Music Teacher Reflects on 42 Years of Enriching Children
Martin Will Direct the Ohio Valley Community Choir 9-11 Concert
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Marian Martin enriched the lives of thousands of children during her time as a music teacher and has touched many more people through her work as a choir director.
She worked for 42 years at Union Local Schools and retired in 2010. Before the schools consolidated, she traveled to elementary facilities in Flushing, Morristown, Belmont, Bethesda and Centerville to teach music.
Martin said she always loved music and knew early on she wanted to teach music to children.
"I loved working with children and music. I wanted to make their lives more enriched with music. Music brings out so much in their personalities and emotions," Martin said.
Martin also directs the Ohio Valley Community Choir, which is set to perform, along with several other groups, during a free concert at 2 p.m. today at WesBanco Arena in Wheeling.
She said the choir has 75 members and has been practicing every Sunday for several weeks. Most of the songs will be uplifting and patriotic.
Martin was teaching fourth grade at Union Local Elementary School when the terrorist attacks happened on Sept. 11, 2001.
"There was a lot of talking in the hallway. One of the teachers came in and told me to step into the hallway and told me what happened," Martin said. "I did not tell the children. I didn't want to make the children anxious, and we knew the parents would be coming in to pick them up."
Martin said it was difficult to maintain her composure, but she kept on teaching the children. Each new group that came into her class, she would have them sing "God Bless America." Meanwhile, she also was concerned about her niece, who worked in Washington, D.C., and a nephew who was working in one of the tallest buildings in Pittsburgh.
"I didn't know a lot; I was just gathering information from the office. It was very hard. … It was hard not to tell the children, but they were too young to comprehend that. … By noon most of the children had been picked up," Martin said.
"We were just anxious. … We didn't know what was going on. We were glued to the TV. We couldn't believe it was happening in our country," she added.
Martin noted the first 9/11 Community Choir concert was held at Martins Ferry High School, while the 10-year anniversary concert took place at WesBanco Arena.
"I've always had an appreciation for people who served and have given their lives up, the responders. I wanted to show my patriotism and love of my country," she said of starting the choir.
Martin also directs both handbell and vocal choirs for children and adults at Thoburn United Methodist Church in St. Clairsville. Prior to that she directed such choirs at Martins Ferry United Methodist Church.
And for the last 25 years she has directed the Ohio Valley Community Choir, which annually performs a Christmas cantata. She also directs a men's group, Brothers in Song, formerly known as Barb's Boys, which also will be performing today at WesBanco Arena.
Martin graduated from Martins Ferry High School in 1964. She received a bachelor's degree in music from West Liberty State College and a master's degree in guidance and counseling from Ohio University.
She has a bit of advice for aspiring music teachers:
"I would tell them to follow their dreams. If they love music and children, then it's the place for them to be. You have to have a love of kids just to teach, period," she said.