By Daniel Hartill,Staff Writer
The Don Gay Fund for Auburn’s music students has grown to more than $100,000.

AUBURN – Though the memory is more than 50 years old, Bob Gardner still recalls the look, the expression on his music teacher’s face as he and other teenage singers tried and failed to hit their notes.

“It’s hard to explain,” said Gardner, 72, as he replayed the memory in his head and searched for the words.

“Don Gay made you feel like he was watching out for you,” he said. “When he looked over and smiled, it just seemed so comforting.

“It was magical,” Gardner said.

A half-century later, Gay, 92, is still inspiring his old students.

A scholarship fund in his name has grown to $127,000, which means $5,000 will be available for one or more Edward Little students next year.

It’s due to the fundraising efforts of Gardner and many of his classmates – Edward Little High School’s Class of 1951 – who still meet monthly.

Between 20 and 40 of the Auburn septuagenarians commonly take over a room at Rolandeau’s Restaurant, where they talk about grandchildren, politics, baseball and their chief order of business: a scholarship in their old teacher’s name.

“It’s something that seemed to grow naturally,” said Richard Gammon, the class president.

As the class began gearing up for its 50th reunion, someone suggested a scholarship. Lots of folks already offer money to student athletes, the group figured. But there is little money for student artists.

And with music, they had a beloved teacher to rally around. They established the Don Gay Fund.

From 1944 to 1959, Gay taught the band and chorus at the Auburn high school. He eventually settled in the tiny Aroostook County town of Linneas, where he lives with his daughter.

With Gay as a centerpiece for the scholarship, the money came in better than expected.

By 2002, they had raised $25,000, enough to give away $2,000. By early 2005, the endowment had swelled to about $60,000. And last fall, thanks to the estate of a Bath couple, Arthur and Doris Berry, the endowment doubled again.

“Next year, we may give someone $5,000 or split the money up,” said Gardner, who is known around Maine for his years as a fundraiser for Maine Public Television.

Gardner, who retired 10 years ago, was often the guy who interrupted “Sesame Street” to ask for donations.

“I help out because I have a history as a fundraiser,” said Gardner. He has also spent decades enjoying music, an appreciation that began as a boy and deepened with Gay.

The scholarship is awarded each year to an Auburn teen who has shown an appreciation for and achievement in music by his or her freshman year.

The student must also plan to study music like 2003 recipient Colin Britt, who is at University of Hartford’s Hart School of Music.

Gay would be proud of Britt, said Gardner, though the elderly teacher rarely gets to this part of Maine. Eight years ago, he attended a school concert here in his honor and members of the Class of ’51 have since visited him.

“He’s still alive and well,” Gammon said Monday.

And like Gardner, the class president has his own favorite memory of Gay.

It happened on graduation day. Just as the chorus was about to sing, Gay pulled the new graduate from the group.

And handed him the baton.