Old-Time Music Pep Band In High School

Memories of my high school days start flashing through my head as I approach the local community center. A crooked banner that reads “Beachwood High School Reunion!” is swaying in the muggy summer air. I walk in, anticipating to hear what my peers have been up to. Did they go to college? What happened to Monk Klutter? Did he go to juvie? How’s Melvin doing? Has he grown? I snapped out of my imagination, took a deep breath, and opened the door.

Walking up and down the two rows of hornline and drumline members at our very first show whispering encouragements and fixing aussies, I watched the terror consume face as you and those around you were trying to focus on what was about to happen. After that 9 minute show bursting with chaos and confusion, I remember coming off the field with shaky knees and hearing all sorts of positive whispers and seeing your wide, excited eyes. At that moment, you gave me hope for this season.

The Crooms Academy Class of 1958 celebrated their 58th Year Reunion on May 19-22, with the theme - ”Ready for our 58 Class Reunion”.

When I lived in Chattanooga, Tennessee, I was a member in the East Hamilton Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society for three years (sixth to

Marching Band was very popular when it was first introduced into the United States, and it is still around today. Most colleges and high schools have a large variety of bands offered to their students. Not only schools offer band, if someone is interested in band but do not want to go to college, the military also offers band. Marching band originated in the military as a small group but eventually became very successful and expanded to schools, also evolving instruments and creating different forms of bands.

"When you're out there partying, horsing around, someone out there at the same time is working hard. Someone is getting smarter and someone is winning" by Evan killham. I enjoy this quote because it teaches me how to use my time wisely, and to work hard in everything I do.

As Newt Gingrich once said, “Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of the hard work you already did.” This quote applies greatly to marching band. Many people like to discredit it as something that is simply “walking around and playing an instrument,” but it is much more than that. We didn’t win championships across the east coast twice by doing something just anyone can do. No one perseveres quite like the band.

Oley Pride rings fiercely as twelve bands compete to stand out, and to impress Penn State’s Blue Band with their abilities.

In 5th grade I chose the trumpet and a love began that will follow me for most of my educational career. At first I did not know I would have this love, but this piece of brass I held in my hands would eventually turn into a passion. I grew older starting high school and begin a journey a journey through marching band. Freshman year band camp was absolutely miserable I was told it would be sunny and very very hot. I got there and every single day it rained. I almost quit band after that year just because I hated band camp. That would have been a huge mistake. In my sophomore year I auditioned and made it into the symphonic band. I was ecstatic and ready to become a better player. With a higher chair I had more responsibility I felt like I needed

Ever since my older sister, Molly, had gotten into our high school’s marching band I have longed to join; that was almost 3 years ago. As the years went on I went into middle school and started my band life there. I went to 6th grade as a new percussionist. I wasn’t the most social person so playing in front of people soon became the main worry. I would deal with this difficulty all of middle school. But I learned to overcome it at my tryouts for the marching band.

The most overall successful people in the world didn’t simply follow a straight path to success. As human beings, there are more than enough mountains to climb and fears to overcome. I have found myself in some of the most difficult situations at times and I somehow made my way out of them with tougher skin to work with. Through these seemingly insurmountable challenges, I persevered and have found that there is hardly any such thing as luck. There is only hard work and laziness.

With over 20 band seniors leaving high school this year a substantial amount of the band is moving on and leaving a gap to be filled in. As a rising junior at Bristol Central I recognize that successful upperclassmen transition from being a follower to a leader and I believe that it is my time to show that I will help lead the band in the same direction as prior effective band managers.

When I first started high school I wasn’t nearly as worried as some other kids were, since I had been going there for several years already. My dad has been the band director at Mason City High School since I was one year old, and so I have been inside the building many times throughout my life. In middle school I would walk over to the band room after school got out, so I already knew many of the older students in the school. Many of them already knew me pretty well by the time that I made it to freshman year, so it wasn’t hard to make friends. A lot of freshmen are worried about the seniors, but since the majority of my older friends were seniors, I had no problem hanging out with them.

Phil Smith, band director of the Penzville High School Marching Band, would like for the principal to increase his extracurricular pay. Mr. Smith specifically has asked that the extracurricular pay be raised to be equal to that of the head football coach’s compensation. Mr. Smith’s justification for his request is based on the band’s outstanding growth and performance:

I almost got kicked from the vocal program. Well, not exactly, but in the moment I felt as if my world was falling apart. Before I knew it, I was in a technical varsity show choir and an on level show choir at the same time. At first I couldn’t handle it all but now it has become second nature with me and I’ve been able to make countless friends doing it.