Former LU band director discusses his musical, teaching journey

With 46 years of experience teaching music, Hugh Flowers continues to spread his musical talents and admiration of his alma mater, Lincoln University.

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Special to the Democrat-Gazette/BOB ROBINSON Pumping his fist, Andy Chasteen, organizer of 24 Hours of Horsehoe Hell at Horseshoe Canyon Ranch near Jasper, Sept. 26-29, leads costumed climbers in a pre-competition cheer.

"He taught me about managing my time and what it meant to be committed and dedicated to the music program," said Rhonda Harper, a former vocal student of Flowers' and the current director of the Lincoln University band. "Everything I do now as a band director can be attributed to the level of commitment and excellence he exuded during his time here."

Throughout his career, Flowers has left a legacy not only at Lincoln University but also at the Jefferson City Second Baptist Church, as well as schools in Chicago and St. Louis districts.

He graduated from LU in 1958 with his bachelor's in music education and received his master's from Roosevelt University in Chicago. He started his teaching career at Paul Robeson High School, formerly known as Parker High School, on the south side of Chicago. There, he worked for 10 years as a choir director.

"My motto was that all students can learn to be excellent, and I was determined to be an excellent teacher," Flowers said.

Flowers said his experiences as a student at LU played a major role in the expectations he set for his students. He said his choirs learned to sing in five languages: English, Spanish, French, German and Italian.

"My expectations were very high, and I expected them to achieve them," Flowers said. "And they did."

After leaving Chicago, Flowers took his career to St. Louis where he worked in the public school system for four years before coming back to Jefferson City to teach in the local school district for 19 years and then at Lincoln.

Flowers recalled being asked to be the choir director after bringing prospective recruits from Robeson High School to visit the LU campus.

The rest is history.

He said his fondest memories were working with the young people in the community.

Flowers remembers having the honor to direct the choir at the school where his granddaughter attended when she was in kindergarten and was selected as the lead soloist.

"Of course, there was mumbling about whether or not I was showing favoritism, but I believed that her talent should not be overlooked. And she deserved to be showcased like any other kid would be," Flowers said.

For more than 30 years, he also served as an organist and choir director for Second Baptist Church. Flowers said working with the youth choir is what kept him active.

"I just want young people to know that you can achieve whatever you imagine you can be," Flowers said.

It wasn't until Flowers had a stroke in 2007 that he was forced to retire from teaching music. He said the stroke affected his short-term memory, but that has not stopped his drive to remain an active member of the community.

Cherilyn Williams, his daughter and a graphic designer at the LU Cooperative Extension and Research media center, said he was chosen as king for the Missouri Institute on Minority Aging conference (MIMA) in 2012-13.

"His selection as king meant that he was then made a lay leader to help teach and promote programs put on for seniors by the Paula J. Carter Center on Minority Health and Aging," Williams said. "As a lay leader, he helped to spread awareness on minority health issues and also helped to recruit new participants for the center's lunch-and-learn sessions and workshops."

Nadia Navarrete-Tindall, associate professor and facilitator of the native plants program at LU, said she admired Flowers because he is still willing to try new things despite his health issues. She said Flowers was one of seven people who traveled to El Salvador with her to learn about the country's Latino culture and its native plants.

"He is a very loving and a very lovable person," Navarrete-Tindall said.

After his visit to El Salvador, Williams noted, her father started a Spanish Club to get the Jefferson City community interested in learning a new language and about the culture.

In addition, to his participation in the university extension programs, Flowers is a vendor at the Lincoln farmers market, where he sells tamales, sweet potato pies and other pastries.