George C Marshall High School - Columbian Yearbook (Falls Church, VA)

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Used to being on top, the Marshall Wind Ensemble experienced some minor setbacks. A bad performance at the Winter Concert caused one piece of music to be dropped and threatened Marshall's chance to participate in the Langley Wind Ensemble Festival, an event that Marshall won the year before. After Christmas vacation, however, the group really began to pull together as they struggled to work up a new piece and perfect another one. A new system of band exams took hold as Mr. lohn LaCava strove to make sure all parts were being played. Threats of probation, expulsion, and a basic sense of pride spurred everyone on. On January 25th, the day of the Festival, part of the Wind Ensemble arrived at Langley early and decorated the auditorium and immediate vicinity with big, long posters proclaiming The Thrill of a Chill, MARSHALL RETURNS, W.E. Returns, Play FAT but don't SPLAT and Make the Judge bite his pencil in two. Spirit was up when the group played in the morning and their performance was good. Of the six bands that played during the day Marshall's main competition seemed to come from the McLean and the T.C. Williams Wind Ensembles. Predictions proved correct when McLean Marshall and T.C. were announced as the finalists. That evening the Marshall Wind Ensemble outdid itself, but all three bands played well, and there was some question as to whether Marshall or T.C. had done the best job. After their performance the Marshall band all sat together in the front of the auditorium, and everyone hung on to each other when Mr. George Horan stood to announce the final winner. When he named Marshall High School, there was a great shout and general hysteria ensued in the first three row's. Mr. LaCava was pummelled and hugged, and everyone laughed and cried as the tension of several weeks was finally released. A wild party was the natural conclusion for the long fought and hard won triumph. The George C. Marshall High School Wind En- semble. direcled by Mr. |ohn LaCava. performs eady in the morning in the first part of the Langley Festival competition. 35 Mr. LaCava discusses a percussion part with Ron Tim Hallahan concentrates on his bass trombone Faw before beginning a regular Wind Ensemble part as the Wind Ensemble prepares for the class rehearsal. Langley Festival.

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 Think Snow! From the first cold day in November, these were the two most often epeated words at Marshall (sec-r-.Cmd oply to the over-ipopular T.G.f.F.). Tor students the Metropolitan .a ea, Qne good afternoon of snowfall could mean up'ttfxrtip week of school clos-. irfg n particular1, the boon-dock • communities tfjat..compose F.airfax County's schooldistrict wete respon-for delayed openings-and early, dismissal?.j the ide-streets in these Jightly ‘v traveled residential reas became po-tential hazards as the first flakes- began sticking to the roads. Even though pl w and Sand trucks begab their rounds at usually'a few days before these backroads could be cleared. - -• Monday, January fzb-was the day of the area's first, big.$nowfall. Starting early in the morning and continuing through the afternoon, Marshall and other Fairfax-County schools closed at 12:15. Schools r maifWfclo eddArjhe next two days. • . “ For some, just befog- out of school was 3 worthvvhile ’way to spend their free tirmj. to others it meant getting jn a few extra hours of work, or catching up ‘on school work. For local ski bums the snow wa$ an answer to their prayers ' A- ‘ Snow in th inner-courtyard was PENGUIN FEATHER •reco rds-521 Maple Ave. nutritiqk m ▼ FREE DELIVERY ($10 min.) Flours, Grains. Legumes (organic). Organically Raised Chicken Beet, Unprocessed Cheese, Vitamins, Meat. Books. Open 10-6 432 Maple Ave. E., Vienna 281-2199 s 3