About six months ago, Forrest McAllister, Publisher of THE SCHOOL MUSICIAN Magazine asked me to tell about "My Sons and I" It is believed that "we three" are the only "Father and Sons" team that exists in the United States of America. Our three separate bands have the distinction of all winning a "Superior Rating" in the CMEA Bay Area Music Festival in the spring of 1963. Perhaps a brief description of our background will tell you why we received the three "Superior Ratings."

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"MY SONS AND I" . . On the left is my son Clayton, who directs the Ceres Junior High School Band, and on my right is my son Robert, who directs the Hughson High School Band, and I direct the Grace M. Davis High School Band of Modesto. All three of our bands received a "SUPERIOR" rating in the 1963 CMEA Bay Area Music Festival.
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Of Myself . . . John Gottschalk

Graduated from Hesperia High School in 1927 which had no band program in those years. Became a member of the town Boys' Band (a la Music Man promotion!) and as a senior in high school, became its director.

In 1930, graduated from Michigan State College (now University) with a teacher's certificate and a degree in Agriculture. During these college years I had the good for­tune to play in the band under the direction of Leonard Falcone. My teaching experience for the first seven years consisted of a combination principalship, ag teacher, and band director at Shepherd and Clayton, Michigan. As music came to occupy more and more of my time, the decision was made to make of it more than a hobby, and except for a few years in aviation, music has been my vocation.

Further education in music became necessary, which made summer schools, clinics, institutes, and sum­mer music camps routine, gaining new ideas and methods to make teaching more effective.

In 1951, I was intrigued by the State of California and so followed the 1849 footsteps of my great grandfather. I have found California to be a wonderful experience. It has been good to my family and me, and we are doing what we can for it.

Much credit must be given my wife Emily, who, in addition to being the mother of five children (we still have at home Joanne, a saxophone player in high school, Kathy, age 5, and Teri, age 3) , manages our music studio in Modesto. She is without question our greatest inspiration.

In addition, I have two older children, John, an electronics engineer in Grand Rapids, Michigan, a clarinetist in high school, and Suzanne, now teaching in Los Banos, California, and formerly a cornetist and majorette in high school.

Of my sons . . . Clayton and Robert

They were born in Adrian, Michigan, and started their music education under the direction of A1 Bohms and Paul Ranier. Moved to Modesto, California, in their teens, where they came under the wonderful influence of Frank Mancini, then director of the Modesto Symphony Orchestra and the Modesto Municipal Band.

Clayton graduated from Modesto High School, whose band director was Paul Copeland, and attended Modesto Junior College for two years, where he studied with Dr. Roger Nixon, now of San Francisco State College. His junior year was spent at San Francisco State College in Ed Kruth's fine Sym­phonic Band. His senior year, he attended Michigan State University where he had the wonderful ex­perience of playing under the baton of Leonard Falcone (as did his dad 30 years earlier). Now in addition to his duties as director of the Ceres, California junior high and elementary bands, he directs the Modesto Municipal Band, organized and directed for many years by Frank Mancini. Clayton plays cornet.

Robert graduated from the Dow­ney High School in Modesto, where he played in the band directed by Kenneth Farrell, whose influence encouraged him to major in music, and under whose leadership he be­came a fine baritone soloist, rating SUPERIOR with a COMMAND PERFORMANCE each year in CMEA festival competition. As a high school sophomore, he was first chair baritone in the All American MENC Band in St. Louis. His first two college years were spent at the University of Michigan School of Music, where he was a member of Dr. Revelli's Symphony Band and one of the youngest members to solo with that group. The final two years were at San Francisco State College, where he played and soloed with Ed Kruth's great Symphonic Band.

If any reader is interested in learning about our band programs we shall be glad to correspond with them.

The Davis High School is Modesto's third and newest high school. It has been in operation three years and is already a three-time winner of a "SUPERIOR" in the CMEA Bay Area Music Festival. Mr. John F. Gottschalk, the father, has been its director these three years.

The Hughson "Huskie" High School Band of Hughson, California is under the direction of a son, Robert Gottschalk. It also won a "SUPERIOR" rating in the 1963 CMEA Bay Area Music Festival. Again, "Like Father, Like Son:"

The Ceres Junior High School Band of Ceres, California is under the direction of a son, Clayton Gottschalk. It also won a "SUPERIOR" rating in the 1963 CMEA Bay Area Music Festival. "Like Father, Like Son:"