Joliet Central High School - Steelmen Yearbook (Joliet, IL)

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Although there is evidence of orchestra activity. on an informal basis, at ITHS as early as 1905, the august gentleman pictured above constituted the first official organized orchestra who played under the direction of Mr. Hiram A. Converse. The year was 1912 and these musicians were the trail blazers. Since their day the IT orchestra has traveled fifty glorious years to reach the crest of high school orchestral prominence. These gentle- men can be proud of the precedent they set and they can be equally proud of the succeeding generations of high school musicians who have carried on the heritage of good music established by them. Included here are the first-organized ITHS orchestra, September 1912, Hiram A. Converse, Director. BOTTOM ROW, left to right: Robert Wraith, Iulius Fahrner, Elmer Rulien, Bradford Matteson, Hiram A. Converse, Iames Skinner, Ralph Iohnson and Loren Carver. SECOND ROW, left to right: C. P. Shideler, Herbert Hinrichs, Anna Young, Alta Stansbury, Leon Hammet, Robert Iones, Forest Merrill, and Silas Peterson. Marking the Orchestra's Golden Anniversary Miss Audrey Totter fClass of 19361 erous motion picture and television pro- lf' ions. , 4 ,J X f 1 w- if 1 D11 L Noted Orchestra Persona11t1es Past and Present Played string bass in the orchestra for four years and was in the pit orchestra her senior year. Miss Totter is now an actress and has starred in the theatre and in num- Mr. William Preucil fClass of 19481 Mr. Don Haines fClass of 19551 Performed in the orchestra for four years and was concertmaster all four years. A g r a d u a t e of Eastman School of Music, Mr. Haines served in musical units at West Point Military Academy, 1962-63. 6 f-v Performed in the orchestra four years and was concertmaster his junior and senior years. The only native of Ioliet to perform a recital in Manhattan's Town Hall in New York City. Mr. Prencil is now a professor of music at the State University of Iowa. Miss Kathleen Emmett tClass of 19621 Has been a member of the orchestra for four years and the leader of her section her junior and senior years. Miss Emmett has served the orchestra as publicity chairman during her senior year and plans to continue her study of music. Numerous honors and award have come her way through contests and performances during her high school musical career.

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rom the 1.T.H.S. Orchestra gl i Art Hammon, 11, treasurer: Virginia Steftes, 11: Barbara 9. OBOE: Ioyce Peters, ll: Richard Walsh, 12: Iuday IU: Norma Chaney. 9. CLARINET: Ward Cramer, 9: Don 9, assistant: Bill DeLaurenti, 11: Ruth Converse, 9: Cherri 9. BASSOON: Don Angus, 12: Karen Evenson. 12: Hal Fearey, ALTO SAXOPHONE: Marcia McClelland, 9. TRUMPET: Louis r,.12: Charlene Reeds, 10, assistant: Charles Hawes. 11: Celebrates Its Golden Anniversary Continuing in now characteristic superior performance, Mr. Labella led the orchestra to superior ratings in all State Contests entered during the years, 1949, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, and 1961. In 1957, the IT orchestra was the only orchestral group to receive the Superior Award in the State Contest. From its inception the orchestra has been presented in concert twice each year. Traditionally, the concerts feature student soloists and the best in orchestra literature. As a direct result of orchestral training, several scholar- ships to Illinois Youth Orchestra Camps have been awarded to students musicians. District and State Con- tests for solos, ensembles, in addition to the entire orches- tra, are entered annually. Year round interest in orches- tra activity by students is attested to by the well-attended summer rehearsals. First conductor of the Ioliet Township High School orches- Sharon McElroy, 10. Iumes Sak, 10. HORN: Ross Macdonald, 11: Gruce Howk, 11: ll, Margaret Converse, 10: Sandra Palmer, 9: lane Ver- TROMBONE: Tom Grewenig, 12: Nicholas Seehater, 12: Bob Wilson, ll. TUBA: Smith Cady, 10. PERCUSSION: Richard Smith, 12. TYMPANI: Tom Connelly, 12: Thom Barber, 11. MARIMBA: Iean Szepelak, 12, vice-president: Sandra Thornley, 11: Sue Gibbons, 10. HARP: Sandra Thornley, 11. PIANO: Rhea Ioy Brown, 12: Gladys Matzke, ll: Margaret Allen, 10: Terri McClain, 10: Beverly Kurtz, 9. 1 M, H. . Hum C Baaqgggvetge tra representing thirty-six years of continuous service to the cause of good music from 1912 to 1948.

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The foli H. I 'gh Q rclzesfra is pr esemed . 111 cone eff in I 93.9 W. 1111 Mt . Hit ffm A ' contre Ige f Records show evidence of a student orchestra at Ioliet Township High School as early at 1905. However, it was not until September, 1912, that Mr. Hiram A. Converse was hired to organize the first orchestra and become the first regular member of the faculty to direct the orchestra. This first schoo1-sanc- tioned orchestra consisted of sixteen members and rehearsed once a week. Mr. Converse retired from his position in Iune, 1948. His successor, Mr. Peter Labella, assumed the director's post the following September. Climaxes Five Decades of Majestic Music The . Iol- d'fecri0,,'Z21f?w,,s1U r, P .P H- eier Leigh 8571001 or 11 C est: Q is Dress I bella In 194 B. 11 ed i H COIICQI-t 10 r the Urs! fi a was invited by the executive board of the Illinois erform as one of the featured groups at the mpaign. In achieving further na- Association invited this direction of Mr. ference This year the orchestr Music Educators' Association to p Illinois Music Educators' meeting at Cha tional recognition, the National School Orchestra musical group to appear as featured orchestra, under the Labella, at one of the meetings of the Music Educators' National Con at Chicago on March 20. The orchestra was guest conducted by Dudley Powers, director of the Youth Orchestra of greater Chicago, in addition to other guest conductors. In e unde, the