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MENTONE - Tippecanoe Valley school officials and supporters of its struggling band program are not saying die today.
They say the sounds of musical instruments will not be silenced despite a sex scandal that brought down a highly respected band director and low numbers that prompted Tuesday's resignation of the new leader.
"We're definitely going to rebuild," said Tippecanoe Valley High School Principal Charles Mills today. "We want a winning program and we want it to be successful. At the moment, we're certainly in a rebuilding situation here. It's kind of disjointed at the moment, but we just need a director in here to get this going."
In February, Michael Pearson resigned as band director amidst charges of sexual misconduct with a minor. He was charged with the crime Feb. 22.
The school corporation hired Ohio resident Jerry Stallsmith as the replacement. He resigned Tuesday after experiencing a significant decrease in participation due to widespread support of Pearson. Only 19 band members signed up for the upcoming marching season.
"He (Pearson) had a great deal of support and some of those folks haven't reconciled the fact that he won't back," said David Wiley, president of the Valley Band Boosters. "But being adults, we should know things aren't always going to be the way want them to be.
"That (Stallsmith's resignation) was Mr. Stallsmith's decision. I don't like it, but I'll abide by it."
The Tippecanoe Valley School Board will act on Stallsmith's resignation at its Aug. 12 meeting.
Stallsmith recently arrived from Ohio and was still settling into the area. He had yet to get a telephone and was unreachable for comment.
His decision, according to Mills, Wiley and Superintendent Karen Boling, was not based on the number of 19 interested band members, but on instrumentation.
"Of the 19," said Wiley, "there were 13 kids to play instruments, no low brass and one percussionist." He said the remaining six members were on the color guard.
"We're trying to put it back together," said Wiley. "It's a sad situation and beyond anyone's control. We're down but not out."
While the fall marching season has been canceled, Mills said the parties involved have discussed creating a jazz band, which can be formed with a smaller number of members.
The Valley band program has competed at the state level seven of the past 10 years and has received national recognition.
Last year's color guard finished second in the state.
"I know we have some upset parents," said Boling. "Obviously, the parents of the students who were willing to participate were upset."
Mills called upon the parents to put the past behind them.
"People have to get on the bandwagon and look forward," said the principal. "Regardless of who we hire, it's not going to be the same.
"We're not dropping out of competition, we're just dropping out of the marching. We have every intention of becoming involved in other kinds of programs."
