next week.

Heed God’s Word

This portion of today’s column is extracted from issue of Mission To America, published by Hilton Sutton Ministries, 736 Wilsom Road, Humbli, Texas

Arab riots continue

What do the hostile Arabs hope to accomplish by their riots? The plan is to so weary the Jewish Israelis that their government will collapse.

At this writing, their appears to be nearly 25,000 Israelis who are calling on their government to negotiate with the P.L.O. Succeed? I think not: and here’s why. The prophet Jeremiah proclaimed in Chapter 30: 16-22 the reestablishment of Israel from a condition only God could overcome. Eziekiel and Isaiah join him in declaring that once God began the Restoration, Israel would not cease to exist. (Read Isaiah 41: 8-10 and Ezekiel 36: 7-12)

We can be sure the present Arab strategy will fail. World opinion has definitely turned against Israel, due to their rough handling of the rioting Arabs. Israel is not being given fair coverage in the news media, and many American Jews are also against the tactics of the Israel Defense Forces.

The so-called occupied lands truly belong to Israel according to Genesis 15:18. We must pray for not only the Israel leaders, but also the Arab leaders. We must apply 1 Timothy 2: 1-4.