Southside High School - Southerner Yearbook (Fort Smith, AR)

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WE MAKE YUM EEEL LUKE SHNEHNE If one read the ear s com lete schedule of performlaincels for tlie C O n C e S I C O n 1 e S 1' choral music groups it would look like the arrival and departure k b boards of the airlines at the e e p S I e r S U S y Municipal Airport. For example, the listing would include school concerts, public performances, special Christmas pro- grams, variety shows, regional contests, all-state competition, etc. The list could go on and on. To tackle such a schedule, the 100-member-strong choral department Was divided into three main groups, each specializing in certain repertoires. The Johnny Reb Singers, the most specialized group, was made up of twelve vocalists, both male and female, from the eleventh and twelfth grades. This group was in demand to sing for dinners and special meetings in addition to the regular concerts scheduled by the department. The Mixed Chorus Was made up of juniors and seniors as Well as soph- omore boys, while the Girls, Chorus was composed of girls from all three classes. Students and public alike probably got their clearest view of the versatility of the singers from all three groups when they attended the production of Southern Showboat, February 11-12. ln solos, duets, trios, and quartets, the choral stu- dents were a major part of the success of the production, singing songs from the various musical eras the United States has gone through. While performing in such activ- ities as Showboat, the singers also were preparing and participating in a more serious aspect of their work. For instance, the All-Region tryouts were held at Westark, November 13. Seventeen Southsiders placed in the competition with five of these making it into the top five of their fcontinued on page 1221 120

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10,000 raised e , v Q 5 v 1 , I wb Q., , , , 'l 4 7 Q .. , V iw' 3 lf- ' wx . 'fx , r ': ' lf, , , over. Maids Jeanne Apple and Kathy 'ein discuss the ceremonies, while Marcy coat watches the Rebels take the field. - - ts. 7' v - H: .. will ' A 5 in Matlock saw during the Band Queen were bottles, which he collected sold for his candidate. sales were on the mind of Craig Beck, during the Band Queen contest, musicians' major money-making proje Ct. s Jn, Q' ff L Youth took part in Band Queen ceremonies as Marcy Jeffcoat and Greg Squirrel approach the court with roses and crown for the queen. sets new record Being the 1976-77 band queen was termed a real honor by Cindy. alt was a hard jobfl she added, 'tbut I had a good group working for me. The queen was crowned in pre- game festivities during the Rebel- Blytheville game, September 17. She was escorted by Gary Lambright, while Mr. Stan Cate, band director and the queen's father, crowned Cindy Cate as the reigning monarch of the Rebel Band. The money raised was used in many areas of the band department. It was used for additional music, uni- forms, instrument repairs, and band trips. Mr. Stan Cate commented on the importance of the money to the band, It's very important. It means the difference between participating in events and sitting here in the bandroomf' It is apparent from the profits made this year that the band fell upon a very successful and popular money-raising tactic when they organized the Band Queen contest thirteen years ago. close-up After the Band Queen contest, Terrie Faldon seems to be happy for Cindy Cate, the winner. Raising money is what it's all about at the Band Queen garage sale where Jill Matthews and Lance Bogoslausky browse. 119

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All-city festival, held in the Northside gym this year flj, was an important event for the choral department. Mrs. Mary Alice Nantz f2j was introduced as the head of the Southside choral department. The se- lection of music for the competition L32 was Let the People Praise Thee. David Redding and Ronnie Leonard are shown here MQ preparing to sing the selection. Dr. Alfred Skoog from the Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, Arkansas, instructs Ronnie Leonard 552 on the correct way to sing a song. Preparation for regional and state competi- tion begins weeks, even months, before the actual events. H51 Mrs. Mary Alice Nantz, choral director, starts in September preparing the singers for such contests as Region and All-State. U1 Doan Bui and the girls' Glee Club rehearse a selec- tion for All-Region Choir tryouts held March 1. f8j Semester exams in music in- volve not only a written test but also singing ability. Springdale, Van Buren and Northside choral students stopped at South side en route to Jacksonville, Arkansas, for All-State Choir tryouts held February 445 f9j while Kelly King and Donna Evans, sophomores, focus their attention on last minute instructions I1 02. Afterwards, singers prepare to leave for tryouts fl 11. 12 lj