onceuponatime

The Cadets will be moving on to their 78th year of continuous operation in 2012. They've been fortunate enough to have experienced the "good old days," the more recent past, and modern-era drum corps. During all of those 78 years young men and later young women experienced, and continue to experience, all the life-altering experiences that this historical forum is designed to preserve and celebrate. As an earlier poster suggested, nostalgia for "our time" and "our memories" probably does, at least for some of us, cause us to sometimes overlook the joy of knowing that each Spring a new generation begins to lay the foundation for the memories and nostalgia that they too will look back upon with the feeling of "paradise lost" that all of us who hold our own memories close to our hearts are currently feeling. The Church of the Most Holy Name in Garfield, where The Cadets began their journey all those years ago, is currently celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the establishment of their parish. The Cadets are scheduled to participate in the closing event of that anniversary celebration in early June of 2012. For The Cadets the past and the present are proudly intertwined, with some alumni dwelling on "what was," while others focus more on what is yet to come. My personal viewpoint is that we all, Cadets and those we had the honor to share the field of competition with, have been uniquely blessed with memories that can never be tarnished. How fortunate that, as an activity, we have our past, our present, and with each Spring, a new future. I will never forget "my time" and "my memories," but I still feel a surge of excitement as I look forward to each new year. For those who cannot make that leap I understand why, but I wish that you too could continue to build new memories to add to those you already have in your hearts.

It seems like The Cadets reached out to the angels long before Indianapolis.

June 11th in Garfield, New Jersey began with a Cadet memorial military mass at Most Holy Name Church in Garfield. These special masses involve a great many people, some actively participating in the execution of the mass, and others working behind the scenes to ensure its' success. The Cadets are fortunate that Holy Name Church has a Pastor, Rev. Monsignor William Reilly, who understands the deep psychological bond that exists between the church where it all began, and the many thousands of Cadets who have called themselves Holy Name Cadets (and all do) both before and following the separation. Cadet Alumni returned to Most Holy Name Church for the first time in 50 years in 2009 for a memorial military mass in celebration of the corps' 75th Anniversary. It was a very moving experience, and in the years since, these services have continued to help connect Cadets past with Cadets present. Many people are unaware that The Cadets were never a singularly catholic corps. Over our many years of existence, both church affiliated and independent years, Cadets representing many different religions. nationalities, and cultures have worn the maroon and gold. Why a military mass? Because in 1939, following official approval from West Point to duplicate their dress uniform in the colors of Most Holy Name Church, a strong social bond developed between many West Point Cadets and their counterparts in The Holy Name Cadets. It was primarily social and unofficial, bonded by shared values and life styles. The meeting place was a now long-gone German beer hall located just off Times Square in Manhattan. The Cadets from West Point were periodically granted 24 hour passes, and they would meet up with their friends from The Holy Name Cadets to enjoy a few beers, a little singing, and a little comradeship with young men from outside their constricted military world. The connection today, though now existing in memory only, is something Cadets continue to honor. On Saturday, June 11th, that connection was renewed, as Cadet Alumni gathered to honor and remember Cadets who now belong to the ages. It is an occasion full of pageantry and symbolism. Three buglers, Cadet Alumnus George King, Cadet Alumnus Vince Randaisi, Cadet Alumnus Larry Ignazak...and a single percussionist, Blessed Sacrament Alumnus Bob Messineo, played an opening fanfare from the choir loft, It was an original composition meshing our Holy Name Hymn with fanfare flourishes. The procession entered to the sound of the fanfare, led by the clergy, the Reverend Monsignor Reilly and Deacon Rich McGarry, a Cadet Alumnus and current staff member of the corps. The music played by organist Liz Cantrel and sung by special guest vocalist, Amanda Males (daughter of Cadet Alumnus Jeff Males), and joined by all present, was "America The Beautiful." Following the clergy in the entry procession was our revered American Flag, carried by Cadet Alumnus Ken Shedosky. He was followed by Cadet Alumnus Tony Tantillo carrying a sabre representing the two sabres, now missing, presented to The Cadets by two West Point Officers in 1940. Tony was followed by two uniformed 2011 Cadets, Anthony Monteiro and Taylor Yozwiak, members of The Cadets' the pit section, with one carrying a shako and plume to be placed on the memorial table, and the other a mounted Holy Name Cadet shield and photo of the original corps, also placed on the memory table. The Cadets were followed by Cadet Alumnus Tony Bartello, the Cadets' 1957 drum major. 1957 was the season when the the last national championship was won under the name of The Holy Name Cadets. Tony was followed by Cadet Alumnus Al Mura, our drum major in 1940, the year of The Cadets' first national championship, and his brother, Cadet Alumnus Art Mura, a junior drum major in the early years and later an outstanding percussionist and percussion instructor. Al and Art were founding members of the corps, and as such they represented all the founding members of the corps, a number of whom were present in the church. A memory table was located directly in front of the altar. As the clergy ascended to the altar, the American Flag bearer placed the flag in the stantion positioned to the right of the altar. The sabre was then symbolically passed from the Alumnus to one of the uniformed 2011 Cadets. After exchanging salutes The Cadet placed the sabre at the foot of the memory table, as the second uniformed Cadet placed the crest and symbolic shako on the table. The two current Cadets then saluted the older alumni moving through the honor party The Cadets had formed on either side of the aisle. Al Mura, a revered founding member, former drum major, and former music instructor for the corps, then lit the memory candle on the table. Directly in front of the altar was a huge flower arrangement contributed by Cadet Plebe Alumnus Joe Nikischer and his family, longtime supporters and members of The Cadet family. Directly in front of the memory table was a basket displaying a complete Cadet uniform with a huge black ribbon of mourning. Surrounding the basket were innumerable single white roses, each dedicated to a single deceased Cadet by their family, or by a fellow Cadet. The roses were also adorned with black ribbons, and each had a card with a personal message. Most read, "In Memory of Cadet ---- ---- 60-63, FHNSAB... In Loving Memory… Cadet Karen Kopacz, 1975-1982 Cadet George Cherrick, 1966-1969 Cadet Richard Santo, 1948-1952, Director, 1979-1982 Cadet Pete Macaluso, 1950-1951 Cadet Adjunct Staff, "Aunt" Nellie DiDomenico Cadet John Bognantz, 1948-1959 Cadet Henry Mura, 57-63 Cadet Fred Hartman 44-51 Cadet Major Richard Furman 47-51 Cadet David Welch, 1984-1987 Cadet Drum Major Richard Chirichella, 1965-1971 Cadet Patrick McParland, 1966 Cadet Donna Deska (years marched missing from card) Cadet Robert King, 1961-1967 William “Chief” Kemmerer, Cadets' Director, 1950-1964” Cadet Phil Kowalski, 1950-1954 Cadet Ray Scarpa, 1947-1952 Cadet Bob Messineo Sr., 1934-1941 Cadet Frank Vitrano, 1966-1967 Cadet Major George Petrencak, 1954-1959 Cadet Mike LeNeve, 1956-1968 Cadet James Tantillo, 1940s era Cadet Louis Reda, 1970-1972 Cadet Greg Zwarycz, 1957-1962 Cadet Pete Kooyenga, 1961-1962 Cadet Adjunct Staff Member, Andrew “Ace” Pavlica Charles Mura, Member of founding adult staff Cadet Tony Pezzutti, 1960 Adjunct Staff Member, "Uncle" Joe Adamo Cadet Susan Erben, 1978-1984 Cadet Louis Mura 35-46 Cadet John Tokar, 1961-1976 Cadet Herb Bonin, 1948-1954 Cadet Marcel Mura, 1934-1941 Cadet Bill Ridings, 1959-1962 Cadet Karen Kopacz 75-82 Cadet Herb Burkert, 1951-1957 Cadet Frankie Giglanto, 1947-1952 Cadet Daniel Maxcy 64-67 Cadet Jack Schaffert 66-67 The mass began with a special blessing, and a homily from Monsignor Reilly honoring all Cadets, past and present, particularly noting how in many ways not obvious to most, The Cadets have enriched all they have touched, and honored their corps with the example of excellence they have displayed every day of the past 77 years. Monsignor expressed his belief that there are many ways to serve The Lord, and that what The Cadets do and have done is an example of that service that most do not see, but is there nonetheless. The gifts were brought to the altar by members of The Cadets' 1969 female guard, the first female guard in the corps' history. They included Cadet Alumnus Cindi Carroza DeVivo, Cadet Alumnus Margee Gearthart Estelle, Cadet Alumnus Denise Kolbusz Schlachter, and Cadet Alumnus Patti Lovas Trojanowski. They were representative of all the women who had the courage to be the first to break the gender barrier in The Cadets. The entire first female guard was elected to The Cadets' Hall if Fame several years ago. All the music during the mass was sung by Amanda Males Following the distribution of communion by Monsignor Reilly and Deacon McGarry, the two uniformed Cadets, Andrew and Taylor ,both of whom will be 2011 ageouts, positioned themselves facing either side of the memory table, and as Amanda sang the beautiful song from Phantom of the Opera , "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again", the two uniformed Cadets executed the moving, and seldom seen, "salute to a fallen comrade." There were few dry eyes in the church by that time. Cadet Alumnus Tony Bartello then ascended the pulpit and led all Cadets and Cadet Alumni present in the singing of The Holy Name Hymn. Following the hymn he descended the stairs and extinguished the candle on the memory table, as the two 2011 Cadets saluted one final time. The entire congregation remained standing to sing "The Battle Hymn of the Republic," followed by the recessional music of "You'll Never Walk Alone", sung by Amanda. Photos were taken on the church steps before many of the attendees left for Allendale, NJ to see the Cadets for the first time in their 2011 uniforms and to see their 2011 field program. Following the performance the 2011 Cadets were feted by their alumni at an all-you-can-eat pizza and ice cream sundae party. The traditional gift of caps-for-cadets were distributed, time was allotted to personal individual interaction between the 2011 Cadets and their supportive alumni...then marching Cadets and Cadet Alumni gathered together to sing The Holy Name Hymn as a symbolic reassertion of the bond that exists between all Cadets, past and present. A final gift of "snack packs" were presented to The Cadets as they prepared to depart on their 17,000 mile, coast to coast tour. The Cadets will not be seen again in New Jersey until the first weekend in August, at their home contest in Meadowlands' Giants' Stadium on Sunday, August 7th. The final words from the alumni were wishes that their young counterparts have a safe journey, memories to last a lifetime, enjoyment and satisfaction, and all the success alumni of all corps wish for their own corps. It was indeed a day to remember.

Kevin Mastman, the young genius who produced this video, has caught the essence of what being a Cadet is all about. I find myself watching it over and over, and each time I'm amazed anew. This is a recruiting video, and a historical record video, but it is also the best sales video for the entire activity I have ever seen. It is a tribute to every young man or woman who has ever marched drum corps , and an inspiration to everyone who loves this strange and wonderful activity. Thank you Kevin.

Jarrod was the young boy in the first panel of The Cadets' "NO MORE WAR" poster/libretto distributed to audience members during the 1971 season.

I can't think of a single corps I ever saw who I don't miss. But, if one stands out above all others...SCOUT HOUSE.

Happy 70th Boston from The Cadets' Alumni. We have often struggled together side by side, and we have often been rivals; but we have always shared mutual respect and admiration. We're very happy The Cadets will be present tonight to help you celebrate this very special day and year. May you have another 70 years of proud BAC tradition and accomplishment.

YOU NEVER STOP BEING A CADET!!! To reaffirm the strong emotional connection between Cadets of all generations, The Cadets will be joining with the North Jersey alumni in hosting three special events: Tuesday, April 6th, Tuesday, May 4th, and Memorial Day weekend, Sunday and Monday, May 30th and 31st. All are invited to join the fun!!! Cadets come in all ages, from all points of the world! We're inviting alumni of every generation to join us on April 6 in Garfield to begin celebrating the upcoming season. Dinner and rehearsal clips are on us! Alumni within driving distance! The Cadets want you to come where it all began - legendary Garfield, N.J. - on Tuesday, April 6 for a catered dinner, great friends and stories, plus a sneak preview of the 2010 corps. The Cadets administration team will host the upcoming Holy Name alumni meeting on April 6 at 7 p.m. as we build excitement for the fast-approaching season. The event at the VFW Hall on Outwater Lane will include dinner and feature video of the corps performing show material recorded during their most recent camp on March 26-28. Hear the most current version of Procession of Nobles, School for Scandal and other program material - without the trip to camp in Woodstown! Current members of the corps will also attend to meet and chat with alumni about their experience as a Cadet so far. Bring your photos and memorabilia to share, too! The April 6 meeting is the first of three joint ventures to reach out to alumni of all generations! “We’ve got great things happening on May 4 and Memorial Day weekend, too,” said Cadets Director George Hopkins. “Coming off an extraordinary 75th Anniversary season that engaged alumni of all ages, we plan to keep that energy and passion alive.” In observance of Cadets Heritage Month in May, the staff will host Heritage Night during the meeting on Tuesday, May 4. The evening will feature: Vintage t-shirts. Wear one to win a prize! Special video clips of The Cadets from throughout the years. Stories! Some classic Cadet lore from alumni! There’s MORE… Memorial Day Weekend with The Cadets! The end of May signifies what we’ve all been waiting for – Memorial Day and the beginning of summer! Alumni will again host the very special Memorial Mass on Sunday, May 30 at 10:30 a.m. at Holy Name Church in Garfield. And plans are in the works for a concert featuring The Cadets later that evening in North Jersey. On Monday, May 31, the good times continue as the corps performs in the Memorial Day Parade in Hawthorne, N.J. Following the Hawthorne parade, the Cadets will return with a concert in front of the reviewing stand as a gesture of thanks to the citizens of Hawthorne for their hospitality through the years, and as a salute to the Cadet alumni. A Post-Parade Pizza Party is scheduled following the parade at the American Legion Post #199, the Caballeros home post, as alumni and The Cadets organization join forces to put on a memorable holiday for every member. Details on Memorial Day events will be released as they become finalized. Registration is not required for the April 6 meeting in Garfield, but please email ahead so we can gauge attendance for meal planning purposes. Email Caryn Goebel at caryn@yea.org, or call (610) 821-0345, ext. 121. HOLY NAME, GARFIELD CADETS, CADETS OF BERGEN COUNTY, THE CADETS…ONE FAMILY, ONE CORPS, ONE HISTORY, ONE CORPS HYMN…AND BOY CAN WE PARTY!!!

Updated version

Oops! And another one of my perfect memories get shattered. Guess I must have been thinking of the Kilties. Their uniforms could be easily confused. You know, I would have bet my house on the information I gave. Do you think too many cookies destroy brain cells? Anyway, as I think I already told you, I did love the corps. Thanks for correcting me on my fuzzy details. I double checked and I do have a helmet. I know they traveled to Garfield to compete, and I know the Cadets competed out there several times. I also know I'm probably going to be wrong on that stuff too. Hope all is well with you. Did you move yet? Dave

There is no way to describe the impact the Black Knights' uniforms had on a person viewing them for the first time. The beauty of the uniforms would literally take your breath away. I was a 14 year old Cadet standing on the inspection line in Central Park, New York City, 1952 (I assume it was Legion Nationals), and they were lined up facing us, waiting their turn behind the Madison Scouts. Not only was I a 14 year old, particularly naive Cadet, but I believed that God himself had designed the Cadets' uniform (I still do). It was, therefore, a real shock for me to see another uniform obviously designed by someone with divine connections. All they had to do was stand there, and I was hooked. They had turned me into a lifelong fan, and I had yet to hear or see them perform. Over the years I did have the pleasure of watching many of their performances, as well as their intense in-state rivalry with the Cavaliers; and it was one of the great joys of my life that I was there while it was happening. The Cadets and the Black Knights (not to leave out our good friends the Cavaliers) developed a solid friendship as we often traveled to their home show, and on at least one occasion they traveled back east to our home show in Garfield. It's hard not to develop a deep personal regard for members of other corps with whom you have shared not only the field of competition, but a high level of personal, and often individual, respect and regard. Mr. Forest Cresson was a true gentlemen of the old school, in the Bill Kemmerer (Director of the Cadets) mold. I seem to recall that at some point in their history they were sponsored by the Order of DeMolay, a youth affiliate of the Masons. I do remember that when we traveled to one of their contests Mr. Cresson not only housed the Cadets in the Masonic Lodge there (a real unusual experience for a Catholic Church sponsored corps), but also provided us with guides drawn from the ranks of the Black Knights. We were always treated with the utmost respect and courtesy and friendship, which was returned in full measure by the marching members of the Cadets to the marching members of the Black Knights. Obviously, I still hold them in very high regard. Several years ago they auctioned off an older set of their helmets as a fund-raiser. I purchased one and it still occupies a place of honor in my home. I do not remember what music they played or their field programs (not because it wasn't memorable, but mainly because it was too many years ago). Rest assured though, they were good, #### good. That much I do remember. I'm glad someone opened this thread, and rekindled my memories of a corps I always admired and respected. If you never had the opportunity to see the Black Knights standing in a line, looking like ten million dollars, you missed the thrill of a lifetime. I'd just like to add one other memory to this already far-too-long post. In 1952 Madison was still wearing the official explorer boy scout uniforms. Since they were lined up directly in front of the Black knights I was struck by the simplicity of the Scout's uniforms against the ornate and strikingly beautiful Black Knight's uniforms. To this day I remember that the Scouts did not suffer in any way by their juxtaposition to the Black Knights. Each uniform held its own, and in its' own way left a lifelong impression on a 14 year old Cadet, a memory that has endured for 58 years.

As printed on the visitor's page of www.theholynamecadets.org: "We salute and honor this young American hero, Andy Toppin, 21." All Cadets stand in awe of this young Blue Star Alumnus and American warrior. We wish him a swift and complete recovery, and we thank him for all he has done and all he is enduring on behalf of our Country.

The Cadets' history book is now into it's third printing, and flying off the shelf as fast as it can be replaced. You have to see it to believe it.

I was just informed that the second printing of The Cadets' new history book is now in the works. Backorders will receive first priority when the books arrive (probably by the middle of next week). If you have not ordered yet you should consider doing so. This second printing isn't going to last very long. Go to www.cadets.org or www.yea.org for additional information on the book and how to order.

I guess it would depend on how far back you want to go. Here's a tiny sampling from The Cadets' rosters over the years. All marched the full period with Cadets. Cadet Tom Adamo 48-61 Cadet Val Arthur 43-51 Cadet Vince Barilla 48-56 Cadet Tony Bartello 48-58 Cadet Joe Caraballo 41-50 Cadet Vince D'Arrigo 39-52 Cadet Alan DeVito 53-61 Cadet Vuto Digiralamo 43-51 Cadet Frank Galka 63-73 Cadet Michael Jones II 83-90 Cadet Bill Kardash 52-61 Cadet Bill Kemmerer, Jr 42-56 Cadet Dan Kocher 69-77 Cadet Bill McCullum 42-52 Cadet Rich McGarry 58-66 Cadet Al Mura 34-42 Cadet Art Mura 34-50 Cadet Dennis Mura 53-63 Cadet Joe Oliveri 63-71 Cadet Paul Oliveri 52-60 Cadet Walt Serafin 48-58 Cadet Bob Sipos 48-56 Cadet Mel Tantillo 41-50 Cadet Tony Tantillo 43-52 Cadet Walt Taormin 43-52 and, as mentioned, Cadet Michael Terry 99-07, just so you don't think that long-term Cadets only happened "once upon a time." There's a lot more where these came from.

Just caught this by accident. What a treat. Not sure who I just watched (just finished performing), but they were entertaining as hell. Talk about working with what you have to maximum advantage. Small corps, well trained, performed and executed well. The show didn't appear to have a theme, and it sure didn't need one. It was just a ball to watch. Kudos to whomever teaches them.

The Cavaliers have been around for 61 years. I suspect they'll weather this development just fine. Sixty one years mean a lot of alumni, and a lot of alumni mean there are probably a lot of prospects out there. It's my understanding that they like to keep key-position appointments in-house, though that doesn't mean they will do so in this instance. That's their call. Keep in mind also that the founder of the corps, Don Warren, and long-time director, Adolph DeGrauwe (now on their board) are both still around. Good luck to The Cavaliers from this Cadet Alumnus as they respond to this new challenge, as they have so successfully responded to so many challenges in the past.

To anyone interested in the current relationship between Holy Name Church and The Cadets, go to page 5 of the historical forum to the article captioned "75th Anniversary Events." There is complete coverage there of the memorial mass held to honor all deceased Cadets on the Sunday before Memorial Day. Or, if you prefer, you can go to the Holy Name Alumni website, www.theholynamecadets.org, select "news" from the bar code menu, then select "archived articles - June 2009" from the pulldown menu. There is also a full history of The Cadets from 1934 to present in the production stage which will be released for public sale shortly. It is a complete and factual history of the Cadets in book form.

From the perspective of a Holy Name Cadet Alumnus: Congratulations Crown on a great season! We went head to head all summer, but our mutual respect never wavered. Congratulations as well to the Blue Devils on their 13th DCI Championship. Congratulations most of all to our 2009 Holy Name Cadets. Never has a corps been as loved by their alumni as much as the 2009 Cadets. They made our 75th Anniversary special in every way possible, and enriched our history beyond measure. They were the flawless diamonds in our diamond jubilee anniversary. Thanks once again to the Cavaliers for the spectacular birthday cake, it was a totally unexpected and much appreciated gesture. Congratulations to Santa Clara Vanguard, Boston Crusaders, and Blue Stars for raising the bar once again, and bringing so much greatness to the field. Thanks to DCI for recognition of our 75th Anniversary, and to the audience in Indianapolis who stood to applaud on Saturday night when our Anniversary was announced. We salute the Phantom Regiment for defending their title with dignity and grace and excellence. Score and position be ######...you have a great corps and the rest of us know it. Troopers...welcome back! It was a thrill to see you in finals once again. There were so many corps in Indianapolis to whom we felt a personal connection, some from memories of years past, and some because we all share the daunting challenges that all corps face every day of every week of every year. The 2009 Holy Name Cadets were honored to share the field of competition with you. Special thanks to the many friends and fans of the Cadets for their support and cheers. You gave us many moments of great joy. Thanks to the parents, and volunteers, board members, and donors, whose support and hard work enrich the Cadet experience beyond measure. From the alumni, special thanks to our tireless director, George Hopkins, Rudy, Caryn, Melissa, and all the other hard working and amazing administrative staff of the corps we support and love without qualification. Your names should all be printed here, and I apologize that they’re not. I do not have a staff listing available as I write this, and if I rely on my memory and leave people out I wouldn’t be able to live with myself. Thanks to our talented and never-say-die instructional staff for the genius of their creativity, and for the hard work and love they pour into everything they do. To our 2009 Cadet age-outs, we cannot bear to say goodbye. We know that now, as you begin your great personal journey of life, that this is a time of many mixed emotions for you. Do not for a single second think that you will be forgotten. You are us and we are you…and for all the days of your life you will be a Cadet. Come back to see us whenever you can. We all will be waiting for you with open arms. The 75th Anniversary year of the Holy Name Cadets is rapidly coming to an end. It will be another 25 years before that time-honored name will be reactivated once again. Wow, what a ride we had! See you all next year, when it all begins again, and The Cadets return to the field.

That would be a very humbling experience. I've been around long enough to know that playing "Rainbow" for you is the ultimate Cavalier honor. The maroon and the green have often played for each other over the years. Let's hope that one or the other of us has the chance to do so again this year.

Congratulations to The Cavaliers, and thank you for the magnificent birthday cake. Just a little bit of history. The Cavaliers and The Cadets have traveled many roads together. In 1950 The Cavaliers organized a party for the Cadets when our corps was en-route to California. In 1958 The Cavaliers loaned The Cadets their drums to enable us to compete in the American Legion National Competition in Chicago. All through the 60s and into the 70s our two corps often stayed in the homes of the members of the other corps when we were competing in each other's area of the country. The history of The Cavaliers and The Cadets through the years has been one of mutual respect, admiration, and friendship. Everyone wants to win, of course, but if you have to lose you want to lose to a great drum corps. The Cavaliers are such a corps. Thank you for all the years together and for all the shared memories. The Cadets salute you.

Just for the record, the Holy Name Cadets neither undervalue nor ignore the anniversaries of other corps. In the past two years our history website (www.theholynamecadets.org) has featured season-long tributes, on our face page, to the 75th Anniversary of the Racine Scouts, The 70th Anniversary of the Madison Scouts, the 60th Anniversary of The Cavaliers, the 50th Anniversary of the Blue Knights, the important commemorative anniversary of the Troopers, and many other corps as well. We also try our best to send congratulatory messages to the websites of all corps with special anniversaries, as we are made aware of them. We don't do it as a PR gesture, as some will charge. We do it because we are all members of the same fraternity, and hopefully, off-the-field we are all friends. Now, this year, we are celebrating a very important milestone in our history...our 75th Anniversary. We have celebratory events scheduled that began Memorial Day Weekend, and will continue through the season; not ending until the Christmas Holidays. We are celebrating countless instances of triumph over adversity off-the-field, a fair record of accomplishment on-the-field, a history and heritage that gives us great pride, traditions and values that we cherish and consider important, the continuing cycle of young men and women who have worn the maroon and gold who have gone on to live lives of service and accomplishment, and so many other things. Have we gone over the top as at least one person on this thread has stated? Yes, probably...maybe even more than just a little...but out of pride and love of corps, and not for nefarious purpose of any kind. Our Anniversary is not about winning a competition or a title. It is about remembering all that we have to be grateful for. That doesn't mean we do not value winning or think that competition does not have intrinsic value. It does mean, though, that there are other things we consider to be even more important. We have won our share of titles over the years, but we do not single out these years as our "winning years." For us, every year of the past seventy five have been winning years, and every Cadet a champion. Other corps undoubtedly feel the same way about their years and their members. We recognize that, and it is the reason why we saluted the corps referenced above when it was their turn in the spotlight. We do not expect everyone to understand how we feel about the Cadets, or to share our excitement, or to understand why it was important to us to march under the banner of The Holy Name Cadets for this one special season. We consider ourselves very fortunate to have reached this uniquely important point in our history. Many of our founding Cadets now belong to the ages, but we also have a large number of heritage (1930s) and legacy (1940s) Cadets who we have the great joy of being able to honor. We also honor and respect the long list of competitors with whom we were and are privileged to share the field of competition and the wonderful experience of drum corps. Some of those corps are still on the field...but sadly many are not. Many were not only competitors, but good friends as well...and those that are gone are missed...but they are not forgotten! We consider our 75th Anniversary to be a celebration of drum corps as much as a celebration of Cadet history. We open our doors and extend a welcome to nearly all of our public events and parties this year to our friends and competitors from years past, as well as those from the present who would like to join in our celebration. You are welcome, and we would be honored by your presence. You can check out the schedule of continuing events on www.cadets.org or www.theholynamecadets.org. To those who have expressed their good wishes and their support and friendship we would like to offer our thanks. All Cadets end their written communications to other Cadets with the final words of our corps hymn: For Holy Name shall always be... or FHNSAB... This year that enduring hope-for-the-future assumes special importance, as we begin our next 75 years.

From the Holy Name Cadets history website (www.theholynamecadets.org) posted JUNE 24, 2009 I have a little story I’d like to share. Last year in Bloomington at the DCI Compeitions, I happened to be outside the stadium as the ageouts from all the DCI corps were assembling by their entry gate for the ceremony that was about to be held to honor them. Something immediately drew my attention. Most of the members of the various corps were clustered together; Cavaliers here, Blue Devils there,..same for Phantom, Blue Coats…in fact, it was that way for almost every corps, with one exception: The Cadets and Crown were in a mixed cluster, all intermingled; laughing, talking, exchanging cell phone numbers... It kind of blew my mind. Not that corps-to-corps friendships are all that unusual, nor is staying in a tight group with other members of your corps who you had just spent some very important years of your life with, but I thought that the interaction I was observing between the Cadets and Crown was kind of special. If you recall, at the beginning of the 2008 season the Cadets were beating Crown pretty regularly, then the tide turned and Crown took the lead right up to and including the championships. Both corps left it on the field however. I was truly impressed. This year, once again, both corps are at each other on the field , but I’m told, and I hope I was given good information (which I believe I was) that both corps are still leaving it on the field, and that they respect and sincerely like each other both as corps and as individuals. When you go on DCP it’s very easy to get just the opposite idea. Some (repeat some...not all) of the fans, and parents, and alumni. on both sides of the fence, understandably are very partisan in their comments, sometimes with an anti-the-other- corps bite to them. I’m a Cadet. Alumnus. Of course my loyalty and support is 100% maroon. But like our 2008 and 2009 Holy Name Cadets, I have nothing but respect and admiration for Crown. I believe most Cadets and Cadet Alumni feel that way. I hope they know that. FHNSAB…

http://cadets.ning.com/profile/DaveShaw

Some of you might remember Mike Lawrence ’72, the good-looking, curly blond drummer from Bergenfield. Well Mike has been living in Massachusetts for a number of years now (he probably had an addiction problem with fried clams, so he moved closer to the source). Anyway, when Mike heard about the plans this year to have alumni receptions at various contests around the country to give alumni who have been out of touch an opportunity to relive some of their memories and meet the members of the 2009 Holy Name Cadets....who are after all, in essence, us at an earlier age…he got an idea (Cadets are always full of ideas…only we call it innovation). This opportunity to reconnect with the corps got Mike thinking about his own experiences in uniform, and especially about the close bond between the 27th Lancers and the Cadets in 1972. He contacted the Cadets to see if the corps would be open to expanding the Beverly, Mass. Reception on July 2 to include members of the 1972 Lancers who he remembered so fondly. He offered to attempt to track down as many of the ’72 Lancers as possible, with this letter the result: “This year is the 75th Anniversary of the Holy Name Cadets (the current name, but for the past 40 years or so, the Cadets, Garfield Cadets, Cadets of Garfield or for a while Bergen County, or some variation of this).. This year they will be playing at a show up here (in Beverly) on July 2nd, and they have arranged a special gathering for Cadet alumnus from the area to get together beginning the afternoon before the show, as an Anniversary Celebration. The plans include some afternoon events, "drum corps style" dinner, and the show taking place later in the evening. Although I have not engaged the corps for many years, my participation remains one of the most memorable experiences of my life to date and has created a bond with an entity that seems to transcend the fact that I am no longer a marching member (an unfortunate fate that the current crew will suffer all too soon)... I believe this is likely true of many drum corps alum. Thus, as I said in my earlier message I marched in 1972 and during that year the staff set up an exchange of sorts between the Lancers and the Cadets. When we traveled to each others home turf to play, we hosted each other in our respective homes and became friends. Additionally, we met up again at the first DCI Nationals in Whitewater, Wisconsin, where we were edged out of the finals by the Bayonne Bridgemen, prompting a bit of additional "support" from 27th which served to further "bond" our corps together, (you had to be there...). Anyone who has ever participated in drum corps knows that bonds are formed when you combine exhausting hard work, competition, stress and adversity, the emotion generated by playing and listening to music, and a dependence upon each other to win. In reality, I think there is also some level of inherent competitive nature in all who participate in drum corps since practice alone will not take you to the winners circle. At the time, we felt that certain corps had "an attitude", or in some cases we just became rivals. This was not the case with 27th. A level of mutual respect developed between us quickly. We were a very young corps that year, and even though we were competitors, the 1972 Lancers were performing at a whole different level. I was not the only Cadet at the time who was moved by their strength, confidence and what appeared to be a sense of pride and history that went far beyond what I now know to be only a short time in existence. This is a true testament to the founding members and participants of a superb group that I remember so fondly. Well, I have thought of them often since I have been living in Massachusetts and since we have not seen our Lancer comrades in a short while (only about 37 years) I thought that it might be about time to "invite them over..." I have cleared this with the people that are setting up the event and they have agreed to extend the invitation to the 1972 27th Lancer alum as well. If you can help locate some of them and help me extend an invitation for them and their families to come "hang" with us we would be honored to have them. Note that I started writing this over a month ago, but life has a habit of getting in the way. Hopefully it's not too late... I will get you the actual details when I get them but it will be sometime in the afternoon on 7/2.” So this is where he could use our help. If anyone is in contact with any 1972 Lancers, Mike would like to know how to contact them. The Lancers Alumni Association is assisting as well, but this is one of those plans where the more help you can get the better off you’ll be. If you can help Mike out with any information please contact him at: "Lawrence, Mike" <mlawrence@sloan.mit.edu>