DAGGY GOINGS ON IN THE COOL 60'S

AFTER WW2, MUSIC WAS INTRODUCED IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, VIA FLUTE BANDS. THIS IS MY SCHOOL BAND IN 1961, AND A PAPER CLIPPING OF MY YOUNGER SISTER, (MIDDLE). WE WERE TAUGHT BY VICTOR McMAHON, WHO WORKED FOR THE DEPT OF EDUCATION. HE WAS ALSO A TEACHER AT THE SYDNEY CONSERVATORIUM OF MUSIC, WHERE I LATER STUDIED. HE TAUGHT NOTED JAZZ MUSICIANS DON BURROWS, PAUL FURNISS AND SYDNEY S.O. PRINCIPAL FLUTE, PAUL CURTIS, WHO ALL WERE TAUGHT AT SCHOOL. IT'S A PITY THERE ISN'T A FORMAL TRAINING GROUND LIKE THAT THESE DAYS, EVEN THOUGH IT MIGHT HAVE TO BE HIP HOP OR DEATH METAL. IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER, AS LONG AS KIDS CAN LEARN MUSIC OF SOME SORT. THE REALLY DAGGY PIC OF MY SISTER WITH ME AND MY FLUTE IS A CRINGING FAVOURITE. THE FLUTE WAS BOUGHT FOR ME BY MY PARENTS. I STILL OWN & PLAY THIS SAME INSTRUMENT,44 YEARS LATER. MY FATHER USED TO ENJOY BLOWING A HARMONICA AND OCCASIONALLY TORMENTING THE DOG WIYH A TROMBONE. I THINK HE IS GLAD I STARTED PLAYING AGAIN. I WISH HE WOULD ENCOURAGE MY SISTER TO RESUME BALLET LESSONS!