Alexandria High School - Alexian Yearbook (Alexandria, MN)

Page 31 text:

1?f'DK?f'161f ' ALEXANDRIA'S RAG TIME BAND First Row--Woodrow Mathiason, Sidney Carlson, Doris Chrlstopherson, Marcella Grube, Catherine Peterson, Lyman Peterson, Leighton Knudson. Second Row--Darwyn Olsen, Bernard Ekman, Dawn Ripley, Deloris Wilkes, Kathryn Westerfleld, Robert Elness. Third Row--Ralph Thornton, Robert Patton, June Hobart, Pearl Barr, Doris Larson, June Johnson. Alexandria's Rag Time Band, a very recently formed organiza- tion has gained much popularity throughout the school and community. Under the supervision of Mr. Arentsen, and with Ralph Thorn- ton at the baton, the twelve members all work together to produce snap- py, jazz music. The organization has played in public a number of times. The most important appearance was in the Student Council Spring Revue. They have also played in Glenwood, Osakis, Sauk Centre, and Parkers Prairie. The members of the group are: Pearl Barr, Bernard Ekman, Robert Elness, June Hobart, June Johnson, Doris Larson, Darwyn Olsen, Robert Patton, Dawn Ripley, and Kathryn Westerfield. THE GLEE CLUBS The glee clubs under the leadership of Miss Stieler have been very active this year. On December 3, both girls' and boys' glee clubs sang in the opera The Chimes of Normandyv. On March 1, both choruses again combined to sing in an all high school music concert. There are 70 pupils in the mixed chorus. The graduating members are: Edward Carlson, Sidney Carlson, Doris Christopherson, June Fleming, Marcella Grube, Marion Hansen, Leonard johnson, Lu- etta Knebel, Carol Knutson, Doris Larson, Woodrow Mathiason, Her- bert Meyer, Catherine Peterson, Robert Patton, Frances Renner, Lois Roth, Viola Shogren, Lois Studlien, Viola Wagner, Betty Wegener, Marion Wharton, and Earl Wunderlich. Twenty-nine

Page 30 text:

I 4 . pa CHAMBER MUSIC Some of the small organizations which have been growing dur- ing the past few years are: the girls' sextette, girls' trio, mixed octet, and the boys, quartet, string quartet, brass quartet, and woodwind quintet. These groups make up the chamber music of our department. Doris Christopherson, Catherine Peterson, and Marcella Grube compose the girls' trio. The boys' quartet is made up of Lyman Peterson, Leighton Knudson, Woodrow Mathiason, and Sidney Carl- son. In the girls, sextet are: Doris Christopherson, Doris Larson, Bet- ty Wegener, Lois Roth, Frances Renner, and Catherine Peterson. The mixed octet is composed of Earl Wunderlich, Clyde Peterson, Lyman Peterson, Leighton Knudson, Catherine Peterson, Frances Renner, Doris Christopherson, and Doris Larson. Present members of the string quartet are Bernadine McAr- dell, Ruth Bartz, June Fleming, and Dennis Nelson. Darwyn Olsen, Sidney Carlson, Bob Patton and Russell Krafthefer compose the brass quartet. In the woodwind quintet are Doris Larson, Dawn Ripley, Deloris Wilkes, Kathryn Westerfield, and Mary Preston. CHIMES OF NORMANDY The music department and stage force under the leadership of Harold W. Arentsen and Gordon B. Melby presented Robert Plan- quette,s comic opera, Chimes of Normandy , on December 3. The talented leads along with the skilled orchestra and well- trained choruses in colorful costumes all co-operated to make this pro- duction a success. Mr. Leland Wright as a simple country Hsherman called Gren- icheux and Miss Gretchen Stieler as Serpolette, a village peasant with fan- tastic ideas, added much hilarity to the opera. Other leads sung by Miss Eunice Ann McCart as Germaine, Clifford Rykken as Henri, Theodore Ording as the old miser, Gaspard, Karl Nordgaard as notary, and Karl Kolstad as the Bailli, were excellent. Students who took minor parts in the opera were Marcella Grube as Jeanne, Marion Hanson as Nanette, Lois Roth as Suzanne, Frances Renner as Gertrude, and Leighton Knudson as the Registrar. To Gordon Melby and his stage force, with Kathryn Brown and Vernon Burgess as managers, goes much credit for the beautiful lighting effects and artistic scenery. Twenty-eight

Page 32 text:

re r 1 ' DRUM CORPS - Since its organization in 1929, the Drum Corps has become widely known in both Minnesota and surrounding states. Under the efficient leadership of Harold Arentsen, it has gained a widespread rep- utation for its skillful playing. The corps consists of twenty-nine girls: a drum major, twelve snare drummers, two base drummers, ten tenor buglers, two base bug- lers and the cymbal players. In addition to their street drills, the girls also have eleven other formations. Besides performing on many different occasions, the corps sponsored a moving picture, The Garden of Allah . They also had several food sales and in January gave their annual banquet and dance for alumni members. Members who graduated in the preceding spring were awarded medals as symbol of their work. Graduating members of this organization are: Pearl Barr, drum major, June Fleming, June Hobart, June Johnson, Doris Larson, Bernadine McArdell, Myrtle Newhouse, Catherine Peterson, Marjorie Thompson, and Viola Wagner. MUSIC POINT SYSTEM Last year the music department adopted a new system of com- parative rating whereby a student who takes part in musical activities is credited with a certain number of honor points. The total points earned at the end of the year, bestow upon the student an A, B, C, or D rating. These points are given for mem- bership, co-operation, attendance, and condition of instrument. Points are deducted for such things as poor attitude, slow progress, unexcused absence or tardiness, and untidy uniform. At the end of the individual's school years, he is given a spe- cial award if he has maintained an A rating. This new system has proven very satisfactory in that it has created a greater interest in music among the students. Thirty