Editorial

Band uniforms are well worth the investment

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

It's a great problem to have.

McCook High School. band director Donita Priebe went to the school board Monday night with a warning: We're going to need new uniforms, and the sooner the better.

The old uniforms have nearly two decades of wear and tear on them, and are held together with safety-pins and duct tape. Their zippers are broken, buttons are gone, too many don't fit today's students.

It won't be any small budget item. At about $450 each, 65 uniforms would be nearly $30,000, and finance director Rick Haney is probably on track when he suggests the school might be wiser buying higher total number of uniforms, up to 80, to allow for future growth, replacement and proper fit of the band members participating.

We're glad to see the band is back on track after having dwindled for the past few years.

Although members, family and alumni are ready to pitch in with fund-raising for the project, it's appropriate that new band uniforms be included in the regular school budget, just like it is for other major extracurricular activities.

A sharp-sounding and sharp-looking band pays off in unexpected ways, from winning music contests and sporting events, to boosting the school spirit to the point that scholastic performance improves.

New uniforms and the enthusiastic, talented young musicians who wear them, are well worth the investment.

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