Milwaukee School of Engineering - EMF Yearbook (Milwaukee, WI)

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And there with Hendrickson is our friend, Norman, “a man of few words,” but very active in making the band a better organization. If you don’t think he is a worker, just watch him sell tickets for the concert, and as for his ability, as a musician, he is there. If you don't believe it just ask him. I don’t want to forget our jazzy saxaphone player, Rogers. He did not come out for some time after the band was organized but has long since made up for lost time. While looking over that section, I would say, “Some section.” Thus far I have neglected our cornet section. There is a battery of them as in most bands of this kind. But those taking the prominent parts are Olsen and Renner, both very quiet and not very noticeable until they begin pushing together on the rear end of their instruments. Oh boy! You ought to hear them go after the high ones. Boettcher came to rehearsal one evening with his head bandaged up and his clothes rather ragged and torn. Some one wanted to know if he had been hit by a street car, but nothing like that. He had tried to practice on his cornet a little in his room. I only wish that I had time to mention the merits of each of the fellows in our band, but it is impossible here so I must pass on. I want to mention that these fellows would not show oft' but for some of the others that arc not so good. But to the rest I want to sav that is we who build up the back- ground which shows off those mentioned. BAND IN UNIFORM -- Page Four Hundred T iirly-two

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,.f;TME 11920 EMFc X‘ it.............1 HERE COMES THE BAND If you, my gentle reader, had been down town on Grand Avenue, Satur- day afternoon, November 1, you could have seen the S. O. E. band on its first public appearance as it came swinging along down the avenue at the head of a body of engineering students on parade. It had been hinted around that the band was coming along very well; this could be verified by any one passing through this section of the city, on certain evenings of the week, by the volume of noise issuing from some unobserved room near the top of the Insurance building. After a few such sessions the organization was ordered out to furnish some music for the first home football game of the season. Our boys won the game and the above mentioned parade followed—and some hike. As I said before, “if you had been down town that afternoon,” you doubtless would not have been aware of anything about to happen until you heard the soft strains of distant music coming from way up the avenue. You would have had to post yourself at once on the edge of the walk in order to see anything at all, and then you could see only directly in front of you. The first thing you would then have seen, as you peeped over the shoulder of the man ahead of you. would have been a somewhat extra- ordinary sight. A tall, well appearing young man in an army uniform, which indicated extended “Overseas” service and a much shorter and heavier set man in civilian clothes, wearing a very attractive mustache. The ex-soldier is Mr. Landcrgott, our director. At the entry of the United States into the war, Mr. Landcrgott was a student of the S. O. E. and was one of the very first to enter the service. In short, he was with the 107th Engineers and his duties took him from dispatch riding to directing the 107th Engineers band. Last fall we were very fortunate to be able to secure him to direct our band. He would not care to have me say more about him so I will turn on that nifty little fellow along with him. That is our faculty adviser known as Prof. Kienth of the chemistry department. lie has been with us from the very first and is on the job at all times, looking for an ouuortunity to help in some way, if nothing more than giving a little fatherly advice. He is also very well known for his ever ready and cheerful word: “Give me a cigarette!” That slight light complexioncd fellow of medium height there on the end of the first rank with the trombone, is our president, Mr. Vinje, who, when he is not busy with the affairs of his office, makes himself very evi- dent on the end of that instrument of his. He claims that it is his music that makes him so good on a slide-rule. Our secretary and baritone man, Mr. Adams, was not with us very long before he was compelled to leave school and in his place we elected Mr. Hendrickson, that fellow back there warming up his clarinet. He is also assistant director and not so bad cither. Part of his duty, in conjunction with Mr. Libke, our tube player, is to entertain the bunch, during full moments by giving us some of their duets free of charge. Libke also helps do his bit by squeezing harmonv out of an old melodeon, while waiting for the rest of the boys to come to rehearsal. I might mention that our friend Mr. Hen- drickson would make a red squirrel dizzy to watch him go up and down that old get stick of his. Pntje Four Hundred Thirty-one

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On November 11, the band of S. O. E. did its part to make it patriotic day, and I might mention that very few bands were out that day. On that day, the R. O. T. C. led by the band paraded through the main streets and at eleven o’clock in the morning played the National Anthem, while many a passerby stopped short, uncovered and stood erect to show that he was an American. We regret very much that we ever have to send back a negative answer to an invitation to play at some function, but there are times when it must be done. Most of us are here to study, although we do enjoy smokers, feeds and all school doings. The first five months’ work of the band came to an end in a concert and dance given at the K. C. hall on Grand Avenue, February 19, which shows what a bunch of willing fellows can do when they feel like working together. Now that we have a small consideration to work for besides our love for music, we expect great things of the band in the near future. It is too far ahead to say just what the spring and summer activities will be, but we are looking for many lively times. Page Four Hundred Thirty three