TEACHER HIGHLIGHT Recognizing Ed Richards’ R-MA Tenure In addition to teaching several different music courses and directing the marching band, Ed also ran the uniform store for 7-8 years in the 1980s, ran the summer school for several years throughout 80s, spent a year as acting principal of the middle school in early 90s, and even served as interim Academic Dean at one point, helping to implement the then-revolutionary idea of using email for internal correspondence. Ed jokes, “I’ve been out on the tractors mowing grass on campus. I’ve plunged toilets if that’s what was called for. When you work in a boarding school, there isn’t much you don’t do!” Ed is so ingrained in the fabric of campus that he even spent 8 years living in the dorms at the start of his career. It’s safe to say there’s hardly a square inch of campus Ed hasn’t seen.
For most R-MA alumni, it’s hard to imagine a time when Ed Richards wasn’t walking the campus grounds or preparing the marching band for a performance on the other side of the country. Ed first stepped foot on campus in 1978, 43 years ago, following his graduation from Shenandoah University where he earned his Bachelor of Music Education Degree. As Ed jokes, “If you want to have a long career, you have to start early!” It’s known now that Ed would serve a long and accomplished career with R-MA, but his initial plan wasn’t always to stay for the long haul. As Ed stated, “The school was in tough shape...but, I was offered a job to help with the band program and figured I had nothing to lose by trying the school out for a few years.” Ed’s initial career leap of faith was a risky endeavor at the time; military schools were a foriegn concept to him. Ed continues, “I had never been in a military school before and had no idea what to expect. Overall it ended up growing on me. I stayed.” We are all certainly thankful he did, as he would go on to contribute to the R-MA community by serving in numerous roles throughout his career.
14 The Sabre Magazine | Summer-Fall 2021
It’s at this point in learning of Ed’s dedication to R-MA and his unrelenting willingness to pitch in where one might question why he chose to commit his life to this line of work and way of life. When asked where his motivation came from to choose a life of mentoring and teaching students, Ed remarked, “I wanted to pursue teaching in order to produce a band because I had really great mentors and experiences in bands throughout highschool and college. It was a passion for me.” Passion may have led him to R-MA’s doorsteps, but it took more than passion to stay through all of the challenges and triumphs. Ed came to certain realizations after years of working with R-MA and establishing a nationally recognized band program. One such realization, and quite possibly the most important one of all, was when Ed recognized, “R-MA is a calling. When you finally make the decision to stay long term, you have to understand that it’s a commitment and a calling...it becomes a way of life.” He embraced this mindset of committing himself wholly to the mission of education, while also setting his sights on the Front Royal community. Serious in his dedication to leading a band program, Ed saw an opportunity to create another band in town. Thus, the Front Royal American Legion Community Band was created
