Steelman's going back to the band room

Ted Shockley | December 27, 2000

ACCOMAC - It's been quite a month for David Steelman, the longtime Accomack County band teacher who came out of retirement to substitute this year at local middle schools, including Mary N. Smith.  

Not only did Steelman turn 70 this month, he led a revitalized group of students and adults in a band performance reminiscent of the former Accomack County Recreational Band, which featured instrumentalists and a marching corps over two decades ago.

In addition, Steelman will soon come out of retirement, shed the moniker of "substitute," sign a contract and continue to pump new life into a band program he said was in "shambles."  The county had been looking for a replacement, but the latest applicant decided against it, perhaps, Steelman theorizes, when she saw Smith's ramshackle, pre-Cold War band building at Smith middle school.

But the big news is the community support that Steelman and the band have received since his plight was chronicled in the News earlier this month.  More adults have been attending Tuesday night practice sessions, money has been raised to help purchase new instruments and music, and parents and former members are excited about again making band important in Accomack, he said.

"I can't believe what has happened in the last two or three weeks," said Steelman.  "It's jacked me up.  I feel like I'm 20 years old."

The response from the students, both in the band and in school, has been encouraging, he said.

"They're so starved for cultural events.  These kids don't know what it is to sit in a concert.  They are starved."

The dream is to continue getting bigger, including more adults, and showing more students about band.  The need now, he said, is money.

When Steelman returned to teaching, he was shocked by how county-owned instruments were in disrepair.  Items such as new tubas and saxophones cost more than some used cars.  He spends much of his time in pawn shops, buying pre-owned instruments for the children.

New band music is also expensive, he said.  The music his band is using is decades old.

"it's sticker shock.  We don't want to go down the street as a rag-tag band.  If it gets back on the street, then we want the people to be proud of the children and what they're doing."

Steelman has hopes for a band that, like the old recreation band, is composed of adults and students and has equal helpings of sound and spirit.  Like then, Steelman is looking forward to teaching during the day and then, every Tuesday night at 7, inviting students from every school and all the adults interested in playing to the Smith band room for practice.

It'll be called the "Accomack County Band," and soon the group's leader's will have a sit-down with other band instructors to make sure feathers aren't ruffled.

"The more they play, the better they'll get," Steelman said of the students, who are learning not only from him but also the participating adults.  "I've got teachers in every section."

For now, the Accomack County Band needs funds, and pre-owned instruments.  They're planning another concert, perhaps this spring, perhaps at Nandua High School and its acoustically superior auditorium.

Already people have been giving.  An account at Farmers & Merchants Bank-Eastern Shore has been established, and some $100 checks have been received.

"The people of the Eastern Shore have been so gracious over the years," said Steelman.  "They've been benevolent and caring people.  The students have been bringing me donations already.  If we get 1,000 people to bring $10, we can get $10,000."

Checks can be made payable to the Accomack County Band, c/o David Steelman, 24051 Drummondtown Road, Accomack, VA 23301.