Latin School of Chicago

Latin Magazine (LM): How have your programs changed over the years? Tom Bower (TB): We have experienced a large growth of girl's sports. We've added swimming, water polo, soccer, lacrosse as a club sport that's trending toward varsity, track and field and cross country. As soon as the interest was there with a particular sport, we added it. We never had to fight anyone on these additions; the administration was always supportive. It's been interesting and fun to watch the growth. Mike Teolis (MT): Our program is bigger too. We used to start students playing an instrument in fifth grade; now they start in fourth grade. The high school band used to be 38 or 40 kids, now it is between 58 and 70 kids. The other thing is that when I started, there was no designated band room. I taught on the stage in the theater. Every day, two or three times per day, I had to set up and breakdown all of the chairs, music stands and percussion equipment. After the breakdown, I would have to get down on my hands and knees to clean the spittle off of the floor from the brass players before the drama classes could move in. When play productions needed to occupy the space, I had to move everything — chairs, stands and percussion equipment — into the lobby outside the theater to have class. There was a receptionist at the front desk who had to answer phones to transfer to the rest of the school. When we had class, the receptionist couldn't answer the phones because we were just too loud. Thankfully, Frank Hogan, the head of school at the time, saw a need and started a campaign to raise money to build a new music space for the chorus and band. We moved to our current location in the fall of 1996, where we have been ever since. With that move, I was also in the position to obtain the kind of equipment needed to run the program more effectively. LM: What are your programs' greatest accomplishments? MT: Something that has had the biggest and broadest impact is the creation of the "Fight Song." In 1996, I fell off the stage after graduation and broke both my arms. I wrote the music in my head while I was recovering from surgery. When I could finally move my arms and write, I committed it to paper. I think it's really cool that it is now ingrained into student life and students sing it at pep rallies and other sporting events. We've also played at the Taste of Chicago to commemorate the world longest hot dog, and we've played seven of the last 11 years at the Chicago birthday celebration at the Chicago History Museum. And we aren't a marching band but we have marched three times, including once for the school's 125th anniversary. TB: I am very proud that the athletic program has positively affected so many students. We have easily doubled in size since I began. I am very pleased with our partnership with the Positive Coaching Alliance. Our coaches and students take their workshops. PCA's philosophy — that sports are a learning experience and mistakes are OK — is now embedded at Latin. And I can't image our program without our athletic trainers. We partnered with Athletico for them to supply athletic trainers, and the trainers have had a huge, positive effect. Our current trainer, Jessie Heider, has been here seven years. She is effective because she knows the program and has good follow-through with the students and families. And we have won four team state Few people have made as lasting an impact at Latin as Athletic Director Tom Bower and Chair of Performing Arts and Band Director Mike Teolis. Bower has been at Latin for 37 years, Teolis for 29. Both men are retiring this year. But before they do, they shared their reflections, memories and a few fun stories with us. ROMANS, LOYAL & TRUE: BOWER AND TEOLIS LOOK BACK ON THEIR DECADES AT LATIN ROMANS, LOYAL AND TRUE 30

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