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In his wildest dreams, Howard Crawford never anticipated what took place as he looked to close out a highly successful 34-year teaching career at South Pasadena High.
Key supporters were working behind the scenes planning what Crawford, the longtime teacher and band director on campus, thought would be a modest reception involving a small gathering of students and parents.
Just ahead of the event last Saturday, he inquired, asking one of the organizers how many were expected. When told approximately 250 would be on hand, many making use of a QR code on various sites to RSVP, Crawford was totally caught off guard, exclaiming “What?!”
Not a fan of the spotlight, he’s someone who favors others – namely the thousands he’s tutored and taught the gift of music over the years – to be the center of attention.
Wearing a sash reading “The Legend Has Retired,” Crawford was simply astonished by the large turnout on the school’s Tiger Patio for what was billed as a celebration of his career and legacy.
“As many of you know, I do not like speaking in public, into microphones,” the soft-spoken Crawford told admirers – current and past teachers, administrators, students, family members and friends both near and far – taking it all in, and applauding at every opportunity.
“I just want to thank you all for coming out,” he said, looking out to the crowd. “This is just so overwhelming.”
Following the ceremony featuring music and remarks from some who know him best, Crawford talked about his dislike for addressing sizeable audiences, including concerts in the school’s auditorium over the years where he would talk about the different pieces played as part of special programs, emphasizing: “I’m not one to do a lot of speaking in public.”
The chair of the SPHS Visual and Performing Arts Department never wanted his participation to outshine those carrying what he considered the bigger responsibility in making it happen – his students.
Crawford also never thought of himself as a teacher in the traditional sense, instead looking at himself as a musician with more experience than his students and someone simply passing along knowledge to young people. “They learned from me and I learned from them,” he said. “Sometimes they came up with information I wasn’t familiar with. I was never ‘I’m the teacher, you must listen to me.’ I never wanted that to be me. I was just passing on my knowledge of music. I would just tell them, ‘I’m just a more experienced musician than you are. That’s how I approached it.”
He was especially touched seeing so many of his former students, some traveling long distances to pay their respects to the educator who won their hearts. “I couldn’t believe it, it was incredible,” he gushed. “My first drum major when I first started in 1990 was there!”
Johanna Ho, who holds that distinction, was among those on hand to pay tribute to someone who has quietly gone about his business and earned so much acclaim for his enormous contributions to school and community.
Hosted by the South Pasadena High School Music Boosters, the organization’s current president Betty Hong, opened the afternoon program by welcoming those on hand. She soon turned over the microphone to a series of speakers, including current school principal John Eldred, Director of SPHS Dance Director Courtney Cheyne, former principal Janet Anderson, Tiger Band President Elisa Argus, Helena Yee, representing former parents supporting the band program over the years, and finally Karissa Uko, Crawford’s daughter, joined at the event by her sister, Naima. In addition, the program also featured a moving letter from SPHS Tiger Band drum major Holly Choe, Class of 2009.
Interspersed were several musical performances presented by Crawford’s students before the man being recognized let everyone know how touched he was by those who came out to be a part of the memorable occasion.
The event concluded with Crawford receiving a variety of gifts from some admiring his treasured work over the years. “It was so nice to hear from parents who were saying how much I meant to their kids,” Crawford reflected afterwards. “That meant a lot.”
After arriving on the scene about three years ago, Eldred said it didn’t take him long to discover that Crawford was among his top-rated teachers. Accolades flowing, when it was his turn at the microphone, the school principal labeled him as “a one of a kind,” adding, ”There’s no question that Howard Crawford works extremely hard. He’s old school. It’s harder and harder to find someone who will dedicate their entire self and entire day sometimes, working sometimes15 hours a day, to his program, to his students and to his love of music.”
And the compliments kept coming, Eldred acknowledging: “He will be remembered for his presence on campus. He always had a smile for everyone he meets, a man of confidence and gravitas with deep knowledge of our school, its culture and our students.”
Crawford is someone “who is everywhere at once, able to teach, able to coordinate multiple performances, gigs inside and outside of the community, as well as competitions up and down the state and elsewhere” added Eldred. “Howard will always have a place in our hearts and in our community, a man who will be truly and deeply missed. Howard, this school owes you a deep debt of gratitude, as does this community. Congratulations to you on your next steps in what has been an amazing life.”
Further, Howard will be remembered for being the “soundtrack,” as Eldred pointed out, at home football games, his bands providing lively sounds coming from the bleachers during timeouts and entertaining, well-choreographed halftime performances. On weekends in the fall, Crawford would take the band members to competitions throughout the state and beyond, an army of dedicated parents at his side ready to take on any number of tasks.
Winning competitions wasn’t always easy in the early going for Crawford’s marching bands, and that first title back in 1993 still prompts a hearty laugh to this day, the popular teacher recalling, “The kids were so happy, they broke the trophy!”
In his trail of success, Crawford has earned his share of acclaim over parts of four decades, earning the school’s highly prestigious Hartsough Teacher of the Year award, the South Pasadena Oneonta Club Teacher of the Year honor, along with being a Music Center “BRAVO” Award finalist for Outstanding Achievement in Arts Education.
Overseeing the advance orchestra, jazz band, concert band, symphonic band, Tiger Marching Band, Color Guard in preparing students to perform at sporting events, numerous concerts and programs all fell under his job description.
To set the competition season in motion, in conjunction with preparing for home football game halftime performances, Crawford’s students mixed fun and learning by attending a two-week band camp inside the stadium just ahead of school’s new year. Early in his career, when bands were much smaller, numbering around 50, Crawford would take his troops to a mountain area retreat, as a way to get away, train and bond as students enjoyed the getaway by swimming, playing volleyball and a variety other activities.
Outside the campus, Crawford’s bands were a traditional favorite, performing around town during the holidays, and regularly at the city’s farmers’ market, collecting tips along the way that would go back to the program to support costs associated with taking students on the road for competitions.
“For me, it was a way for us to give back to the community,” he explained. “That’s why we never charged for any of our concerts.”
Every Fourth of July, South Pasadenans, without fail, could count on Crawford bringing current musicians and many alumni, forming the Minutemen Band that would perform in front of thousands down the Festival of Balloons parade route on Mission Street.
Seeking financial support was a constant pursuit as annually, without missing a beat, Crawford’s young performers would perform, one ensemble after another on a small stage inside the school’s gym, while guests enjoyed heaping plates of pasta. Over the years, the music program’s spaghetti dinners became a springtime favorite fundraiser for South Pasadena residents, many walking off with a silent auction gift as part of the attraction.
In his youth, the sounds of music were unavoidable. Growing up in Newark, New Jersey, Crawford’s parents always had music playing around the house. “Every time my dad got paid, he’d go out and buy an album, most of them jazz,” recalls Howard. “He and his buddies would always sit around our house and listen to music.”
Their musical interest rubbed off on Crawford, who went on to attend Howard University in Washington D.C., where he earned a Bachelor of Music Education degree and Master of Music in jazz studies.
When offered a free four-year ride, he took it. “All I had to pay for were textbooks,” he noted laughing.
In the years following college, he packed his bags with about $500 in his pocket, loaded up his instruments, and headed west in 1986, landing in California where he stayed with his best friend. He worked for temporary agencies doing secretarial and computer work, doing whatever he could do to make a buck. He later performed as a musician for Princess Cruise Lines, playing the piano, clarinet and saxophone as part of a lounge act with a drummer and singer before signing off seeking more consistency in his career path.
Teaching looked to be the answer and soon he found himself looking for work in the music field, going to several school districts before finding the right opportunity in South Pasadena in 1990. He had acquired a teaching credential in New Jersey ahead of relocating, liked the idea of a classroom setting, steady work and instructing students his long-devoted craft.
A self-critic of sorts, over time Crawford would sometimes hear that he didn’t give enough positive feedback to his students. “But my position has always been, ‘when you do well, you’ll know it.’ I can see it in their faces. They know when they’ve done well.”
Outside of guiding the musical interests of students, many inspired by what they learned and taking their talents to colleges and universities around the country, Crawford looks back, amazed it went by so fast.
At the end of the day, he would like to thank all those he taught for being a part of the program, and for listening to him, accepting his knowledge. “Hopefully, they will appreciate and love music for their entire lives,” he said, showing that ever-present smile.
On Wednesday, as the SPHS Class of 2024 entered Ray Solari Stadium for graduation commencement, band members performed “Pomp and Circumstance,” under Crawford’s direction, for the final time. While it was his official last day working at the school, he’s not making a quick exit. He will stick around for part of the summer teaching jazz band at the local middle school, then turn the page and start a new chapter. In his retirement years, Crawford can see himself performing professionally one again, playing any number of instruments with a group.
He now can sleep in at his Altadena residence, spend more time with his wife, Maria, who continues to work at her job from home, walk the dogs, practice music, maybe take an afternoon nap, rehearse and perform at nights and weekends after finding the perfect gig. A trip to Japan would also be a nice escape down the road.
“It doesn’t feel like 34 years,” said the 63-year-old Crawford. “It’s still a little surreal. I’ve shed so many tears these last couple of weeks. I just look back at the good times I had with students, sitting around talking about basic life issues, giving them information about applying for colleges, top universities, all sorts of things. It wasn’t always about music. I’m going to miss that a lot.”
