My Flute

At my school when students were in fifth grade, Mr. Schive, the band director, held an open house of instruments.  I don’t recall having an instrument in mind.  Mr. Schive had each of try mouthpieces.  I just remember flute, clarinet, and trombone.  He suggested flute.

Mom and Dad purchased a flute.  My lesson was once a week with Mr. Schive for 15 minutes.  It was 2:15 on Wednesday in 5^th grade.  I was so proud.  Every Wednesday I wore my “best” school outfit.  Now I wonder if Mr. Schive thought it was the only skirt and blouse I had!

I stayed with flute through high school.  I loved playing in band.  State solo contest always raised nerves…but thankfully the pianist was great.  As a part of band we also participated in contests for both concert band and marching band.  There were also festivals with other schools.  My recollection is AHS Marching Band received lots of I ratings.

From friend Miriam ….“I remember returning from marching band contest on a Saturday night when the stores were open and the shoppers were about. We had not gotten a I rating that year and we were all pretty sad, but we asked the bus driver to let us out by the railroad tracks and we marched down Main Street toward the high school with the trophy we did get held high. We played the Alta School Song and stopped to sing to Mr. Shive—“For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow.”\

And now 70 years later it is time. I didn’t continue to play flute after high school. I’ve kept my flute hoping maybe a grandchild would play flute. I’ve kept it in working order. And now I’ve purchased a new case. Now it is going to a band teacher to give to someone that might experience the joy, challenges, and a place that I found in my flute.

 

In Training

We moved to Storm Lake in 2001 where my parents lived.  On Sunday mornings if I didn’t travel with Mike, I would attend church with Mom and Dad, often sitting beside them.   My dad was independent and in charge.  He knew the way around the hymnal and how the service progressed.  He was ready for church to begin with the hymnal opened to the right page.

After about 4 or 5 years, I noticed that he was taking much longer, checking with the bulletin and finding the hymnal page number.  Sometimes I would try to help, pointing to the page number as he searched the hymnal.  I wanted to honor his dignity.  Sometimes I would find the page in my book and then trade books with him.

Life continued and there were circumstances with Holy Communion of receiving the bread and wine that needed more help and returning to the pew.

And then he and Mom would stay home, and the pastor would bring church to them.

And now my beloved needs help with the hymnal.

 Howard Rask

In life sometimes a person slips in and not until later the impact is realized.  We moved to Sioux City and Augustana the summer of 1992.  Perhaps a year later, member Howard Rask came to our home.  I don’t recall why he came.  I think he was an accountant and perhaps involved with budgeting at Augustana.

I remember Howard as tall and distinguished.  He stood erect.  He must have been in working retirement because he wintered in Texas and returned to Sioux City the rest of the year and did tax returns.  He kept his hair coal black. 

And back to his visit to our home…he asked what dreams or goals we had.  Mike said there had been a dream of a cabin in northern Minnesota, but it didn’t seem realistic with our budget.  Thoughtfully Howard listened and said things like….does it have to be in northern Minnesota?  Do you have to have a cabin?  What do you like to do at a lake?  Could you consider something closer?  You could start by looking at lots.  He also suggested we talk to someone else in Sioux City, Warren Baker.

Our evening ended cordially.  I don’t remember other conversations with Mr. Rask.  Indeed, we started looking around in the Spirit Lake, Iowa. There are many small lakes in the Iowa Great Lakes.  We were led to Loon Lake…about 10 miles south of Jackson, Mn and 10 miles north of Spirit Lake.  We found a bare acre for sale and by January of 1997 we purchased the lot.

In 1999 Mike was contacted by Augustana to do the committal service for Howard in Dunnell, Mn.