It's time to do right for Cheney High's performing arts

We all should make informed decisions when we vote. In regard to the need for an auditorium at Cheney High School, I would like to address some points presented in previous letters to the editor. Perhaps on-the-job experience of a 40-year, music-teaching career will help.

Multipurpose rooms

One one-third of the CHS student population participates in the performing arts. Part of the students’ learning experience (required by the state) is performance etiquette while watching other groups. The multi-purpose facilities in the district are not large enough to accommodate CHS concert groups and audiences.

EWU facilities

The only facility usable at EWU is Showalter Hall. We tried the beautiful Showalter facility but had to deal with the following issues: 1. hauling equipment there and back, 2. the costs of transporting the student for several rehearsals and the performances, 3. students missing a lot of school, 4. paying for the facility and the required staff, 5. knowing that the concert could be bumped for any EWU event that may come up and 6. not having the seating capacity for many of our concerts. We then resorted to sharing the CHS gym. This created a scheduling burden for PE and sports.

Gymnasiums

Gymnasiums are built for sports and noise; music is about quality of sound. Gyms are not even acoustically friendly to assemblies let alone a celebration of music for the performers and audience.

So many extra weekends and after school hours were used to add tons (literally) of sound equipment, mats, risers, platforms and chairs to turn the CHS gym into a make-do auditorium (over 200 times in my career).

I chose to travel with my students to places where they could perform in a facility that was designed specifically for music performances. In contrast to a gym, these facilities (designed with correct acoustics) gave them the opportunity to hear themselves as an ensemble and the intended listening experience for the audience.

It’s time

We would never overlook the need for the appropriate space that is required for our football or basketball teams. These extracurricular activities are important to our students and community. Yet the excellent music programs, that are part of the daily school curriculum, have been overlooked in regard to the appropriate performance space that is required for them. They have been “making do” for over 40 years. When do they get to be heard, honored and commended for all of their hard work?

I hope this information will help you make an informed decision concerning the inclusion of the auditorium in the school district bond.

Harlan Henderson was the Cheney School District K-12 arts coordinator and a high school music teacher. He retired in spring 2014 after 40 years with the district.