Jeff Ream Posted May 29, 2012 Author Share Posted May 29, 2012 Ben, Glad to see Wyoming Area is up to 30 members! That's an improvement. Up there, sadly, music is one of the first cuts, and school populations in those tiny towns are shrinking. A member of the alumni corps the last few years is from up there, and he said the only growth the schools are showing in student population is illegal immigrants Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaminbenb Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 Ben, Glad to see Wyoming Area is up to 30 members! That's an improvement. Up there, sadly, music is one of the first cuts, and school populations in those tiny towns are shrinking. A member of the alumni corps the last few years is from up there, and he said the only growth the schools are showing in student population is illegal immigrants Yeah...it's pretty freaking sad! My wife graduated from there, and I think there were about 100 members at that point. The past several years, it's been about 8-10 kids plus 3-5 drummers, and a few guard. This year it was about 20-25 plus about 9 drummers, and about 8-10 guard. (parents carried the "banner") Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted May 29, 2012 Author Share Posted May 29, 2012 Yeah...it's pretty freaking sad! My wife graduated from there, and I think there were about 100 members at that point. The past several years, it's been about 8-10 kids plus 3-5 drummers, and a few guard. This year it was about 20-25 plus about 9 drummers, and about 8-10 guard. (parents carried the "banner") They have a good indoor drumline, as well as a middle school line. Guessing by the size, some wind players join the indoor line, which isn't bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaminbenb Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 They have a good indoor drumline, as well as a middle school line. Guessing by the size, some wind players join the indoor line, which isn't bad. Well that was another weird thing I saw...Lisa gets her "homer paper" sent every week t keep tabs on the old neighborhood, and there was a picture of their middle school line winning all sorts of awards? Ok..if the middle school has it's crap together, then WTF is wrong with the high school??? (although I did hear my aunt say that the cymbal line for the sr. band was all middle school kids...) reminds me of another situation (forget which school it was) that had the feeder program that any SR. high would want, but they didn't follow through and join?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted May 30, 2012 Author Share Posted May 30, 2012 Well that was another weird thing I saw...Lisa gets her "homer paper" sent every week t keep tabs on the old neighborhood, and there was a picture of their middle school line winning all sorts of awards? Ok..if the middle school has it's crap together, then WTF is wrong with the high school??? (although I did hear my aunt say that the cymbal line for the sr. band was all middle school kids...) reminds me of another situation (forget which school it was) that had the feeder program that any SR. high would want, but they didn't follow through and join?? I think it's a matter of time....rebuilding had to happen at the lower levels, and it is slowly working it's way up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigW Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 Feeder programs are tricky. I can tell you BITD that Kennett had an unreal, one of the best in the US period Elementary music program that the kids never seemed to catch on after that. There are a couple of good MS feeder programs in ToB where the kids don;t seem to make the right step into the HS. Part of it in one case I'm more familiar with is the one director wants the HS gig and undermines things. The cat does a good job as one of the MS directors but frankly would be an absolute tool running the HS. The REAL problem is that several programs have MS programs that have really put a torpedo into the HS program. I can think of two top end ToB units off the top of my head that have struggled over the years with that issue. One has taken some incredibly strong and I think very gutsy and 1000 percent correct steps to fix it. Some of you know who I mean, I'm certain. All I will say is this: When I came to upstate NY in 1989 to run a MS Band, the HS guy had 30 students. When I left in 1991, he had about 65 coming in because I stressed to the kids to continue their musical growth and experiences, that what they were doing was a preparation for HS. That is anathema to many MS administrators. They view Instrumental music as a club like model building and Pinewood Derby cars to dabble in and goof off in, and not to be taken seriously- the "Middle School philosophy". The better MS Instrumental Music programs still view it as a stepping stone/developmental program to the HS, the traditional "Jr. High School philosophy" and some of these *(@^*(@%^ administrator clucks fight that. Now... when you compare the Instrumental Music program to the football team, which is obviously a feeder program to the HS program, 100 percent.... then they squirm and start babbling a bunch of weak-minded excuses. When you have an administration that supports kids learning and succeeding in ANY activity, not just sports... notice how good the bands are in that district. And by the way... if you want to great example of a small school with a VERY good instrumental music feeder program into their HS right now, go no further than Camp Hill. Their Elemntrary/early MS person does a FANTASTIC job teaching the fundamentals of musicianship to every student, including the basics of percussion mallets and battery so when they get to Mr. Z they're ready to take on the real challenges. Oh, and the same with the chrous, where a lot of the band kids are also. They know musicianship and have had it taught to them in the elementary school as little kids, and built on for years. From what I knew, Middletown also has/had a pretty good feeder system with well trained kids and good teachers, Ben. The problem was the vehicles given those kids at the HS. At LD, it was a goven the Middletown kids were far more talented as musicians, we had to beat them with a stronger work ethic, better staff who helped to catch the kids up on the years of weaker teaching in the MS in particular, and a far better show. Out of 6 years, we beat them 5 of them, the last lost by .2 with a bad senior class filled with duds and bad leadership we couldn't overcome. That's when my hair started turning gray BTW. Seriously. Went from 9th to 23rd in one year at ACC's. Hmm, well. Didn't take me much to go ballistic on bad school administrators, did it? I had my fill of them. The kids aren't the real problem in most cases.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaminbenb Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 After I graduated, apparently Sam Martin spent a few years at the high school level, then went to the middle school...not sure who the band director was at that pointt....my biggest issue with Sam (and John Degler prior to him) was that they didn't hire COMPETANT band staff! (aside from Skee) When I was in school...the guard instructor was a lady within the system (I think she was a middle school English teacher) who was a baton twirler BITD, and had NO experience teaching a color guard for the most part...our guards were pretty much crap! Marching staff was comprised of Degler (then Martin) writing crappy drill, and them teaching it (with the help of the middle school band director) Ancillary staff was some dip stick named Lewis Benner who came to Middletown for his senior year (from some fairly decent band program in California, but as far as any of US knew, he was the worst marcher/player in that band, but the fact that he CAME from there, Degler thought he was great to get on staff!) So they sent him to a seminar somewhere to learn how to write/teach drill and work with guards to use him as an instructor/consultant! (which was pretty laughable) The SAD part of the marching band was that we were great MUSICALLY! We always got good marks for the music captions, it was just marching and GE that took the big hit! (and that school put out some sweet concert bands) When Bowser and I graduated, we offered our services for band camp, mainly since at that point neither of us were working with anyone, and wanted to get some teaching experience since we both felt we had a lot of drum corps experience to offer....but we were quickly told "no thank you, we have been doing fine with what we have" so we walked away (I went to work for Filipelli at Crest, and Bowser went to work with Brian at LD) The best part of all that was running into Sam 2-3 years later at a band competition after we ended up at Carlisle (and were winning) and Sam was still fielding the same mediocre-substandard product with the same mediocre-substandard band staff! (oh, and Sam student taught at Carlisle before he came to Middletown, so Carlisle was his "reference standard" at the time) He about shatt when he saw us in our Carlisle jackets I'll also never forget when Middletown TRIED to put out a winter guard...it was typical quality for them at the time...Lewis was the instructor (he apparently went to another seminar) Their uniform was blue slacks, white dress shirts, and gold ties ....their music was bad...AND when their tape had a fault, they all stopped and went "oh...my God!" instead of keeping on with the show.... Needless to say I think that was their first and last competition..it was that pathetic.. I felt bad for the kids! Not sure where they are now..I haven't been back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted May 31, 2012 Author Share Posted May 31, 2012 After I graduated, apparently Sam Martin spent a few years at the high school level, then went to the middle school...not sure who the band director was at that pointt....my biggest issue with Sam (and John Degler prior to him) was that they didn't hire COMPETANT band staff! (aside from Skee) When I was in school...the guard instructor was a lady within the system (I think she was a middle school English teacher) who was a baton twirler BITD, and had NO experience teaching a color guard for the most part...our guards were pretty much crap! Marching staff was comprised of Degler (then Martin) writing crappy drill, and them teaching it (with the help of the middle school band director) Ancillary staff was some dip stick named Lewis Benner who came to Middletown for his senior year (from some fairly decent band program in California, but as far as any of US knew, he was the worst marcher/player in that band, but the fact that he CAME from there, Degler thought he was great to get on staff!) So they sent him to a seminar somewhere to learn how to write/teach drill and work with guards to use him as an instructor/consultant! (which was pretty laughable) The SAD part of the marching band was that we were great MUSICALLY! We always got good marks for the music captions, it was just marching and GE that took the big hit! (and that school put out some sweet concert bands) When Bowser and I graduated, we offered our services for band camp, mainly since at that point neither of us were working with anyone, and wanted to get some teaching experience since we both felt we had a lot of drum corps experience to offer....but we were quickly told "no thank you, we have been doing fine with what we have" so we walked away (I went to work for Filipelli at Crest, and Bowser went to work with Brian at LD) The best part of all that was running into Sam 2-3 years later at a band competition after we ended up at Carlisle (and were winning) and Sam was still fielding the same mediocre-substandard product with the same mediocre-substandard band staff! (oh, and Sam student taught at Carlisle before he came to Middletown, so Carlisle was his "reference standard" at the time) He about shatt when he saw us in our Carlisle jackets I'll also never forget when Middletown TRIED to put out a winter guard...it was typical quality for them at the time...Lewis was the instructor (he apparently went to another seminar) Their uniform was blue slacks, white dress shirts, and gold ties ....their music was bad...AND when their tape had a fault, they all stopped and went "oh...my God!" instead of keeping on with the show.... Needless to say I think that was their first and last competition..it was that pathetic.. I felt bad for the kids! Not sure where they are now..I haven't been back. Martin was at the HS until Sam Fisher took over. worked there in 89....Shade did drill, some longtime grad of the program did the guard. I only lasted a year...the show on paper was lame, but Shade and I spiced it up. I mean Denny Schnader gave a drumline a compliment! but Sam was a tool...he thought he knew it all, and didnt. oh yeah...Lewis...I remember him. Oy vey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaminbenb Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 Martin was at the HS until Sam Fisher took over. worked there in 89....Shade did drill, some longtime grad of the program did the guard. I only lasted a year...the show on paper was lame, but Shade and I spiced it up. I mean Denny Schnader gave a drumline a compliment! but Sam was a tool...he thought he knew it all, and didnt. oh yeah...Lewis...I remember him. Oy vey Yeah....Sammy was a nice as hell guy, but not a great marching band director...I'm sure I told you the story when he guest conducted the concert band, and we did English Folk Song Suite...if not lemme know, I'll type it a little later...I'm just taking a break from cleaning out my stupid garage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 (edited) Getting lunch at the base and guy on the phone with the delivery truck trying to give directions. Turned out the truck was on the Pike but couldn't find the basse enterance. Reminded me of 1975 Baltimore Saint Patricks parade which reminded me of two more stories. Think these are new (finally).... 1975 Paul & Benny (I'm still riding with Bill Light) can't find the Alacazer (what ever the Hell that was) in dun tun Baltimore where the corps is supposed to meet and suit up. I honestly can't remember getting ready for any of these parades. Pottsville Mid Winter was in an old fire house (with a bar) but can't remember Bal-mer for crap. Anyway Paul tells me they go up and down the street and can't find the place. Finally they see someone walking and ask. Sure as Hades the guy gets a weird look on his face and points... they were parked across the street. Left the truck (Bennys pick up at that point?) where it sat and walked over. 1984 (6 weeks corps) at one of the 4th of July parades in the B-more area: Going down the street and WMAR or WBAL cameraman had his back to us getting a shot. He was crowding the corps so Tree sticks his elbow out... WHAP!!!! That side of the back of the corps lost it.... Fav Baltimore story.... 1976(?) walking back to the meeting place the whole corps got propositioned by a hooker,,, in broad daylight... with a group of other people walking by... What to think 1976 as she offered her "BiCentennial Special" (aka $17.76). But thinking the BD unis and Brother Dave talking about it so maybe 1978 and the hooker didn't know what year it was. Edited May 31, 2012 by JimF-LowBari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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