Scott Underwood, another former student, continued with his love of music to be come a songwriter, and teaches math at the junior high level. “He was a man who had such a passion for music that he made his life’s work to raise up young musicians from all sorts of backgrounds and abilities.”Musical tributes during the dedication featured the Isbell Middle School Jazz Band and the Santa Paula High School Jazz Band, featuring Isidro Yanez on the saxophone, a former Lingo student who is now a professional musician.Lingo’s widow Charlene was on hand with her son, daughter and other family members. She noted that they came to Santa Paula in 1973 after she and her husband had been teaching in South America for three years. She saw a sign on the freeway that said Santa Paula and they decided to check it out. And so began their years in Santa Paula. “From the very first the band really was a family affair,” she said. “Lou put me to work too. I worked with the flags and the banners and the band was always a topic of conversation at home.” She noted the Lingo was a newspaper reader and had a special relationship with the newspaper. Anytime one of his students was mentioned in the Santa Paula Chronicle and later the Santa Paula Times, that article was cut out and saved. “Believe me when I tell you I have boxes of articles,” she said. “Santa Paula is to be commended for keeping music in our schools. Thank you all for your kind support throughout the years for Lou and his program.”At the conclusion of the program, Lingo’s name was revealed on a wall and his picture and a plaque were also unveiled.
|
The Lingo family gathered at the dedication. Lou Lingo’s widow Charlene is flanked by her daughter Kimberly Lingo Hinze (left), son Matt and his wife Katie. She thanked everyone “for your kind support throughout the years for Lou and his program.” Photo by Brian D. Wilson |
Lou Lingo Center for the Performing Arts dedicated
March 14, 2007
Santa Paula News
Brian D. Wilson
Santa Paula TimesSanta Paula residents, friends, family and colleagues gathered Saturday to dedicate the Lou Lingo Center for the Performing Arts.It is a part of the new gymnasium building at Isbell Middle School. Santa Paula Elementary School District Board of Trustees President Ofelia De La Torre welcomed those gathered for the event. “We are very happy to dedicate the Performing Arts Center of the John Devine Gymnasium in honor of Mr. Lou Lingo, in appreciation of his dedication to our students,” she said. Lingo, a long time music teacher in the district, and leader of the Isbell Band, passed away in 2004.District Superintendent, Dr. Luis Villegas thanked the Lingo family for sharing Lingo for so many years. “Lou contributed lots of his time and energy to the children of Santa Paula,” he told the gathering.School Board member Michelle Kolbeck remembered Lingo fondly. She has nine children who went through the music program. “I am a recovering band groupie,” she told the crowd. “If you had children in band, you know what I mean.” She talked about hauling uniforms and instruments and children and helping to set up for performances. “Why are we band groupies, “ she asked? “It was only for one reason, Lou Lingo. Lou was much more than a music instructor and musician. He was a mentor, a motivator and a friend, not only to the students but to his colleagues and parents as well.”Dan Robles, another board member said of Lingo, “He taught music to children’s minds while capturing their hearts. He not only taught children how to learn to play instruments but he inspired them to want to.”Meg Beach Phelps, a former student of Lingo, said her first year in band was Lingo’s second year as a teacher in Santa Paula. She said that she and her friends thought he was the meanest teacher ever. “It didn’t take long for us to also realize that the reason he seemed so mean was that he asked so much of us,” she added. “He asked us to give something that many of us had never given before. He expected excellence, he wanted our best and he pushed us to do more. What at first earned our resentment quickly earned our respect......so here today we dedicate this beautiful space in memory of a great man. Our community will gather, performances will continue, the music will play on. Here many teachers will continue to ask for excellence and many students will achieve it.”
