McCook college friend Dr. Henry Weeth

Dr. Henry Weeth

Note: In 2016 McCook College, Nebraska's first two year college, is celebrating its 90th year. We are looking back at some of the important leaders and events that have figured into the success of McCook College over the years. Today, we remember one of those leaders, Dr. Henry Weeth.

Though he only spent two years in McCook, those two years changed Henry Weeth's life. The education he received at McCook Junior College started him on the road to financial affluence, which in turn allowed him to pursue his love of music. He never forgot MJC, and because of his and his wife's generosity McCook College will be able to give back to the community, in their names, for years to come.

Henry Weeth was born on a farm near Peetz, in Eastern Colorado. Farming was not good in the Midwest in the late '20s, but Henry's family managed to send him to high school. The Peetz High School Principal was organizing a school band at the time. Henry was interested in music, but was unable to buy an instrument, till his father helped him by selling a calf. He bought a used trumpet for $40. It was as if he and the trumpet were made for each other, and he soon was playing lead trumpet in the school band.

After graduation, jobs were scarce and Henry continued to help on the farm, but music took up more and more of his time. He took a correspondence course from a music school in Chicago. He learned to play the saxophone on a borrowed sax. He played for dances with local bands, and organized the Peetz Trio, with a local couple who provided piano and drums. At the same time he also offered his services to schools in the area, to teach music to beginners and help with school band organization. He began to feel that his future lay in music, rather than farming.

Somehow, Henry heard that the Stratton, NE school was looking for somebody to teach music and organize a school band. He had no degree, of course, but in 1929 credentials were of secondary consideration. Stratton needed someone who could do the job, so Henry arranged for what turned out to be a two-day audition. Local musicians were called together. Weeth rehearsed the group, then gave a concert for the community. "I conducted a routine program, and then the members of the band accompanied me while I sang and played some saxophone solos."

In less than a week the people of Stratton notified Weeth that he'd been hired. His duties included teaching and conducting the school band and choruses, conducting singing classes in 3rd to 12th grades, conducting the community band one night per week, and leading the Methodist Choir. His salary was $200 per month. He loved the job and Stratton loved him.

Weeth continued with his dance jobs during his time in Stratton, and he began to be quite well acquainted in the area. In 1931 he was offered the job of teaching music in the McCook Junior High School. The job only paid $60 per month, but an added incentive was free tuition at the new McCook Junior College, and a chance to continue his education. He jumped at the chance. Still, he continued to drive to Stratton for the weekly Community Band practice.

Weeth managed to complete his studies at MJC in two years, despite his teaching load, the Stratton Community Band, and playing in various area dance bands. Dr. Batty, who was in school at MJC with Weeth remembers that there was always music when Henry was around, and his band often provided music for college dances. Since he was older than the other students, he was treated with a certain bit of respect, even awe---and some envy. For instance, Henry dated June Hill, a young, pretty teacher at the college, and the first Dean of Women at MJC. The couple married in Weeth's second year, a union which lasted until June's death in the 1980s.

After Weeth's graduation in 1933 from MJC, he and June moved on to Lincoln. He completed his undergraduate work at UN, and then entered the College of Dentistry. Meanwhile, June took a job in the NU English department. Weeth continued playing in local dance bands, and again had his own small dance band---even while going to school full time. In 1938 he completed his degree in dentistry and the couple moved to Seattle to set up a dental practice.

After serving in the Army Dental Corps during World War II, Henry and June returned to Seattle and he resumed his very active schedule. Over the next years Henry built a very successful dental practice. He also began to develop real estate in the area, and of course he continued to play with Seattle dance bands. Over the years he mastered one instrument after another---the trumpet, bass, banjo, saxophone, clarinet, organ, piano, and accordion. He organized the Banjokers, a novelty banjo group, and two dance bands---an eight-piece dance group, as well as his pride and joy, "Doc Weeth's Timbre Stage Band," an 18-piece Big Band , which was much renowned in the Seattle area. Dr. Weeth wrote many of the musical arrangements for these groups, and the groups often recorded music in a studio created by Dr. Weeth.

After World War II the Weeth's adopted a French girl, Atine, who lived with them at their home for 24 years, but they had no other children. As his dental career wound down into semi-retirement in the 1970s, Henry and June began to think about the places they had been and the people who had helped them along the way. Dr. Mike Owens, McCook, remembers attending Weeth Seminars at the UN Dental College, for students and dentists from around the state. The seminars were made possible by grants from Henry O. and June C. Weeth. Eventually, charitable grants by the Weeths were provided for in their Wills. The U. of N. Foundation and the McCook College Foundation shared equally in funds left by Henry and June Weeth. Each foundation created "The Henry O. and June C. Weeth Memorial Fund" at their respective institutions. "...to be used as they deem to be in the best interests of their respective institutions." As of 2003 McCook College Foundation has received more than $1 million in funds from the Weeth estate, which up to the present have been mainly used for scholarships.

In 1978, on a visit to McCook, MCC President, Elmer Kuntz, casually mentioned that the college had tentative plans to build a Mini-Theater in Tipton Hall, on the MCC campus. Dr. Weeth was interested, and offered to provide the major funding for the project. A year later, when the Theater was dedicated, Dr. Weeth brought his band to McCook to offer a concert on the new theater's stage, and followed that by playing for a dance in the auditorium.

Lloyd Benjamin, long time McCook College Foundation board member, remembers that Dr. Weeth was a good businessman, always concerned about saving money. At the end of the '79 stay in McCook Dr. Weeth presented the Foundation with a substantial bill for the band's services. He explained that being paid would make his trip deductible. Then he gifted the amount back to the Foundation. "Taxes saved should build our estate," was his comment.

Over the next 15 years Dr. Weeth returned to McCook several times with his band. The last time was in the spring of '96, shortly before his death. Dr. Weeth enjoyed coming back to MCC, and the people at the college enjoyed having him back. Weeth and Allen Millar, long time MCC faculty member, got to be friends, and Mr. and Mrs. Millar got to visit Dr. Weeth once in Seattle. Mrs. Weeth had already passed away, but Millar remembers that Dr. Weeth was pleased to act as host at his Condominium (a Penthouse with a beautiful view, in Downtown Seattle).

On his visits to McCook Weeth would flesh out his band with area musicians. Henry Guerrero, McCook drummer, was one of the local musicians called in to audition. Guerrero remembers Dr. Weeth as a good director, with a fine sense of tempo. Initially, Weeth was quite stern, and insisted that his beat be followed exactly. Later, when he found that Guerrero had no trouble keeping the beat that was set, he relaxed, and proved to be a genial bandsman, and the sessions were a lot of fun. Thereafter, Weeth called Guerrero each time he brought his band to McCook. The McCook visits always included a stop at Hillcrest Nursing Home, for a little concert of Big Band Music, for the residents.

In 2003, local musician, Lonnie Weyeneth, brought together a group of area musicians, who formed "Freedom Swings Band," playing Big Band Music from the '30s, '40s, and '50s, for the first "Hot Summer Nights" concert. The band used musical charts that Dr. Weeth had donated to McCook College. Weyeneth estimated that music used for the concert, which ran for about two hours, probably represented only 10 percent of the Weeth collection. This is truly a treasure of music from that era, and it is hoped that the Weeth collection of Big Band Music may help lead to a resurgence of the College Music program.

Thanks to the thoughtfulness and generosity of Henry O. and June C. Weeth, scholarships, new programs, and the opportunity to participate in Big Band music will be provided to the young people coming to McCook College for years to come. Hopefully, these students may also capture that enthusiasm for life, so wonderfully demonstrated by Doc Weeth's own life example.