Alumni or not alumni - that is the question

[BigDale]

Ah.....negative....the combined BD/SCV alum corps last year was exclusively BD and SCV alums...I got copies of the email submissions for the BD side and before I added anyone to the mailing list, I verified they were, in fact, alums of the corps.

Ah, yes...the combine. A few of us sat out of that one as well, but I heard it went great.

I was preoccupied with the VK thing at Nats.

[BigDale]

But, when all is said and done...

We are still the Bridgemen.

and a great sense of pride swells in the heart...

[JimF-LowBari]

Maybe we should have another thread with a poll and some suggestions for an alternative classification for what is now lumped together as "Alumni Corps".

Any ideas? then we can put them together in a poll.

Just for fun, but maybe a good idea will come out of it.

How about, NCO Corps? (non competitive orginization)

Had that as a thread a few years ago, without a poll, maybe time to try it again.

LOL, problem with trying to pigeon hole the NCO/Alumni groups is they are probably the most diverse of any type of drum corps. And does the competing corps still exist, IOW - use the same name, is just the tip of the iceburg.

Thought that hit me after I signed off last night: Lancers started as a parade corps in 1920 and finally started doing field shows in 1949. Twice during 1949-1984 (when corps disbanded) they went back to parade and concerts only. As Marty stated with other groups, the Alumni corps started with Alumni only then opened up. The more I hear about the parade/concert only days, the more I'm convinced we're doing the same thing now. LOL, guess we ain't a "tribute" to the old days, we're just back to doing it again.

Edited June 3, 2008 by JimF-3rdBari

[Martybucs]

I haven't had time to read all of the posts, yet, (5:30 a.m. will be rolling around very soon!), but would like to get my two cents in on this topic.

Although it would be easy to confuse the meaning of the thread, I think most are missing the point. If you find it annoying, then don't read it. I wish there was a way for the moderators to ban you from the thread.

An alumni corps, is an alumni corps, is an alumni corps. Whatever YOU make of it. The point isn't to debate whether a corps is WORTHY of the appellation. All are worthy. If that's what you read into the discussion, you've missed the point.

There are corps that are being called alumni corps, mostly because they attend and perform at events that are mostly alumni corps events, but they are not alumni corps and DON'T wish to be called alumni corps.

Part of the discussion is about whether or not being called an alumni corps hurts your chances of recruiting non-alumni members for the good of your group, e.g. some people may not join because they think you HAVE to be an alumni to belong and therefore won't even check it out.

I personally don't care who marches in what group or what they call themselves. I'm happy the Bridgemen are around - they're awesome, no matter what status the membership holds.

THIS ISN'T ABOUT THE VALUE OF THE MAKE UP OF YOUR MEMBERSHIP OR WHETHER YOU ARE WORTHY TO BE CALLED AN ALUMNI CORPS. ALL ARE WORTHY

THIS ISN'T ABOUT THE SEMANTICS OF THE WORD ALUMNUS/ALUMNI, unless you reduce it to that; in that case it is annoying and you have made it so.

This is about the general grouping of the non competitive corps that perform today and whether the classification of "alumni" corp helps or hurts the activity or excludes/includes too many.

Edited June 4, 2008 by Martybucs

[Martybucs]

Had that as a thread a few years ago, without a poll, maybe time to try it again.

LOL, problem with trying to pigeon hole the NCO/Alumni groups is they are probably the most diverse of any type of drum corps. And does the competing corps still exist, IOW - use the same name, is just the tip of the iceburg.

Thought that hit me after I signed off last night: Lancers started as a parade corps in 1920 and finally started doing field shows in 1949. Twice during 1949-1984 (when corps disbanded) they went back to parade and concerts only. As Marty stated with other groups, the Alumni corps started with Alumni only then opened up. The more I hear about the parade/concert only days, the more I'm convinced we're doing the same thing now. LOL, guess we ain't a "tribute" to the old days, we're just back to doing it again.

Jim, this is more of what I mean the thread to be about. Rather than a bunch of post about how, "great our corps is no matter whether the members are alumni or not!", type of stuff.

Now, I never knew the Lancers were an alumni corps. I just thought the Lancers were the Lancers and happened to perform at functions that included a lot of corps that were formed for alumni, (or non alumni, also), of the corps that are alumni corps.

Do people think they have to have been in Lancers before to join?

Same with the Bridgemen. I just thought the Bridgemen came back as an all age performing corps. Yes, I knew they were mostly former Bridgemen, but if I lived in the area I would check them out to see if I could join, they're great.

Do Bridgemen use alumni in their name? Does it hurt or help in the general running and perception of the organization?

[LegalEagle50]

However, declining interest and membership, (for various reasons), soon made it clear that "outsiders" would have to be enticed into joining if we were to continue.

See Jimmy ~ there's THAT word again. while i hate THAT "O" word, i find it interesting to see that other corps have used it too in the exact same context.

While we have reached out to our alumni, from the St. Andrew's Bridgemen, (65-75) through the "Coat's" Era, (76-87), we would NOT have been able to put a corps together without the individuals that had never marched with the junior corps version.

Our present ratio of junior corps Bridgemen, to present-day Bridgemen, is about 75% to 25%.

While we have a strong nucleus of junior corps Bridgemen that march, serve as staff, administration, or merely support the corps in various ways...

WE WOULD NOT BE WHERE WE ARE WITHOUT THE MEMBERS THAT HAD NOT MARCHED WITH US BACK IN THE DAY!

. . .

I am GRATEFUL to them for making my dream, and our collective dream, come true once again!

Heck, I never thought that I would EVER get the chance to perform at DCI EAST even once again in my lifetime! Thanks to our present day alums, I will get to fulfill this dream for a third time on August 2nd, God willing!!!

Jimmy ~ no one in the corps is probably more appreciative of this corps and grateful than i am. i've said it before privately, but now i will say it publicly. becoming involved in this organization saved my life. while to the average reader that probably sounds like a trite, over-used term, it's anything but. i didn't realize just how badly i was stuck in a depression for years, until i was finally out of it. BUT had i chosen to walk away because i hated being "an outsider" i most likely would have continued to wallow in the very dark place i'd been in. at first it was just a single reason to get up on a practice weekend, but eventually it became something i wanted to do, and continued to do even on weekends when we didn't have practice, til finally one day i woke up *both figuratively & literally* and wanted to be part of life again.

having finally had the chance to experience DCI East from a persepective on the field in 2006 was an incredible feeling and an now an incredible memory i will be able to carry with me for the rest of my life. each and every show we have performed has carried some moment that has left a mark forever on my heart.

i don't know how i would have gotten through this last year, especially these last couple of months had i never met you, or this corps. my father may never have gotten this whole "drum corps thing" and in his mind it meant i spent money and time for silly reasons. yet Dad died knowing that i had made wonderful friends through this activity. he knew that somehow this whole marching thing did give me a purpose, and saw that i was happy and excited about life again every single day.

No, we are not a "true" alumni corps, if your definition pertains to former members...

But, when all is said and done...

We are still the Bridgemen.

PS ~ i'm glad i stuck it out thru the re-birth and the, sometimes, hard times of growth, of this new Bridgemen corps. i no longer feel like "an outsider" and hope that will be the very last time i use that particular "O" word in the context of marching here. i really wouldn't want to be part of any other family.

[JimF-LowBari]

Now, I never knew the Lancers were an alumni corps. I just thought the Lancers were the Lancers and happened to perform at functions that included a lot of corps that were formed for alumni, (or non alumni, also), of the corps that are alumni corps.

Do people think they have to have been in Lancers before to join?

Well as I added to a post earlier, the word "Alumni" had me thinking I couldn't join the corps. Hadn't followed DC for 10 yeas so had no idea what was going on with "Alumni corps". Yeah, just like almost anyone else seeing the corps perform.

We do a gig at Gettysburg HS late in the year which is part performance/part recruiting. Noticed during our introduction the words "looking for new members" is used. Last year we had a member of G-burgs drum line in the corps and that was put in the program which I thought was a good touch. We've been trying to do a standstill at local HS band shows for the last few years but have run into scheduling problems. Again part performance/part recruiting.

Hmm, just looked at the corps home page and mixed messages to me. Banner still has "Alumni" in the name but "new members are always welcome" further down.

PS to Mr Jordan: Is there a rule that all people named James/Jim in corps have to be called Jimmy? I must have missed that memo. s/ Jimmy F.

[JeromeyBush]

Kudos, Brother James!

Let me ask a stupid question that belongs in this ridiculous string. Does your membership need Official Authenticity Stamps stiched inside your "Coat" to be officially accepted as the Bridgemen? I have read and answered too many strains of this same subject. I'll say it again. To too many self-proclaimed experts here, I guess SCV, Madison and now Cavaliers are to be the only corps allowed to be called ALUMNI Corps, according to them and all their dictionaries.

The rest of us are all frauds! Last I remember, no one ever came to me or anyone else in the 2-7 "family" to validate membership prior to Foxboro 14-years ago. Afte reading many of these twisted opinions, I now wonder if it were up to these "experts"; would we have been disqualified and never allowed to perform.

This string is really becoming annoying! I just wish everyone could simply accept the great efforts of ALL the groups who have given us a chance to re-live some GREAT drum corps.

Honestly, after reading a lot of this irreverant banter; if I had a chance to go back to 1993, I'd ask George & Patsy (RIP) that we consider calling ourselves the 27th Lancers Cover Band just to avoid all these flamers!

Moderators, please close this string before I get besieged with Hate Mail from a pack of unappreciative wolves!

Right on.

Whats in a name?

[JimF-LowBari]

Right on.

Whats in a name?

Well if it's a potential member who hears the word "Alumni" and thinks "Oh... nevermind...".

[Jaminbenb]

I see where Archie is the oldest or first alumni corps.

When Archie reformed, I don't remember anyone calling them an alumni corps. I just remember people saying "Archie's back" and "Bucs, will have to change their corps song."

Well we'd have to change the "green" is gone as well...since Reilly is back at it too...