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Jazz illegal in New Orleans schools
From the Times-Picayune [I don't quite get the headline, though]
Jazz funeral doesn't play in N.O.
Thursday March 25, 2004
Sheila Stroup
Did you know that jazz isn't supposed to be played in public schools in Orleans Parish? Eighty-eight years ago this week, the School Board voted to outlaw jazz forever.
An article from the March 25, 1922, Times-Picayune captured the momentous occasion:
"The snappy strains of jazz were held to have no place within the portals of Orleans schools, and were banished by the Orleans Parish School Board by a resolution adopted Friday night, upon motion of Mrs. A. Baumgartner," the story begins.
" 'Jazz dancing and jazz music in schools should be stopped at once,' Mrs. Baumgartner interjected during a debate on finances between Percy H. Moise and Nicholas Bauer. . . . 'I have seen a lot of rough dancing in school auditoriums lately.' "
What's permissible
The story then relates the board's in-depth discussion of one of New Orleans' most valuable contributions to the world:
" 'What is jazz?' asked Mr. Moise.
" 'I've seen only a little bit of it, but it was awful,' shuddered Henry C. Schaumberg. 'The children have no business engaging in such dances.'
" 'This cheek-to-cheek dancing is terrible,' went on Mrs. Baumgartner.
" 'Oh, you mean parking,' laughed Mr. Moise.
" 'Well, let's handle the question one way or another,' was the dry comment of President Daniel J. Murphy.
"The motion of Mrs. Baumgartner, forever banishing jazz from the schools, then was adopted. . . .
"Asked to name permissible dances, Mrs. Baumgartner studied a moment. 'Oh, yes -- they can dance the one-step, two-step and the waltz,' she declared with a smile. 'The waltz is the most beautiful, don't you think?' "
Can you dig it?
I bring you this news courtesy of music historian Al Kennedy, who noticed a reference to the ban while perusing old School Board minutes, then did some further digging and found The Times-Picayune article.
Interestingly, Al found the story while he was doing research for his book "Chord Changes on the Chalkboard: How public school teachers shaped jazz and the music of New Orleans."
"You really can't look at music in this city without also looking at what was being taught by public school music teachers," he said.
The next reference to jazz that Al found in old school records appeared in the 1929 "High Ways," the Samuel J. Peters Boys High School of Commerce yearbook, which included a picture of the Commy Hi Jazz Band, featuring Frank Federico, who went on to play guitar with Louis Prima.
"So it didn't take long to ignore the order," he said.
As far as he knows, though, the permanent ban on jazz in Orleans Parish public schools has never been lifted.
"Part of me thinks it would be wonderful to have a big jazz celebration to rescind it, and part of me likes knowing it's still on the books," he said. "It's an interesting little piece of history."
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