When did junior-senior relationship change?

[MikeD]

I don't have the figures, but from the 60's when we counted drum corps in the thousands to the 70's when we counted drum corps in the hundreds... I'll bet that by the end of 1978, the figure was down to 60 or 70...

Another piece of the pie is that corps failed all the time in the 50's and 60's...but due to the strong local VFW/AL/CYO/PAL groups new ones sprung up to take their place.

Eventually, the number that were newly formed began to be less than the number that were failing...so the net total ended getting smaller and smaller as the 60's, 70's and 80's progressed.

And...don't forget that of the 400+ competitive corps that existed around 1971...only a relatively small number were 'National' names...most were the local small corps.

[Ray Priester]

Another piece of the pie is that corps failed all the time in the 50's and 60's...but due to the strong local VFW/AL/CYO/PAL groups new ones sprung up to take their place.

Eventually, the number that were newly formed began to be less than the number that were failing...so the net total ended getting smaller and smaller as the 60's, 70's and 80's progressed.

And...don't forget that of the 400+ competitive corps that existed around 1971...only a relatively small number were 'National' names...most were the local small corps.

And the local corps that failed were usually the ones that kept the 'National" names and many senior corps supplied with new members each year as they moved on or aged out of junior corps. And I'm not even talking about all the 'raiding' that went on back then.

It still bugs me that none of the biggies want to spend the time training kids off the street. They aren't in the business of doing something positive for the kids who could use some guidance. They are in the entertainment and winning business! Let somebody else train them and they will take them off their hands when they become more accomplished or go on to become music majors in college for their one or two year drum corps experience instead of the 5, 10 or more years that a lot of us have experienced.

Still too many kids missing out on a great experience because of exclusivity and $$$$$$$.

How many undiscovered Ken Petersons, Buzzy Bergdolls, Pepe Notaros, Riggie Lauss, Bucky Swans, Jimmy D'Amicos and Harry Hazlewoods are there out there that will never be found? What the kids do today is really way above what we did back in the day, but so many more will never get the opportunity to be part of it.

Just MHO.

Ray

[Jeff Ream]

it's a business now, not an activity

[Jeff Ream]

it's a business now, not an activity

[jeff danchik]

And the local corps that failed were usually the ones that kept the 'National" names and many senior corps supplied with new members each year as they moved on or aged out of junior corps. And I'm not even talking about all the 'raiding' that went on back then.

It still bugs me that none of the biggies want to spend the time training kids off the street. They aren't in the business of doing something positive for the kids who could use some guidance. They are in the entertainment and winning business! Let somebody else train them and they will take them off their hands when they become more accomplished or go on to become music majors in college for their one or two year drum corps experience instead of the 5, 10 or more years that a lot of us have experienced.

Still too many kids missing out on a great experience because of exclusivity and $$$$$$$.

How many undiscovered Ken Petersons, Buzzy Bergdolls, Pepe Notaros, Riggie Lauss, Bucky Swans, Jimmy D'Amicos and Harry Hazlewoods are there out there that will never be found? What the kids do today is really way above what we did back in the day, but so many more will never get the opportunity to be part of it.

Just MHO.

Ray

It doesn't have to be,but people have to be patience to build from scratch. I know we've not accomplished alot, but old school values exist in our group. Our staff is all volunteer, we're pretty local in the modern sense.We do parades to pay our bills and we have lots of kids who either have started from scratch or do something else in school and want to try something else. We also have four families, and maybe two more by the next practice.We spent only $14k last year and put out a indoor guard, did 10 parades, 1 field show and championships.Start small, keep goals simple and

recognise it will take time and sooner or later it works.Try to be the next best thing to hit drumcorps, be something you're not and you will fail.

Its a continuos process of improvement, do your best, keep growing, keep improving, keep your head up and keep moving forward

:)

[The Original El Guapo]

I myself didnt realize that drum corps use to help out kids from the street until a couple of years ago. I always thought it was for those who could afford to pay the dues or work them off and those who wanted to be a music major. It wasnt until I heard the great stories from current members about their junior corps days. How troubled kids had a choice to either join the miltary or join a drum corps. I agree that its a shame that drum corps has lost that aspect. Not to long ago there was the Kingsmen from Joilet, Illinois.

I believe they were the last corps that really focused the attention to keeping kids off the street. I really loved their devotion of their own corps. They didnt have much but they were proud to be Kingsmen. Its a shame that they are no longer with us. I was amazed to see how they could make music with the kinds of instruments they were using.

I remember during one retreat we were next to them and I was talking to one of the sops and I noticed his soprano had no valve caps and his mouthpiece had pieces chipped off on the rim. But there he stood when his corps' scores were announced. Standing at attention with pride. He didnt care about the score they got. He was happy that there was another show they were going to get to perform the next day. I really do hope they are still around at least doing parades.

That is one corps I miss seeing around.

[CozyChopsCom]

I myself didnt realize that drum corps use to help out kids from the street until a couple of years ago. <snip> It wasnt until I heard the great stories from current members about their junior corps days. How troubled kids had a choice to either join the miltary or join a drum corps. I agree that its a shame that drum corps has lost that aspect. Not to long ago there was the Kingsmen from Joilet, Illinois.

I believe they were the last corps that really focused the attention to keeping kids off the street. <snip>

I remember during one retreat we were next to them and I was talking to one of the sops and I noticed his soprano had no valve caps and his mouthpiece had pieces chipped off on the rim. But there he stood when his corps' scores were announced. Standing at attention with pride. He didnt care about the score they got. He was happy that there was another show they were going to get to perform the next day. I really do hope they are still around at least doing parades.

That is one corps I miss seeing around.

El Guapo gets it! Too bad so many simply don't. I had a blast helping a jr. corps that marched a total of 5 brass, 5 brass that I'd take in a heartbeat over most.

Yep, I miss the Joliet Kingsmen mucho. Hence, I quill-penned once that "corps left DeKalb for Kalamazoo and not through Joliet."