Laramie High School - Plainsman Yearbook (Laramie, WY)

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A. 0. Wheeler Rates a Salute from the L-H-s-Band «embers Student Body of Laramie High School Wifh the conclusion of the I960 school year, A. O. Wheeler will devote his time and energy to the junior high and grade school bands and will no longer direct the IHS band. In his 30 years as a school music di- rector, Mr. Wheeler has taught school bands in Wyoming for 25 years, with the past 18 years being devoted to directing the instrumental music of the Laramie City Schools and being bandmaster of the Plainsman band. He received his education at Nebraska State Teachers College and the UW, and had professional performing experience with a theater orchestra and a civic sym- phony orchestra as a trumpeter and on the French-horn, as well as with piano in dance orchestras. He directed several municipal bands, including the Laramie Municipal Band for several summers. He is the past state president of Wyoming Music Educator's Association and is the bandmaster of Korein Temple Shrine Band. His first band in a small Nebraska town was asked to parade for a summer festival. The 17 members marched down the street playing Abide With Me, which was all they could learn in three weeks. Later they went on to win dis- trict championships. Since being in Laramie he has been honored by receiving The First Chair of America plaque, voted to him by fellow directors for outstanding achieve- ment in the field of music. With this award, comes the annual right to have his organizations represented in the year- book of the First Chair of America. His colleagues have also voted him to mem- bership in the American School Band Di- rectors Association. Mr. Wheeler is also proud of the local honor of having his Plainsman Band last year presented the Optimist Award by the local Optimist Club as a testimonial of their appreciation to the band for their service and contributions to the com- munity, and for the yearly banquet given by them for the band. The Plainsman Band under his direction, when our district was set up with bands participating in the music festivals, from 1946 through 1953, won a Div. I, Su- perior rating every year except in 1948, when it won a One plus, and in 1949 when it won the highest band rating giv- en that year, a Two plus. Now in our district, only solos and small ensembles participate in the music festival, except the small bands of smaller schools. His hobbies include carpentry, fishing and hunting at his summer cabin in the nearby mountains. Of his retirement from the Plainsman Band he says, I am looking forward to working only with junior high bands and grade school youngsters next year, al- though I am quite sure I will miss my senior high band activities which have been a part of me for thirty years. The high school will miss him too. His efforts have been very much appreciated and the students say, Thanks. aa i . I T » ' k S OVll NOUS ,y im A IHTACHtD MANNlR Laud Retiring Arch' The smell of stale smoke drifted back through the bus and every person on the bus realized that Arch had lighted an- other huge, black cigar, his trademark on band trips: a trademark typical of the man himself. Mr. A. O. Wheeler was, himself, a large man with jet black hair. He often pro- duced a tremendous amount of smoke without really very much fire. Like a good cigar, however, he lasted a long time; and the longer he lasted the better he got. When at last he was gone he left a pleasant aftertaste; and his stu- dents could truthfully say, He was won- derful. I hate to see him leave. Arch was an unforgettable character. No one could possibly forget the man whose bands never had a good rehearsal and never had a poor performance. It was a rare occasion when a rehearsal pleased Mr. Wheeler, since nothing ever went well. When a public appearance came, however, the band always did a terrific job. The reason was simple. It was because of Arch. If A. O. Wheeler turned out good bands, he turned out superb small groups and ensembles. He always had the best quartettes, sextets and baton teams at any music festival. Arch was personality unforgettable. Which of his students can ever forget his pride when the band did well? Who can forget his trumpet playing, his little signs printed on the blackboard, his vigorous conducting, his happy smile, his disap- pointed frown, his arguments about whether or not rock-and-roll could be called music, his joy when he became a grandfather, his interest in the members of the band, his faithful attendance at every game and pep rally, his . . . but the list could go on forever. It has no limit. It is hard for many of us, who have played in the band to think of Arch leaving the band. The words, Under the direction of A. O. Wheeler, seem in- separable from the name Laramie High School Band. Arch was proud of the band, and in many of us he instilled this pride. We were proud of the band and proud of the wonderful director. We would like to say more about him, but all we would mean can best be said by Thank you. Arch. —A Former Student 26

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Editor Ed AAcGraw and assistant- editor Roberta Mast. Yearbook Staff Thanks All Those Who Have Made This Volume Possible The 1960 Yearbook Staff hopes it has produced a volume that stu- dents of Laramie Junior-Senior High School will enjoy even more thoroughly in the years to come Wc hope each of you will find this book to be both a credit and honor to the school. We wish to thank the following people for their help in making this publication possible: Mr. and Mrs. LeRoy Roman and Mr. W. B. Ludwig of Ludwig's Photo Studio; Mr. Joe Kay of University Studio; Mr. Allan Krafczik of the Easel; Mr. Charles W. Street and Mr. John Gaddis of Mountain States Lithographing; Mr. Randy Wagner of the Laramie Boomerang; the University of Wyoming Journalism Department, especially Mr. Wal- lace Biggs, for his advice; Mr. John Sostrom and Jill Strohmaier for the photographic assistance; Tillie Greaves for design; and Perri Gacr for her original art work; the School Board, Laramie High School Administration, Faculty, Staff, and every one of its stu- dents. We want to give a very special thanks to the many merchants and professional people who have giv- en so freely of their money in helping to make this book an even greater success. Photographers Ken Boilsen and Bill Wagner Supervisor Mrs. Nelson Design Editor Tillie Greaves Business managers Anne Siren and Kathy Ruch Janyce Thomas, Kay Tichac. Anne Siren, Mary Whitcomb. Sharon Morgan, Jeanne Longpre, Charlene lutz, Don Miller, Jayne Haagensen, Doug Lind, Kathy Ruch, Peggy Attebery, Roberta Mast, Ruth Ann Long, Ed'ard AAcGraw, Sharon Barbee, Tillie Greaves and Mrs. Nelson 25

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BAND DEPARTMENT 27