Leroy Gerdes gives a celebratory speech after the new Dahlstrom Middle School Leroy Gerdes Fine Arts Wing is unveiled. During the dedication ceremony on Oct. 4, prominent figures, such as Hays CISD Superintendent Dr. Eric Wright and Hays CISD Performing Arts Center Auditorium Namesake Gerald Babbitt...

BUDA — The new fine arts wing at Dahlstrom Middle School (DMS) — which includes the school’s new band hall and music rooms — will be named after Leroy Gerdes. Gerdes, who taught and directed bands for 44 years, including 34 in Hays CISD, was the original band director for DMS in 1985 when the campus...

When longtime Hays CISD director Leroy Gerdes first saw more than 130 students and alumni set up for a surprise Dec. 21 concert in his backyard, he stumbled upon what was the best kept secret in Buda. After all, keeping such a large production under wraps was a gargantuan effort. Music had to be qui...