Ionia High School - Ionian Yearbook (Ionia, MI)

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Champions of the Silver Shaft Concert Instrumentalists Exponents of the Jive — Of Rhythm and Swing — ■er shaft corps consisted of Janet Todd, rr . ' Joyce Steele, Marjorie Rhoades, Jane Temelco, and Bea Brown. This year two music theory classes were formed — advanced and first year. Jean Allen, Joan Bowne, Roger Buxton, Burton Essex, Avis Harwood, Muriel Hope, Lynn Miller and Imogene Rosecrance were in the first year class. John Barnes, Don Funk, Allen Robertson, Eleanor Westbrook and Pat Wilder were the advanced students. The dance band swung out at many of the school parties. Although the band was newly formed this year, it made great progress and was really on the beam. Janet Jepson beat the drums while Wayne Roush tickled the ivories. Pat Wilder, Frank Al- fonso, and Marilyn Ries played their trumpets, and Harry Hazzard performed on the sliphorn. Jack Horrocks, Beverly Bliss, Joan Bowne, Richard Burlin- game. Burton Essex and Russell Scholtens played the saxophone. Several members of the band formed duets and quartets. Two drummers, Doris Owens and Roger Nielsen, played a duet at teachers ' institute and also at the district contest in Muskegon where they were awarded a first division rating for their performance. The clarinet quartet, Joan Bowne, Margaret Strand, Johnny Morris and Burton Essex, made several public performances. The cornet duet, Ray Lower and Frank Alfonso, appeared in public several times.

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DONALD E. CRANE — As the energetic band conductor, Mr. Crane was further busied by his two theory classes. He received his B.S. degree from his alma mater M.S.C. and also is a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and National Association of Rudimental drum- mers. His hobbies are baton twirling, abnor- mal psychology and psychiatry. Step Off With a Fanfare When the new maestro, Mr. Donald Crane, stepped to the podium, the curtains opened on a 60 piece marching band. With a few exceptions, this same group of musicians composed the concert band. Led by a flashy majorette corps, the band, stepping to a snappy drum beat, endured the chill weather to entertain the crowd at the half during the football sea- son. The bleacher society will long remember the syn- copated marching which the band performed to Dark- town Strutter ' s Ball at the Greenville game. The Christmas and spring concerts held the audi- ences spell-bound as the band demonstrated its super blending and tone. All school parties were staged by the band under the direction of John Barnes, president; Carley Warden and Jane Douglas, vice presidents; Russell Breckon, secretary; and Janet Jepson, treasurer. The band with its complete instrumentation was as follows: cornets and trumpets, John Barnes, Russell Breckon, Frank Alfonso, Ray Lower, Marilyn Ries, Don Oliphant, Dwight Stewart, Hugh Hodges and Gary Moore; French horns, Alice Weisgerber, Robert Schol- tens, Jo Ann Reynolds and Bill Hall; baritones, Don Funk and Nancy Hilton; trombones, Gerald Martin, Harry Hazzard, Bill Hickok, Wayne Roush, Virginia Hamlin, Pat Griffin, Karl Gierman and Dorothy Rie- ger; clarinets, Joan Bowne, Margaret Strand, Burton Essex, John Morris, Mary Lou Douglas, Joyce Fox, La- Vone Gardner, Mary Jo Dodes, Joyce Winchell and Joan Higbee; bass clarinet, Richard Burlingame; bas- soon, Marcia Holbrook; flutes, Pat Clay and Janet Todd; saxophones, Lois Anslow, Gerald Galloway, Geraldine Griffin and Russell Scholtens; percussion, Doris Owens, Roger Nielsen, Gaylord Courter, Jane Douglas, Janet Jepson and Eleanor Westbrook. At the midterm, Eleanor Westbrook took the place of Carley Warden on bells and tympani; Jane Douglas changed from snare to cymbals in place of Lesly Echlin. Both girls completed their credits in January. ' I Formation

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— And Reap the Reward ! After marching through a drenching rain November 3, the Ionia high school band took its musical stand at the Army-Navy E award presentadon at the Ypsilanti-Reed. Capt. James Vernor, public relations officer of the Detroit army ordnance district described the band as the best little band I ever heard. In appreciation for their services E day, the officials of the Ypsi Reed sponsored a banquet at the Masonic Temple January 30. After remarks by John Barnes, band president, D. R. Mitchell and Mrs. Fred Green from the factory, and Don- ald Crane, several musical movies were shown. The evening was concluded with social dancing. Appreciation for the pictures on this page is due to Miss Aileen Walsh, photographer of the Ypsi- Doodler.