It was easy to see he was proud of his letterman jacket. He wore it every day. But how did he not notice the stares aimed his way, or the not-so-suppressed giggles? Was he oblivious, or did he just not care?
“He wears that thing so much you’d think it was glued to him,” my friend said as she pointed and laughed at Nick’s jacket with the giant letters on the back spelling out BAND. “He’s got nothing to be proud of.” I was in band too, but I had never, ever, in a million years considered buying a letterman jacket. No cool people had letterman jackets boasting about the arts, whether visual, performing, or literary. But why not? Why didn’t anyone appreciate artistic achievement?
That’s when I realized it’s not just letterman jackets where the arts are relegated to the bottom of the heap. All throughout my high school career, I’ve noticed that the arts are undervalued. Standardized tests don’t include anything about the arts in them, so they aren’t emphasized. If a budget cut needs to be made, arts are the first to go. Say hasta la vista to the orchestra, or the drawing class, or the ballet program.
And what about signing day? Everyone celebrates the football player cementing his decision to play for college, but the girl getting a full-ride scholarship for piano is ignored.
Even outside of school, doctors make exponentially more money than painters. Families enjoy gathering around the TV to watch men throw balls instead of going to the theatre.
I have been told I don’t know what it’s like to be under as much pressure as an athlete. Yet musical theatre performers are under tremendous pressure: we have to be able to sing well, act well, and dance well (all at the same time, I might add).
Take a moment to examine art somewhere (a sculpture, a song, a poem). You’ll soon realize there is something magical about it - something deep and natural and beautiful. Art represents all cultures and ways of life; it is a mirror of ourselves. So why were we all mocking the kid with those 4 letters on the back of his jacket?
I think Nick knew he was getting weird looks. He just didn’t care. He was proud of who he was and proud of the beautiful art he created with his trombone. I am proud of him.
It is amazing to me that arts are undervalued in society, when art is society.