Montgomery County natives Roberta Boots Gunderman and Mark Eutsler recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of their first class at Indiana State University with students, faculty, and administrators of the College of Arts and Sciences School of Music. The two former classmates gathered at the room where their first class, Music Theory, was held half a century before after walking from the residence hall buildings where they lived.
The pair were also classmates at North Montgomery High School, graduating in 1976. Having been active in the Charger Bands, they both chose to pursue undergraduate music education degrees from Indiana State University. They also took a music theory course in their high school junior year. “North had a more robust curriculum then,” Eutsler remembers, “which prepared us for ISU on day one, class one.”
Gunderman served as Director of Choirs at Clinton Central High School and Frankfort Middle School. She was also a General Music Teacher at Clinton Prairie Elementary School and Lester B. Sommer Elementary School. Eutsler served as Director of Bands and Choirs at Frontier High School and Director of Bands at Frontier Elementary-Middle School, Director of Bands and Music Department Chair at McCutcheon High School, and Adjunct Music Instructor at Indiana Wesleyan University.
ISU Associate Director of Bands and Director of Athletic Bands Professor Tess Jones invited them to speak to students in the Marching Band Procedures class during a lesson on philosophies and mission statements. She said, “it is extremely valuable for them to meet a few people who have stood the test of time for some perspective on life.”
State Rep. Tanya Pfaff presented Gunderman and Eutsler with certificates recognizing the anniversary.
She said, “It is wonderful not only to learn that you remember your introduction to college fondly but have seen fit to celebrate it too.” She added that as a recently retired teacher she hoped she had provided her former students with a similar experience that they may also look back on positively.
Eutsler had a presentation of his own as a past chair current member of the Serve Indiana Commission from Gov. Mike Braun to ISU Director of Choral Activities Dr. Scott Buchanan who was named a “Distinguished Hoosier.” Earlier this year, Buchanan received the award for his volunteer leadership contributions to numerous music education organizations. Earlier this year, he also received the Indiana Music Education Association Lifetime Achievement Award.
Having kept in touch since graduating, Gunderman’s and Eutsler’s paths crossed directly when both worked at Wesley Manor Retirement Community in Frankfort 25 years ago — she in activities and he in marketing and development. They have judged together Distinguished Young Women pageants, Frankfort’s Hot Dog Festival Frankfort’s Got Talent competitions, and are adjudicators for the Indiana State School Music Association.
Regarding music education, the two are encouraged that more people are aware of its importance. Gunderman noted that it’s long been known that elementary students with piano keyboard experience score higher on standardized math test. They also point to a study by Lewis Thomas, a physician and biologist, who, in studying undergraduate medical school applicants, found that 66% of music majors who applied were admitted (the highest percentage of any group) while 4% of biochemistry majors were admitted.
Eutsler said, “effective curriculum is transdisciplinary going well beyond multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches.”
He equates the arts in STEAM to blasting caps with dynamite.
“The arts are a catalyst. Without them, understanding, discoveries, and applications of science, technology, engineering, and math are inert or come much slower with much less vigor,”he said.
