Retirement often means more time for hobbies, but for one Iowa State University professor, it has become a full-time mission to pay forward a long-held promise. Paul Lasley, who retired in 2021 as a sociology professor, has traded his academic papers for sandpaper and wood glue, dedicating his free time to repairing broken and discarded violins.

What started as a simple fix for a broken instrument of his own quickly became a labor of love with a profound community impact. Since starting, Lasley has fully refurbished and donated 18 violins, which he sometimes affectionately calls “fiddles.” These instruments are now part of the ongoing instrument drive run by the Iowa State Center’s Stephens Auditorium. The program’s mission is simple: get quality instruments into the hands of local students who need them.

For Lasley, this goodwill project is deeply personal. He still remembers being a child in Queen City, Missouri, joining the elementary school band only to be given a conspicuously beat-up, silver-colored metal clarinet. His family couldn’t afford to buy an instrument, and while he appreciated the opportunity to play, the obvious difference between his instrument and his classmates’ newer, wooden models made him feel disadvantaged.

That feeling led to a quiet vow. “Someday, I’d repay that debt by providing fledgling musicians with instruments they would be proud to borrow,” he recalled. Six decades later, his woodworking passion is fulfilling that promise. He seeks out instruments that he calls “refugees from the trash barrel,” breathing new life into them. He firmly believes that an old instrument that has been properly fixed and set up often sounds and plays better than a new one imported with cheap materials, making them an excellent starting point for beginners.

The need for this kind of work is clear. For many families, the cost is a massive barrier to entry for music education. A decent beginner’s violin outfit can cost a family between $300 and $500, a significant expense that falls outside of many school budgets. This is where the instrument drive steps in. The donated and refurbished violins are loaned out to local school districts, ensuring that students can join the orchestra or band program without the financial strain.

The impact of this simple act of generosity extends far beyond just holding an instrument. Studies have shown that participation in music programs can lead to higher test scores, better social skills, and increased creativity, fundamentally contributing to a child’s overall development. Lorna Carroll, the outreach coordinator for Stephens Auditorium, noted the emotional power of the donations, saying she has had teachers “tear up” when they see the quality instruments they are receiving.

Lasley, who started by playing the upright bass before picking up the smaller, easier to handle violin in retirement, is determined to continue his work as long as his hands and eyesight permit. He hopes that at least one of the 18 students who pick up one of his refurbished violins will “bond with it” and keep playing for life. In the world of an Iowa State professor’s quiet workshop, the sound of a restored violin is the sound of a promise kept.