Musical Instruments in the Park by Doug Schmitt
Posted by Steve Frazier
on Jul 19, 2011
Our Program on July 19th was presented by Doug Schmitt, the fourth generation president of the family business, Schmitt Music Company, and a twenty-five year member of the Land of Lakes Rotary Club in downtown Minneapolis. He told us of his club's installation of a Musical/ instrument Playground in Jackson Square Park, 22nd and Jackson Street, in Northeast Minneapolis.
The plan was to install a number of all-season, indestructible, percussion musical instruments in a city park for kids (and maybe adults) to use. The instruments are hollow tubes, plastic drums, and xylophone type devices. Kids who are not familiar with any type of instrument could play them and make pretty sounds, and might "get turned on" by music. There are statistics that show that students who learn music have higher SAT scores than non-learners.
Doug outlined some of the problems involved in the project. The entire project was funded by their club, and placed on Minneapolis Park Board property, so the entire plan had to be approved by the Park Board. Finding qualified volunteers to do the grading, cement work, and installation proved fairly easy, As the project is in a public park, they were required to provide for repairs in the future in the form of a cash bond of $5,000. In addition, to keep the instruments from harm, they enlisted the help and support of the local residents, the YMCA across the street, and the nearby schools and music teachers. (Story by Tad Shaw and photo and posting by Steve Frazier)
The plan was to install a number of all-season, indestructible, percussion musical instruments in a city park for kids (and maybe adults) to use. The instruments are hollow tubes, plastic drums, and xylophone type devices. Kids who are not familiar with any type of instrument could play them and make pretty sounds, and might "get turned on" by music. There are statistics that show that students who learn music have higher SAT scores than non-learners.
Doug outlined some of the problems involved in the project. The entire project was funded by their club, and placed on Minneapolis Park Board property, so the entire plan had to be approved by the Park Board. Finding qualified volunteers to do the grading, cement work, and installation proved fairly easy, As the project is in a public park, they were required to provide for repairs in the future in the form of a cash bond of $5,000. In addition, to keep the instruments from harm, they enlisted the help and support of the local residents, the YMCA across the street, and the nearby schools and music teachers. (Story by Tad Shaw and photo and posting by Steve Frazier)