AUBURN - The Schweinfurth Art Center opened an exhibit that focuses on the world class work of one of the city's own at a fundraising preview Friday.

Better than 100 perused a retrospective collection of 75 mostly rural scenes that span the career Frank A. Barney.

“He lived most of his life in Auburn and did a great deal of his work here,” guest curator Carol Contiguglia said.

Born in Union Springs in 1862, Barney showed artistic promise and eventually befriending prominent artists of the day.

His work was exhibited frequently in New York City. His career, which ended with his death in 1954, took a key turning point after he studied at the well-known Barbizon school in France.

“His work is a little uneven, but the good stuff I think is on par with the great Barbizon American impressionists,” Contiguglia said. “His work really follows the trends of his time.”

The group of Americans that adapted the Barbizon style had received little attention from the art community until about 15 years ago, she said.

Barney has been an interest of Contiguglia's for some time.

The retired high school and college teacher curated the first, much smaller Barney exhibit in the early 1980s.

This version took two years to bring together. Only about 20 pieces are from the Schweinfurth collection or other institutions. The majority come from private collections.

“Those are the ones I had to ferret out,” Contiguglia said. “Many of these pieces have not been seen in public before.”

However, many of the scenes depicting the quiet Finger Lakes countryside and woods may look familiar to visitors from the area.

“He's a wonderful landscaper,” said art center member Bourke Kennedy of Throop. “It's nice to see someone focus with their creativity on this area of the state.”

As a retrospective, the exhibit chronologically follows Barney's phases. The subtle differences are visible from one end of gallery to the other, visitors said.

“I was very surprised to see so many different styles that Barney used,” art center member Josephine Emilio said.

Staff writer Shane Liebler can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 248 or shane.liebler@lee.net

Union Springs students show support for music teacher who could lose position

By Kristina Martino / The Citizen

UNION SPRINGS - Never in Linda Rice's three years as superintendent had she seen roughly 15 members of the public attend a Union Springs Central School District budget hearing.

But when it comes to possibly cutting a position, especially since it rarely happens, students and parents affected by it tried to intervene during Thursday evening's hearing.

Rice and the school board presented the proposed 2007-2008 $16.93 million budget, which includes the elimination of one music teacher and one Academic Intervention Services position.

A large portion of the two-hour hearing concerned the elimination of the music position currently held by Gerald Fitzgerald, who teaches instrumental music in the middle and high schools.

Rice explained that the decision of eliminating the district's fifth music position came after much discussion but was decided based on declining enrollment, staffing needs and needs of district and state mandates.

“We need to get in compliance with the state,” Rice said.

Currently, with five music teachers all certified to teach instrumental and vocal music in kindergarten through 12th grade, classes are doubly scheduled to provide enough class time for the overstaffed department. Meanwhile, the district isn't providing the required 120 minutes of weekly physical education classes for kindergarten through sixth grade mandated by the state, Rice said.

By eliminating one position, the same amount of class time will be ensured for art, music and library, Rice explained.

Earlier this year, Rice received a letter from the state explaining that board members need to start planning how they are going to reach the state mandate required for physical education classes each week.

Only seventh through 12th graders are receiving the mandated time for physical education.

“We need to balance what we're mandated to do,” Rice said.

After listening to the reasoning why the position had to be cut, several students and parents still voiced their concerns about losing Fitzgerald. By state law, if a department position is eliminated, the last hired teacher must be terminated.

“He doesn't just teach you about music but how to incorporate it in life,” said senior Eddie Gonzalez. “I don't think anyone else can replace what he does at that level.”

When Linda Balk's daughter Devon learned that Fitzgerald might not be returning to the school next year, Linda said she came home in tears.

“I know it's a hard call but it breaks my heart. She loves him. Music is her thing,” Linda Balk said.

Board members assured the small number of students in attendance that they will maintain the high quality of the music program if Fitzgerald leaves.

Staff writer Kristina Martino can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 238 or kristina.martino@lee.net