Readers Who Write

The best teacher I ever had was high school choir teacher Lynn Sjolund. Lynn graduated from high school in 1947 in Olympia, Washington, and I followed 10 years later in 1957 from Medford High.

Lynn Sjolund taught me more about self-discipline than any other teacher or coach I had.

On Aug. 14, this summer, fellow 1957 graduate Mike Sterans and I had a 2-plus-hour brunch with Lynn. I was fortunate to have been in the Medford High School choir with a number of my lifelong

buddies.

Out of these friends, Lynn formed a quartet with me as first tenor, Jay Mullen second tenor, John Payne, baritone, and Mike Sterans, bass. We performed in musicals and wherever we could book a gig in the Rogue Valley.

We had fun.

One day in 1957, the school intercom buzzed and requested by name that the four of us quartet members report to the office immediately.

I, and I suspect my fellow quartet members, wondered what trouble we might be in. My view was there was no good outcome for me being called to the office. We reported, and it turned out that the local TV station, Channel 5, had called the school. An act that was to perform on TV later that day had cancelled. The school was called and Lynn volunteered the quartet to fill in. Transportation was arranged, and our merry band of lads performed on live TV. That was a head-in-the-clouds moment for me.

On another occasion, Lynn booked us as the entertainment for a convention of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union. For those who may not know, the organization was dedicated to the abolishment of all alcohol beverages. This struck me as a challenging group to perform for, and I think all four of us felt the pressure.

We sang our normal set and received a huge round of applause. An encore was called for. We sang one song, and then in a wiseass teenage boy mode, without Mr. Sjolund’s blessing, we performed “The Drinking Song” from “The Student Prince.” If looks could kill, Lynn would have been booked for homicide. Lucky for our foursome, the ladies took it all as fun jest, and that saved our skin.

Later that spring of 1957, the high school choir performed a musical benefit to help beloved teacher Bob Steadman cover medical expenses.

Health insurance was not a given for teachers in 1957.

For two nights, we played to a sold-out house at the high school theater. Our quartet covered The Four Lads’ hit “Standing on the Corner” (Watching all the girls go by).

Now, 66 years later, I still treasure my time with Lynn, choir, the quartet and my buddies. I am lucky to have had Lynn Sjolund in my life back in the mid 1950s and still there all these years later. Jay Mullen left our group, passing in 2016.

The three remaining members of the quartet still gather and will until there is only one standing.

So you say you want to write?

Go for it.

Send us 500 or so words of scintillating copy. Make it funny. Make it poignant. Make it count. Make it any way you want. 

Just don’t cuss. Don’t be boring. And have a point.

If we like it, we’ll run it. 

Email submissions to community@rv-times.com. Put “Readers Who Write” in the subject line, and tell us the city where you live.