Published: September 20, 2007 10:13 pm      

Damp band instruments, not mold, blamed in damage

Instruments packed away for the summer break without being dried, not mold caused by a leaky roof, was blamed Thursday by a school authority for some damage at Summers County High.

A parent voiced concern that mold was caused by a faulty roof and either ruined or damaged several pieces of equipment stored for the summer in cabinets, destroying violins and other instruments, such as a bass fiddle.

Schools Superintendent Vicki Hinerman said the matter was turned over promptly to the state Department of Education’s facilities division and an investigation was conducted in the bandroom.

“The only thing he found was mold in the cases of the instruments,” Hinerman said.

“His conclusion was that the instruments had probably been put away damp and had been locked up all summer. That’s what caused the mold. He said there was no other mold in the building.”

While no official estimate has been put in writing, Hinerman quoted a Kerr Music Co. representative as saying it would cost about $30,000 to repair and clean the instruments.

“Those were concert instruments,” Hinerman said. “Not the instruments that they use in the marching band for the football team.”

There was no water damage, and the roof has been known to be a source of leaks in the past, the superintendent said.

“We had some reports from three different parents that their students were ill, but it was never determined that they were ill from the mold,” Hinerman said.

“Parents were wondering about this, which is why we had it all checked.”

— E-mail: mannix@

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