James Lowell Fry is the director of three of the five bell choirs at Second First. He grew up in Rockford where he has been teaching for the past 34 years. James has taught at numerous Rockford schools including Guilford High School, Eisenhower Middle School, Kennedy Middle School and Flinn Middle School where he currently teaches computers and publications and was previously the orchestra director. James attended Illinois Wesleyan University where he earned an M.Ed. in Computer Education. James has been involved with handbell ringing since he was in junior high school. He has directed handbells at Redeemer and Trinity Lutheran Churches and is a former State Chairman of the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers. James is an active member of Rockford’s musical community and has played viola with the Rockford Symphony Orchestra, Mendelssohn Club Chamber Orchestra, Lutheran Choral Union “Messiah” orchestra and Principal viola with the Beloit/Janesville Symphony Orchestra. In his free time, he is also an Assistant Scoutmaster with Troop 14, B.S.A and has taught at the BSA’s National Camping Schools in Aquatics as well as an active Red Cross Lifeguard Instructor. James has a wonderful wife, Diana, two great kids, Katie and Alex, and two amazing grandchildren, Ivan and Jocelyn.