|  The beginning...
During the early years, the school had an orchestra, but it was 1941 before the first marching band was started by John B. Dodge. A call went out to students from the 7th through the 12th grades to join the new band. It was woefully under-funded and poorly equipped, but we fielded a band that first year. Each band member bought a red sweater and white pants. The school furnished caps and a bell lyre which was sewn on the front of the sweaters.
The band performed at football games and concerts in the auditorium. We appeared in several parades in Nashville, including one of the coldest Christmas Parades ever. The band was lined up in the middle of the old Woodland Street bridge in those white cotton pants for what seemed like hours before the parade began.
When Mr. Dodge finally realized he was not going to get the support to produce the kind of band he envisioned, he resigned in 1945 and Mr. Plelps took over.
Some of those early band members included William Crouch, clarinet; Darwin Hatfield, saxophone; Juanita Hatter, alto horn; and Sara Goode, baritone horn.William Maurice Crouch,
Class of 1946 |
When the band was getting started, there were not enough members to even play the instruments the school had. As an act of desperation, I agreed to play in the band for a while, even though I could neither play an instrument nor read music. I was assigned the French Horn, since it was easy to play and all I had to do was blow on the instrument and push the proper keys. My music sheets were marked for me with the proper keys to depress, i.e. 1 and 3, 123, 2 and 4, etc.
This didn't last too long, but was a lot of fun at the time. Charles Doty,
Class of 1948 |
 | | 1945 DuPont High School Band | Front: Martha Feldkircher
1st Row: Myrna Crouch, Ann Morrow, William Maurice Crouch
2nd Row: Billy Moody, Ed O'Donnell, Buddy Beal
3rd Row: Jeanne O'Donnell, Phyllis McCrone, Allen Oakley
4th Row: Charles Doty, Bobby Muligh, Rose Marie Murphy
5th Row: Juanita Hatter, Terry Davis, Anna Ruth Ray
6th Row: Eloise Marsh, Mary Ellen Puckett, Phyllis McArthur
7th Row: Charles Baker, Peggy Leslie, Red Ladd
Not Pictured: Darwin Hatfield |
|
Those were the beginnings of the DuPont High School Band. Through the years, the band grew in number and expertise, winning many notices and awards. Music was always an important part of our high school years. A football game wouldn't be the same without the half-time show presented by our marching band. The pep bands were important to our pep rallies. The concert bands practiced and performed in various concerts and competitions during the off-season.
Much of the bands' success was due to the energy and dedication of our band directors. We dedicate these pages to them and all DuPont High School band members. |
Band Photo Gallery 
Copyright © 1997-2010 DuPont High School Alumni Association, Inc.
Revised: January 15, 2010 |
|
