she formed a schedule for small group meetings around her open times. She started out with 10 students her first year and, with the upcoming incentive of a possible overseas trip, the chorus grew to 54 members--25 % of the total upper school membership. She took her upper school chorus to England twice and kids over there, came here.
While at Waynflete, she did musicals with both middle and upper schools, videotaping rehearsals as a learning tool. The first year, in conjunction with the Drama department and upper school students, she presented Guys and Dolls. The next year it was Little Shop of Horrors. The final year, the choice was Godspell. The middle school also had performances of musicals. Anyone could attend the performance, since school policy was not to charge admission.
Charlotte loved Waynflete, it was her kind of school. She was expected to do a great deal, but so was every teacher there. It was a family with support for and involvement with the students being the most important aspect of the job. In 1992, she decided that the energy that was so much a part of her teaching was beginning to be more problematical and she wanted to“ go out on a high” for herself and her students. It was time to say that she had reached another aspect of her life. She missed the students and people with whom she worked and respected and returned many times for a visit, always enthused and delighted by what was always part of Waynflete. Studio teaching kept her in touch with young people and the occasional contact with former colleagues and friends.
Knowing she couldn’ t just walk away, Charlotte turned her vocal expertise to All State Auditions, becoming a vocal judge. It gave her a venue to see old friends and make new ones. It was interesting to see how teachers statewide were preparing their students and became aware of the difference in what teachers were doing with their kids at each audition site. It was also inspiring to see how singers grew, vocally, from one year to the next. Charlotte was a fair judge, giving positive feedback while at the same time suggesting areas that could be improved, all in the most professional manner. A high score from Charlotte was a major statement of a student’ s ability.
There is another side of‘ Charlotte the Judge’ that cannot go unmentioned. Many of the other judges have their favorite‘ Charlotte’ stories but this is my favorite. In December of 1998 or‘ 99, John Reeves, as audition chair, scheduled the northern site in Madawaska. It was decided that we would rent a van, as usual, and drive up Saturday morning. I was to meet the van at the Auburn Park & Ride at 6:30 am which, given light traffic, would get us to Madawaska at noon, plenty of time to eat some lunch before auditions began. John didn’ t take into consideration Charlotte as chauffeur. It was a