THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 10, 1995 TAG: 9509090096
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 12 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY GARY EDWARDS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
Fifteen-year-old Matt Stuver went to bed at 3 a.m. Sept. 1. He slept until noon that day.
``When I woke up, my father said, `Good morning, son. Your school burned last night,' '' said Stuver.
``I was kind of mad about it. Vacation was getting a little boring and I wanted to go back to school and see my friends.''
After Stuver's anger subsided, a second feeling hit.
``I was worried about what would happen to the band,'' said the tenor saxophone player and Princess Anne High School Marching Band member.
Stuver is one of 95 band members at Princess Anne, 75 of whom play in the the school's marching band. Unlike some band members, Stuver had his saxophone at home. Others weren't so lucky.
Percussion instruments - bells, xylophones and drums - were locked in the band room; uniforms were stored on the second floor. The band room is on the end of the building opposite the worst fire damage. Teachers and students won't be allowed in the building for some time because of the investigation and the threat of asbestos contamination.
``I've been running all around the city borrowing equipment from other schools,'' said Woody Gehlert, who is starting his second year as Princess Anne band director.
Gehlert watched part of his band practice during a light rain Thursday. It was difficult to assemble the entire band because the students aren't in school yet, he said.
``We're missing seven kids, about five brass and two woodwinds,'' said Gehlert.
Ten tubas, at an average cost of $3,000 each, remain locked in the band room. Band members had just finished assembling four snare drum sets several hours before the fire broke out.
``Another couple of thousand dollars,'' Gehlert said.
Middle schools have been helpful with lending instruments, he said. They don't usually begin their marching band season until October or November. Gehlert's band got another break of sorts: the football team had an open date last week and play an away game next week. The band's first halftime show will be Sept. 22. They were also scheduled to perform in a band competition in Richmond the next day. They will likely miss that date, but play a competition in Highland Springs on Sept. 30, Gehlert said.
Gehlert said two cleaners have offered to clean band uniforms once they are removed from storage.
``We were in the process of buying new uniforms,'' he said. ``We got the OK from administration for part of the cost and our band parents association has worked so hard to provide the remainder,'' he said.
Caron Sanson, class of 1973 at Princess Anne, participated with the drill team during her high school days. She is now president of the band parents association. Her daughter, Leslie Allard, plays bass drum in the band and will be a junior when classes begin Tuesday.
``We had raised money, mostly through car washes, to buy uniforms and replace some instruments,'' Sanson said.
Kellie Murphy and Doug Plante are 17, ready to begin their senior year. Murphy plays piccolo; Plante, clarinet.
``I didn't believe it when I heard the news,'' said Murphy, who had her piccolo with her at home. ``I was worried about not being able to go back here for my senior year.''
Plante discovered the bad news through a note his parents left him. He tried to maintain a sense of humor amid the crisis.
``Actually, I'd a lot rather be back in school than have the school burned down,'' he said.
KEYWORDS: PRINCESS ANNE HIGH SCHOOL FIRE
by CNB