HNCadet

Dave, I thought I might add my .02 to your reply! What I KNOW about my Cadets: Duty, Honor, Country. I am a Garfield, Born and raised Garfield Cadet.......a Hudson St Boy, so I was lullabied to sleep by the 1948,49 & 50 National Champions, grew up across the street from the practice field there and played and marched alongside all the corps from the day I could walk, to the day that Aunt Nell fitted me for uniform #32 that I wore for some 6 years. My father and his brothers while never Cadets knew all the original founders, went to High School with most of them and played on the same Holy Name Basketball League as them(Still have his maroon HNC Game Jersey). I was the California connection that brought Johnny Baumps back into the Cadet Alumni and was so fortunate to have those long Sunday afternoon discussions with him about the Corps earliest days. In those I learned that John did NOT have a father growing up, but that the Instructors and Corps Managers saw that and gave him that structure that they saw as missing in his life. That sense of responsibility soon grew throughout the ranks and became even more prevalent after the War years and was there when I marched in the 60's, thanks to men like Bill Kemmerer, Eddie Kwasnik and Jimmy D'Amico. So while "Mission Statements" were not there in 1934, the intent WAS, and it was: ......to provide a highly structured environment in which young men(and later women) can develop the Character of Duty, accept responsibility for their actions in life, co-operate with their fellow Cadets to achieve their common goals and to honor their Parents, Instructors and Country................. ..........the music and the marching was nothing more than a simple "tool" in helping to achieve those means. and IF that EVER changes, then the entire reason for this organization to even exist has been undermined to the detriment of human society and no longer deserves the support of its base. Folks, it's NOT ABOUT "PUTTING ON A SHOW" like Mickey Rooney. It's about Life lessons. This organization and it's "outdated traditions" of Duty, Honor, Country have been linked to West Point's Traditions by that uniform since 1937 and to see it be discarded and dishonored is unthinkable to those of us that have worn it and accepted its demands. ......Again, only my "opinion", we've ALL got one!

Can't think of any better way to say "CONGRATULATIONS" than: AaaaaaaaaMennnnnnnnnnn...........................!

Just a bit of historical perspective on the GH controversy being debated and dissected. G has been Director of the Corp since I believe 1983 and on staff since '78(?) He was chosen by the prior Director with input from earlier Alumni Directors. Given his background he was the best choice at the time. G has produced outstanding results(in terms of Championships) for the vast majority of his tenure, however his single-mindedness on assuming complete control of the organization has been long known by the older Alumni and perhaps even encouraged a bit from the outset. The complaint of "Its My Way or the Highway" type of management is not something entirely new within the Cadet Organization, even from its earliest days. It seems with the Cadets anyway, that those Directors that held that absolute Vision AND THE POWER to see that vision thru have been the most successful Directors The Cadets have had. Mr Huber and Mr Kemmerer held the Directors Title for 24 years(1940-1964) and in that time amassed 10 National Titles and both those men were in complete control of the direction of the organization. Even though G never bought into the Traditions of the Corp, he would have been an idiot not to see the results of his prior Alumni. All of the other Directors combined have 0 Titles, although they're skill sets were put to the test in reinventing the organization and keeping it on the field and competing. They were the ones navigating the start & later the big changes in the activity during the 60-70's, and don't overlook the fact that G inherited a Corp that had already been transformed and was climbing to the top and Yes, he did have a good deal to do with that and that's why he was the best choice............He had a vision and therefore was given the power to see it through. He just took it to levels that we could not have imagined. The question of his management style today really isn't much different than that of some successful entrepreneurs who reach a high level of accomplishment and when conditions in the labor market change they are unable to change they're management style to meet the demands of the age. We've all seen this dance happen at whatever industry we labored through life. G is now simply forcing his vision on a staff that no longer buys into his style. He now has only two choices. He can find that new staff that he can again force his visions upon or he will have to re-invent HIMSELF before he self-destructs. Someone here mentioned earlier about a Sports Staff analogy and I agree............this could very well be the start of a replay of the Bo Pelini meltdown @ Nebraska. Those of us still alive and watching this drama unfold(live on social media!) have been awaiting this moment for some time and are simply sitting back and waiting to see which path he takes. Our only fear is that should he continue down his current path, he attempts to take down the organization with him, but we doubt G is a Psychopath. Unfortunately, his morale character appears to be not what one could compare favorably to a Mr. Huber or Mr. Kemmerer. Both of those men operated within the strict confines of the Church and earned your respect, never demanded it and that's what we believe has changed in him. Therein lies the failure of his leadership.......#### that ego. Can he re-invent himself? Well, still being old school, we PRAY that he does. Lastly G craves success like a heroin addict. To him however, success is not necessarily winning those Titles, but attracting hundreds of young men & women to enroll in his programs every year, rewarding him with their attention and attendance. We don't see him relinquishing that fix. Godspeed G. you were entrusted with something far greater than yourself and in 2007 you were even proclaimed a Cadet, now it's up to you to live up to seeing that "For Holy Name Shall Always Be......" doesn't stop on your watch. It's been awhile since I read Dante's Inferno, but I recall something about a special place in Hell for.............

A little late learning of this and I am truly saddened to learn of the passing of this man. My sincerest Condolences to his family. Most here would not know this of him, but I first met Noel I believe it was in May of the '69 season, one of my last with Garfield. Noel had already become a fixture at most if not all Cadet practices by the time I made it back from college. I wondered if he was a new Quartermaster or if he had a son(or daughter!!!) marching.(a lot of changes to adapt to that year marching with the Corp.) ........so I approached him and asked.........."No" he stated as he broke out in that great smile of his.........he was "just here as an Observer and it's Noel, not Mr Borden". He explained his association with another smaller area Jr Corp and that he simply wished to be around the Corp, to Observe what it was that made Garfield such a special Corp. His intent being to take that knowledge back to his Corp and try and instill that set of skills and teachings so it could have the same impact on the lives of young men and women the same way the Cadets had. Noel, it turned out became much more than just an "Observer"...........he pitched in with his entire body and soul, helping any way he could or asked. He became an "interviewer" of all the Corp members as well of Staff............wanting to know what their experiences were and WHY they did this. At times he even became the Father Confessor when needed. It was when I experienced this that I realized he was from the same cut of men that MADE Holy Name. Holy Name, Garfield was moulded from the teachings of The Church and of it's Director's........in the '30's '40's it was Mr. Huber, in the '50's and early '60's it was "The Chief" Bill Kemmerer. Both strong willed men who had a desire to "serve" the youth of their Church & Community. They were the cornerstones of the organization, providing discipline, direction, inspiration and understanding to young men, some of whom desperately needed to experience just that, and Noel was from that "Cut". I left the Corp and the east coast within the next year for good, but still had the opportunity to see Noel over the years/decades at whatever National's I attended and he ALWAYS made time to sit down with me and have that catchup conversation on how things turned out............he even remembered my wife's name(both of them!) my children's and what I did as a profession..........I seem to recall that he even got his National Title with his "small area Jr Corp."! I don't remember if I ever had the opportunity to Congratulate him on that.......and I'm sure I never Thanked Him enough for being that Father Confessor I so desperately needed that day. Soooo............Noel you never had to search for that "magic" the Cadet's had............you had it within your Being all the Time. Congratulation's Noel........A Life Well Done Sir!

Gentlemen, this thread brings back far too many sad memories for many of us who knew and loved George and are still around. George was a great person, a great leader and a great Cadet. No one could have imagined this happening. As to what actually happened, only George and Mac know the answer to that question, and neither can say.............. I STRONGLY encourage the closing of this thread as any further discussions are pointless and will never provide any healing responses to those of us that still carry the loss of this fellow Cadet in our hearts. Thank You............ ...."for Holy Name Shall Always Be".

It is with great sadness that I must report the passing of John Baumfalk, Founding Member and First Drum Major of the Holy Name Cadets, of Garfield, New Jersey. I was just notified myself by John's niece and have been told there will be a graveside funeral service with military honors next Monday Feb, 11th in Cypress, Ca. I hope readers here can contact some of the other older Corps members that John worked with here in California in the 50's-'60's like the Monterrey Park Girls, Commodore Perry Scouts, etc. and inform them of our loss. May God Bless you John.

Yes I do, last major corp show there I can recall marching in was (May?) '66. Specifically recall Angelica was judging bugles and I hit a stupid early attack, Don turned around looked directly at me, shook his pencil and hit the sheet........... that show was BURNED into my memory!.........it was however the LAST bugle error I ever made heh, heh! Rainy afternoon here in San Diego, in fact a mini-deluge right now.......... I'm sitting back and watching the '67 CYO Nationals, another show with much better memories, just put in the Royal-Airs DVD. Oh to be that young again.

Thanks for the "Late Review" That performance was the "Hatrick" in the Royal-Airs NEVER to be replicated 3 National Titles in a single year and unfortunately we were the ONLY Corp to lose to them at ALL 3 Contests!(What a way to make the record book). Digging deep into the memory banks it was a very emotional performance for us as we had just learned that our Director "Uncle Eddie" had inoperable cancer and was facing the end of his all to brief Directorship. Uncle Ed worked At Raybestos-Manhattan Rubber along with my Mother and several other Cadet parents.......and Raybestos made .......asbestos products...........his legacy and untimely passing in early '66 was followed my many, many others, Raybestos got-off relatively free, closed the factory and moved to the south where environmental restrictions were far less onerous. We were left to bury(literally) their legacy. I still won't use their brake products on my cars. One last quick story never told before................this one about Sie Lurye...... After the show as we had boarded our buses.....Sie jumps on our(Cadets) bus and yells out to us in that gravelly voice "Hey Guys, TELL EDDIE, TANKS FOR LO-SIN".........that just about started the biggest Drum Corp riot in History .......then, one of our Quartermasters, who was even bigger than Sie confronted him and told him about Eddie's cancer....and you could just see him deflate....he and Ed and all our Quarter-masters came from a similar background and had kidded one another for the past 5 years at the Legion Nationals about being the Cinderella Corp.(re-call that RA came in behind Garfield in '60, '61, '62) we all watched as he walked back to the RA buses slumped over, obviously adding some bitterness to his greatest triumph.......He was a great competitor and that little slip in sportsmanship was overshadowed by his generosity.....a few years later when I was in Chicago with my college band(we played at a Bears half-time show) I called him up, reminded him of the Portland quote(I was in the front seat)and he invited several of us to a Halloween Party for RA & Skokie by a Labor Union and sent his daughter out to pick us up!........the rest of that night is still only a blur......needless to say, those Chicagoans know how to party. Oh, and we always have a prayer...........we say it every time before we enter the competitive field....... FHNSAB.........AMEN!

Hmmmmm, when did Boston NOT WIN the Pittsfield Sound-Off Show?(BTW, all the Jersey Corps just loved Bay State Judging)..........and Sac's '64 Corp was NOT that '63 Corp...that '63 Sac Corp with 27 horns was the BEST small Corp of all times! We were able to beat Sac only 2 or 3 times in '63......they were just phenomenal and yeah they had a bit of an attitude about it.....but hey, they were from Newark! what'ya expect? My favorite show at Pittsfield?........the '65 Pittsfield Cavaliers Drum Solo, played in the dark with fiberglass snare sticks that were lit by batteries from within! 25 yrs later(in SoCal) I mentioned this to my wife's Boss, who then informed me that HE(Don McCoy) was their drum instructor that year!

Well, it certainly was intense at times and yes there were a couple of instances where tempers overcame judgement(Union City '62), but beyond that I tend to remember the immense "RESPECT" we had for each other........on several occasions, the members of Sac actually came to Newark Airport to see us off on plane trips to the AL Nationals in 62 & 65 to wish us all Good Luck!!!(with an early version of the "GO EAST" chant)........ there was also one time in '66 that Sac thought we were so BAD(we were) that they turned they're backs on us as we passed going off the field at a contest at Newark Stadium. So it went both ways, but it was rivalry based on respect. I was gone from the DC scene for several years when Sac folded and I wondered if Garfield could survive without that intense local rivalry as it seemed such a huge part of our existence for decades. I don't recall any brawls with Lucy's, that would've been a Boston thing.............Lucy's had an impact on the eastern power structure from '64-'68 and produced some very good corps with several great individual performances, but I don't think either Sac or Garfield saw them as the great rivalry, that takes more than just a few years of trading wins. From the HN/Garfield perspective. it was Sac locally, with The Cavies come Nationals time, although that started to include the Royal-Airs for the '62-'67 timeframe. Past Rivalries, St. Vinnie's, St Joe's of Newark............

Heh, Never really faced off with those First Ward Newark Guys...........almost sounds like you marched with Boston and were in Bridgeport, Conn in '68.............that was quite row!

OK Mike, I understand your points.....let me just add the following and if need be lets take the rest off-line so we don't confuse and bore too many people around here: When I first joined, I had pointed out to me a notice Chief had pasted on the wall of the Uniform Room(his Office) in the basement of the old American Legion Hall(our practice hall through 1965). On it were HIS expectations of each Cadet's responsibilities ........... there were quite a few more than WORK ETHIC, HONESTY, LOYALTY...etc (wish I could remember the whole thing or still had my copy)................. those were the basis of what was expected of each Cadet and I was required to sign one understanding and agreeing to them(sort of a Code of Conduct, like the West Point Rules)........if you didn't, you didn't march........simple.....don't know why it wasn't carried forward by subsequent administrations, in retrospect, it should have been, it gave us all a common standing. The reasons why Corps failed are too numerous to simplify by stating it was business operations, but when there are immense new operating conditions like those outlined by DCi of it's members(extended expensive tours)...............it imposed huge financial hardships on those units that were the regional second tier corps(and some top corps like BS & BR).....that's typically where the next level of contenders would come from to challenge the big boys. In the old formats they would have started to establish some dominance over the regional leaders THEN see National competition when it arrived at their doorstep via the "touring" National Contests" In any case I hope you see my reasoning, the second tier corps were unable to mature and compete against their regional competitors without exposing themselves to huge touring expenses, which I can't say benefited ANYONE, but dci. This doomed them financially if they did and if they didn't their membership then moved on up to one of the touring corps, or at least those members that could PAY & pass the "auditions' proving they were worthy of DCi status. That was quite the culling and the start of the "forgotten ones". Not a new story on local support, the Church withdrew support when the majority of members were no longer church members(although there were other issues, see "The Bishop's Wife"), the support from the City of Garfield stopped because of the failure of the Cadet administrations to play the political game within the City. When Chief was Director, he was both a citizen and a Bergen County Sheriff who KNEW what wheels to grease and when to call in favors.............later administrations lost all bargaining power when they failed to maintain those relationships(part of The Plebe issue)............I'm surprised it lasted as long as it did with as few members from Garfield marching, but I'll bet part of it was the Garfield Band Director in the mid-late '70's...........a fellow who was a Plebe for a short time in '62(and a close friend in HS, I'm proud to say) .....he completely turned around that lousy music program and had that Band switch to a DC style and then compete...........when he left to go to somewhere up around Sparta, I'll bet the last vestiges of local support died in Garfield. In political circles(especially Garfield) you've GOT to maintain a close circle of support. I imagine County and City of Bergenfield support died when political situations changed there too. Simply put, if you want any support from the local governments you #### well better give THEM what they need politically(votes)..........You know, I wonder what the driving factor was for the implementation of Cadets2? could it be that there was some local questioning about how many local youths were being assisted through the YEA program? Don't know, but it fits the pattern and IF they pull it off, then they deserve KUDOS for it! Here is where our biggest divide is and where I place my line in the sand..........you and literally all music educators I've spoken too SEEM TO THINK THAT MUSIC STOPS AT THEIR BANDROOM DOOR.............well, I don't believe that.............I'd estimate that easily 50% of the Cadets I marched with had NO contact with their local High School or College Band...........they simply were involved because of all the "OTHER" things that " were hardly in your mind at all".................THOSE are the disenfranchised youth I'm speaking about, those kids who really don't care about a music education beyond the competition environment. Please re-read my posting, because the KEY PHRASE is all about: "those who could learn "THROUGH" the medium, not necessarily about the medium." The music was simply a "TOOL" to aid in instruction of the far more critical life lessons. STU: Appreciate the thought and will look into the SDCA, but I don't believe what I wrote should be defined as "Bashing" as this IS the "Historical Forum" and therefore should be the place to openly discuss "alternate or suppressed views of the History of Drum Corp", certainly we don't agree on the concept currently in place, but as Santayana once mused, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." and yes, he said it before Churchill did! .....Oh and since it seems your concerned about the G7 pushing out the "second tier corps"?.................do you mean much like DCi did when it started the touring "push" ?..........just an observation. ....and if your really into "conspiracy theories" what if this Cadets2 experiment was just a way to maintain a presence in DC while the G7 go off and do their thing(which may not be DC at all?) leaving all other units to move to DCA or some other alternate lower cost model? Trying NOT to be a "Doomsdayer" but the economic models going forward 5-7 yrs doesn't look all that great and maintaining multi-million dollar budgets will put a strain on all marginal economic systems. I have to assume those top 7 units now have Boards of Directors with far more business acumen than the rest and are making moves to insure "Their economic survival" and #### the rest of 'ya.................................Just stirrin' the pot 'ya understand.

After spending a few days reading and trying to understand several posters comments/positions, I gave up. So I broke out some fresh French Bread, some wonderful cheese, a great bottle of Malbec and set about to applying some 'verbage' to an expanded Sermon(loosely defined) using bits and pieces that I've collected over the years from many private conversations. The following is going to be highly offensive to most below the age of 60 and would likely get me banned from all of todays "social sites" so before you hit the unlike button, first find and listen to several performances by George Carlin on Advertising, Consumerism & Children. This should prepare you for the following...............and then continue reading, keeping in mind the delivery if not the words............................ The largest and most often heard phrase of the past 40 years has been that DC is a "Music education" platform that has been raised to new heights by all the wonderful changes in staffing and 'performance' .......... This is nothing more than a Shibboleth that would make even Herr Goebbels proud.. .........drum corp from the beginning was never more about music education than the Boy Scouts were a Forestry Ranger program. This entire "idea" was placed out in the world some 40 years ago and constantly replayed by a group of self-serving opportunists that hijacked nothing more than a formal "Rules Congress". They then set out to juggle requirements re-package and 'MARKET' DC to a whole new group of (PAYING)"CONSUMERS"...............rich, yuppie parents who would be willing to happily pay the now "OFFICIALLY" ordained "Music & Arts Education Professionals" first hundreds, then thousands of dollars so little suzy and johnny can go off to their "IVY LEAGUE SUMMER BAND CAMPS" , allowing their mothers and paters to have a quiet peaceful summer to themselves, wife swapping, smoking dope and trying to relive their youth while getting out from their normal parental duties................and guess what?............... the ######## succeeded! ........... and in the process, took down an institution that for 50 years gave Local children a FREE(or nearly so)opportunity to develop personal life skills taught by (church)volunteers, parents and the odd music enthusiast, NOT a professional, but a person who wanted to 'SHARE' their love of a medium to those who could learn "THROUGH" the medium, not necessarily about the medium. I didn't join The Cadets initially at age 12 because of a unrealized love of music and neither did ANY of my friends............we joined a LOCAL Youth program that offered us some local social stature, the ability to grow together, learning a WORK ETHIC, HONESTY, LOYALTY, Appreciation of our COUNTRY, it's FLAG and it's BRAVE and SELFLESS defenders! Drum Corps was nothing more than a CIVICS class unfolding in real time............and unfortunately, in the mid to late, '60's, a point in time when our government let us(citizens) down through a policy of avarice and narrow minded international aggression(and is doing so again!), we turned against all those who taught us those life lessons and opened a door of opportunity for those who valued GREED over SERVICE. I never much cared for the DCi concept, even the original proposals that I heard from THE Donald seemed a little too centralized(which is NEVER a good thing). However I really developed a mistrust when several years post organization, I was introduced to the ring leaders at a hotel bar after finals..................did you ever have the uncanny desire to want to wash your hands constantly for 7 days after you shook someone's hand? After that, I limited my dci socializing to staying at the end of the bar with some very old and connected friends whom would meet once a year to discuss their stock options or investment deals. Never being a dedicated drinker, I always heard more than I should have and perhaps occasionally, I may have read more into the conversation than I should have, nonetheless, the pattern emerged and the die was cast. Like a junkie, ALWAYS needing more, the established few set-up greater "requirements", national touring, centralized judging, TV shows to better "MARKET" their product and in turn, demanded and received greater COMPENSATION for their now FULL-TIME Job efforts(how Capitalist of them!) at which point those who did the yeoman's work of actually managing the sub-servient organizations noted they they too should share in the FINANCIAL REWARDS and proceeded down the path of enlightened MARKETING.........."We have a product that you "NEED", so we NEED to charge more & more to help "COMPENSATE" our efforts........................and the structure that evolved was one that was very familiar to those who created it.......... ADMINISTRATORS at the TOP received TOP COMPENSATION, teachers at the perfunctory level received subsistence payments, techs received valuable work experience and volunteers received personal fulfillment. PEOPLE, THIS ISN"T THE DEFINITION OF AN NON-PROFIT EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM, ......IT'S A FOR PERSONAL PROFIT BUSINESS!!!!!.............. now was any of this illegal?...........no, not the issue nor point of this, although I'm always suspicious of groups that don't publish their financial results and that can be openly audited...............look no further than the United Way for history on that. They may have cleaned up their act on this point recently, but the history ain't pretty. Were any of the prior or current participants hurt by this? Well, only financially and even then it was more the parents than the participant.............and likely, most gained some level of personal gratification. So, who was harmed?..........................only an unknowable number of disenfranchised youth over the past 40 years who had their LOCAL and free(relatively) youth program snatched away from them by group of greedy purported education professionals. And a little off subject: As for whether dci is an elementary school or university?, It doesn't matter as its being marketed only for PERSONAL PROFIT and not as a SERVICE to the community. and that sir, is the difference between current and old drum corps. The above Post is entirely for entertainment purposes only(yours & mine) and just my OPINION(albeit informed) and does not constitute an indictment of the music profession, nor the teaching profession in general. You may or may not have your own opinion which as we all know is not the only item we all have in common. My personal Thanks to George Carlin for the inspiration and insight he brought into this world. OH and Stu...Thanks for the links to SDCA & DCNA, something I've heard about and will look into........................why don't they have there own discussion forums here? this facebook thing is soooooo 27 seconds ago..............heh. reallyoldfart.....I need to buy you a drink!

My memory may not be what it was 10-15 yrs ago and names/faces are getting fuzzy, but I'd estimate ~25% of that '70 hornline were ex-Plebes.......and those are not bad numbers from a very, very small feeder organization. I'd say those early Plebe Corp's had an 80%+ pass-thru to the Cadet Corp. A large group of that Soprano line and Bari's were Plebe's in 62-68......even myself & JT were in the Plebe's for a short time in '62! I consider the Plebe/Feeder organizations the true "core" of the Corp and when you consider 'leadership', I can point to JT & Cinz as prime examples. Put a 10-11 yr old into a structured group and drill them for 3-4 years in your 'style' of musicianship and marching and you had no "un-teaching" issues to deal with. Not much different really than the Pop Warner football and Little League Baseball. One reason why GHS had such a good football team in 66-67 was the that a large group of kids went though 3 yrs of Pop Warner football together before they got to High School, on the other hand with no basketball training program in Garfield, even a great Coach like Dick Vitale could only manage a 2 WIN season at GHS with most of the same talented kids. This is the point where DC today fails miserably ........they have no commitment to the local area and in training at the basic levels where a whole lot of learning and teamwork start.........no, they're too interested in culling 125 out of 400-500 of (we want)"only the BEST". I call B.S. on that and say start teaching at the beginner level and carry thru on that program and you'll have a far more stable and successful program than the "recruit the world BS". SORRY FOR RAMBLE, BUT THERE'S NO EXTRA CHARGE FOR THE SERMON(as one of my Religion prof's used to say)

....wasn't that simple.........conspiracies run deep.......and Angels & Demons were surfacing in Garfield back in the "60's............. The Garfield Cadets Plebe Corp began in 1962.........how do I know?....I was there! for at least a couple of months. Angelica really wanted to develop musicians and not have to "unteach" bad habits from players who came into Garfield's program from smaller surrounding units. Also, Garfield & Sac were constantly accused of "raiding" the smaller programs even back then..........nothing could've be farther from the truth but THE Donald's ideas & plans back then were grander than anyone could've imagined and would go a long way to limit outside recruiting. Garfield was still a hometown corp back then with most of its members coming from the local community, Church and surrounding cities of Passaic, Paterson & Clifton. The local school music program was a disaster and most local Corp members who marched were not participating in the school music program. Consequently, very few could read music and learned by X's(valve in) and O's (slide-out)........... The Plebe Program was to change all that.............it was started with perhaps 7-10 "Young men" ages 10, 11, or 12 who were taught how to play a Brass Instrument and read music..........not with a Belwin Band Builder but an Arban's like reference book and a very hand's on personal approach by initially THE Donald. He soon passed on the program to another great Solo-Soprano Player from Cadet History, Jimmy D'Amico. The program went on from '62-66 with some ebb & flow mostly due to very constricted funding due to the Corp's travel expenses. Tours to Las Vegas in '62, Miami '63, Flights to Dallas '64 and Portland '65 put the Corp into a HUGE financial PIT. In '67 with Jimmy D now Director things started turning around, the Plebe Corp became a focus again and Jimmy looked to the Corp's past again to find a new leader who could pick up the baton and build the program into a great feeder corp and ALSO represent the organization to a new younger and local audience. The plan really was to have Cadet's TEACH MUSIC & TEAM WORK skills, then have them become a "Parade Corp" that could go out and earn $$$$$ to help support the overall organization WHILE building a solid basis of musical & marching skills. Several talented Cadets were pressed into service for instruction, and Jimmy still assisted in brass instruction. The Plebe Corp Director was a parent of a Plebe who had been a Color Guard Captain in the '40's. He was a great choice because he went after and got parent participation and then as all good things go..............."be careful what you wish for as you may get it" ............the monster grew out of control. The Plebe Corp got GOOD, for a feeder Corp of course, but they started delivering talent just like THE Donald had predicted back in '62. Unfortunately the parents of the Plebe's (many of whom had NO prior experience with the Cadets or Drum Corp for that matter) were NOT satisfied with just being a Parade Corp and DEMANDED to become a Field Competition unit in one of the local New Jersey Circuits. This became a very large problem for Jimmy D and the Cadet Corp as we were still working off a huge debt load and after several HEATED Board Meetings .................in the dark of the NIGHT several of the Plebe parents including the Plebe Director...........entered(broke into) the Corp Hall and confiscated(stole) all the equipment, declared themselves a separate unit and the Epochs were born. A Court case ensued with the Plebes freely being given their equipment even though it was ALL old Cadet equipment(several parents were highly politically placed in the Bergen County Judicial system) How do I know?, my uncle was a Bergen County Court Reporter. In any case the Plebe Corp became the Epochs who became fairly good I understand, believe they finished 7th in the '72 NJ State AL Championships and 9th in the '73 World Open 'OPEN' Prelims & 5th in the Garden State Circuit Championships. Not Bad for a Feeder Corp from Garfield! Don't believe they lasted much longer though................... ........and what was the total effect on Garfield? well, I was long gone by then but when you lose that much talent from your local pool it has a bad effect and when the majority of those kids move on to one of your biggest local competitors after the Epoch folded.........again review what happened to the Cadets and Muchacho's in the early '70's. Not saying they produced a dozen Jeff Kieviet's but all were likely very good ensemble players(I know because my next door neighbor was one) Thanks to a very good training program first put in place by THE Donald. One last piece, there was some very bad blood within the org. concerning the Plebe Director, don't know if it ever was forgiven....don't believe I read anything about his attending the 75th Anniversary Celebration a few years ago....hate to see this continue, not sure he's even still alive, but I'm sure plenty of those ex-Plebe Epochs are and I for one would like to see this piece of history finally put to rest. Come on HOME CADETS. Well so much for this episode of unknown Drum Corp History........................but wait, THERE"S MORE!..no, better not....put the wine down and go to sleep.