Cline said his grandfather owned a small farm in Clinton County and remembered that he would play it upstairs in the home they lived in and would play country tunes.
“I never followed up on how he got the violin, but he played by ear and played well,” Cline said. “He never had any formal instruction on playing the violin.”
Cline said his grandfather lived to be 100 years old when he died in 1961 and thinks he’d be pleased that it would be played again by a student.
“It’s in excellent condition and it’s in good hands now,” he said. “I’m happy to do it.”
“Mr. Cline’s wish is for this violin heirloom to go into the hands of a student once again,” said Sarah Benedict, Springboro High and Junior High school strings director. “It’s Mr. Cline’s hope is that this historic violin will encourage the next generation of students to keep music in their lives.”
Music has always been a major focus of Cline’s life. He went to The Ohio State University and earned a spot as a freshman playing coronet as a member of “The Best Damn Band In The Land” from 1947-51. While a band member, he performed with the band at the 1950 Rose Bowl. Ohio State beat California by a field goal that year and he wound up with a piece of the goal post from that game.
“The squad leaders were all former servicemen and they put us through the wringer,” he said.
In addition to the the OSU Marching Band, Cline was also a member of the OSU Symphonic Band and the drum major for the OSU ROTC Regimental Band. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in music education in 1951, Cline was hired as the band director at Franklin High School.
He later went on to become an instrumental teacher in the Kettering City Schools and became band director for Fairmont, Fairmont East then the combined Fairmont High School. Cline later earned a master’s degree from Miami University and became a school administrator. He retired from the Kettering school district in 1985 after 34 years of service. Cline served as a member of the Sugarcreek school board and earned a private pilot’s license in 1983.
Over the years, Cline participated playing trumpet and percussion instruments or directed a number of community and church bands and choruses, as a member of the OSU Alumni Band, and was director of the Ohio State Fair Senior Chorus.
In one of those bands playing percussion, a former student from Franklin, retired journalist Dan Darragh, was his section leader in the Centerville Community Band. Darragh said Cline taught him the flutaphone when he was in the fourth grade in 1952 before he took up the trumpet in school.
His wife Rita also said, “he’s a great trumpet player and has been asked to play at funerals of veterans.”
“It’s been a good life,” Cline said. “I’m blessed. I have excellent health at age 92 and I give all credit to God. He’s watched over me.”
About the Author
