Viroqua High School - Pipe of Peace Yearbook (Viroqua, WI)

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Bana' Tournament The State Tournament of the Wisconsin School Band Association was held at Viroqua, June 12 and 13, 1925. Nearly forty bands signified their intentions to attend, and in spite of several unfavorable circum- stances, particularly the bad weather, thirty-three arrived and took part- this being the largest band tournament ever held. We were unfortunate in having rain the large portion of the time. Many Visitors, unfamiliar With our clay roads, endured much discomfort in reaching here. Still, the tournament was a decided success in every way. The winners of the contest are as follows: CLASS A Richland Center ................ First Place Madison ...................... Second Place Oshkosh ....................... Third Place CLASS B Milwaukee Vocational ............ First Place Jefferson ..................... Second Place Sparta ......................... Third Place CLASS C Milwaukee Vocational ............ First Place Westby ...................... Second Place Mt. Horeb ..................... Third Place ,e51e

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ClarineteRobert Nye, Roland Felix, Eldon Hendrickson, Russell Weavill, Sheldon Gard- ner, Cyrus Fortney, James Hanson, Leonard Enerson. CorneteHarold Buchanan tVice PresJ, William Lawton, Gorden Smith, Rudolph Elton, Melvin Lewi-son. AltoeGor- don Jasperson, Everett Irvin, Reo Anderson, Lawrence Lewison. BasseGlennAikens, Kermit Henry. SaxophonewCIayton Weavil, Charles Brown, Francis Goldsmith, Ken- neth Tuhus tPresl. TromboneeRoss Johnson tTreasJ, Harlan Helgeson. Baritone eGeorge Eckhardt, Keith Kellicutt. DrumseFrederick Slack, Richard Nye, Ber- thold Erickson. DirectoreOtto G. Brown. The Viroqua High School Band was organized in December, 1922. Several members had had previous instruction, but the majority had not. The band attended its first tournament at Two Rivers in J une, 1923. They entered in Class B and, contrary to all expectations, won first place. The following November, our organization was invited to Milwaukee to play before the State Teachers, Association Convention as an example of the progress of 3. year-old band. Shortly after that, the band entertained at the Teachers Convention at La Crosse. At the State Band Tournament in Lake Geneva, June, 1924, we were given fourth place by a close margin. , As the State Band Tournament of June, 1925, was held in Viroqua, we did not participate, according to the rules of the association. In the past year the Band has found time to sponsor two lecture courses composed of musical programs, plays and lectures. These were carefully picked to be of interest both to school children and outsiders. Unfortunately these courses did not 'meet with the greatest of success. Mr. Brown has used the band whenever possible for all sorts and manners of requests by the citizens of Viroqua. He has put on free concerts at the High School Auditorium, Mondays, at the usual Assembly hour.' The people of the town have enjoyed the free concerts in Eckhart Park during the summer. The concerts in the Temple Theatre were poorly attended, however. w50.1

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Much favorable comment was made upon the success of Westby in Class C, they having been organized only a short time, but being under the baton of Director 0. G. Brown. Due to the rain, the contest was held Fri- day and Saturday morning in the Auditorium. A little brighter weather permitted the balance of the contest to be staged at the Fair Grounds, Where bands played to a packed grandstand. The feature here was the band parade. Each band, announced by megaphone, marched in front of the grandstand to the tune of a lively selection. Moving pictures were taken of this parade and have been distributed to the many towns whose bands took part in the contest, through the efforts of B. C. Brown, our local theatre owner. The judges of the contest were J . W. Wainwright, of Fostaria, Ohio, Ed Chenette of Chicago, Mr. Grable of Chicago, and Lee M. Lockhart of Council Bluffs, Iowa. Mr. Grabel came as a Visitor but was pressed into service as judge by the temporary absence of Mr. Lockhart. The Viroqua School Band presented a short concert in Eckhart Park Thursday night which was poorly attended, this being caused by the miserable weather. Friday night the 1924 contest winners, Richland Center and Green Bay, gave a joint concert. The decisions were announced Saturday night by Ed Chenette in the High School Auditorium. The Visitors were entertained at that time by Captain Jack and his Janesville Band. Marching contests were held in the business section. Many diffi- cult maneuvers were executed by the contesting bands, Two Rivers being particularly excellent, thereby securing first prize. Special prizes were presented by local merchants to the boys with the most freckles, biggest head, etc., which caused much merriment among the visitors. Much credit was due to the local business men for their untiring efforts to put the event across. The housing committee worked all night Thursday, showing stragglers, who had been delayed by adverse road con- ditions, to their lodgings. Viroqua citizens entertained over 1400 visitors during the tournament. Meals were provided at cost by the lodges and churches. There were ample accommodations for everyone. To prove that it takes more than rain to dampen the ardor of youth, it may be stated that all Visitors enjoyed themselves and many stated that they had had a better time here than at any of the preceding contests. n52-