Lost friends

Early this morning we lost a great American man - Dr. William J. (Bill) Pharris who had been the band director at Norcross High School for many years. Bill retired the last year that any of my kids were in High School (MANY years ago now) but we have kept in touch just because Bill was such a special person. He was charged in his job description to train students in music but that was not enough for Mr P. He REQUIRED his students to be good students FIRST and then take care of band. Nobody knows for sure how many lives Bill touched, but when past students from as far back as 20+ years stay in touch with him, you know it was a huge number.
Teaching today is difficult at best, but when someone special like Bill makes a committment to teach and work with young people they must have a passion or it just doesn't last. Kids are smart, they can tell the difference in a teacher who just has a job and the "special" teacher who really cares about them and their futures.
None of my 3 children were what you would call "star" students, and because of Mr P (as they all called him) was one of the toughest teachers they all had - and all 3 love him today because of his methods of pulling the best out of them. I can remember at band camp on year Mr P yelling out in his subtle way "Rausch - you aren't in step" and all 3 yelled back, "Sorry sir but which Rausch?" - smiling Bill just said - "You know who was out of step - correct it NOW!", then he turned to me and said "I'm going to have to label them 1,2, & 3 so I don't get the wrong one anymore" - that was pure Mr P - even my wife called him Mr P - I was the only "Rausch" who was not afraid of him and felt comfortable calling him Bill.
There are many Mr P's out in the world today, thank God, and they go quietly about their passion helping improve the world one student at a time. Bill once told my son Tim and his best friend Jason, when they both said they wanted to become high school band directors, "Only do it if you want to make a difference, and then never compromise your standards". Bill NEVER compromised his standards and many young people today are much better because of his passion. Tim didn't go on to become that band director, yet he uses what Bill taught him every day of his life. Jason starts this very week as a high school band director and I absolutely KNOW he had the best training anyone could have ever had for the job ahead of him. Mr P will be watching Jason so don't compromise the standards.
Thank you Mr Pharris and I know God has you in a very special place today enjoying the rest of eternity basking in the glory and honor that you deserve. We back here on earth will miss you greatly and can't wait to catch up some day and hear your voice calling out again with encouragement to young folks. You left this world a better place than you found it and THAT is a very rich estate to leave behind.