ESTILL - If Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a drum major for justice, then Dezial Taylor is a drum major for determination and perseverance.
In his 32nd year as Hampton School District 2 band director, Taylor has seen his share of ups and downs and overcome his share of challenges - and then some.
"Dr. King lived his calling, and I also admired Rosa Parks for her stick-to-itiveness and her character," Taylor says. "A lot of times we have a tendency to give up a little too quickly. You have to tell yourself that it has to get better, that it won't stay that way forever."
In 1980 a fresh-out-of-college Taylor took the helm of the band programs at Estill's high and middle schools with only 15 students and a budget of about $3,000 for both schools, a figure later reduced to about $1,500 per year.
"We had to rely on fundraisers," he recalled. "We sold everything from belt buckles to candles."
By his fourth year Taylor had 65 kids in the band. By year five his Estill Gator band was 92 strong and receiving invitations to out-of-state parades. They were even selected as one of only two South Carolina bands to participate in the American Music Festival in Florida.
EHS musicians competed in the Edisto conference each year. Several tried out for the All-State Band, and some of his students were even invited to the governor's tree lighting ceremony in Columbia. Several were accepted into bands at S.C. State and Florida A&M universities.
To supplement his budget he started writing grants. His grant applications to Arts in Education and International Paper eventually earned his program over $50,000 for workshops, camps, instruments, and even guest musicians.
For the first 15 years of his career, the Gators were a band to be proud of.
"I'm most proud of the fact that I have been a positive factor in a lot of the students' upbringing and exposed them to things ... I wanted to provide them with good musical experiences and make them lifelong lovers of music. I encourage the students to have pride, and I let them know that when they perform they are representing themselves and the whole community."
Taylor went on to become Estill High's Teacher of the Year in 1990 and 2008, and was nominated for Who's Who of American teachers three times, from 2004-2006.
But around 1998 things began to change. Under duress from the State Department of Education to improve academics and standardized test scores, the district started putting more emphasis on the core curriculum, and less on the arts.
Faced with its own challenges, the district began an unstable period. Superintendents and principals came and went frequently, and each administrator had his or her own take on the music program.
"All of this has had a negative impact on the band program. But, luckily, Dr. Raedell Brown (EHS principal) and Dr. Carl Williams (EMS principal) have both been very supportive," Taylor said.
Soon, fewer and fewer students signed up for the band, as there were more and more scheduling conflicts with classes and tutoring during the day, and few wanted to stay after school to learn music. Things hit rock bottom last year, as the district had no performing group at all.
Briefly- just briefly- Taylor got discouraged. But then he received a thoughtful card in the mail from Assistant Superintendent Morris Arrington that said just how proud the administrator was of the struggling band program's performance at a recent Estill High homecoming game.
"This came at a time when I was getting discouraged," Taylor admitted. "I was kind of down and out and was thinking about giving up and just quitting. Sometimes you work your heart out, and it doesn't seem like you're appreciated. But there are people out there who appreciate you."
Not enough kids in the middle and high school band? He started signing up elementary kids to play in the band.
"So we worked to regroup, started recruiting from the elementary school," he said. "We started from scratch. At the high school level, if you don't have a strong feeder program it kills you."
This year there are 60 Gators in the band, including the auxiliaries like the color guard and drum majors.
"This year we marched again. We did some parades and halftime shows. It's back on the upswing, and hopefully it stays that way."
On Jan. 13 Taylor received an Unsung Hero "Crystal Apple" Award for his dedication and work in the district, thanks to Mr. Arrington. And he keeps that thoughtful card in his briefcase for when he needs a little extra encouragement.
Like Dr. King, Taylor is living his calling, standing up for education and for being a positive influence in his community.
And like Dr. King and the civil rights leaders of his day, Taylor marches on.