THE
BEGINNING
Prior
to the fall of 1939, grade school bands were allowed to participate and compete
with other grade school bands in the Illinois School Band Association, which was
primarily used to furnish statewide competition for high school bands. Also in
this period of time, the grade school bands were growing in number at a fairly
fast rate and consequently the Illinois School Band Association became aware
that its contest events had become too large and inconvenient.
For
several years prior to 1939, the grade school band directors were giving some
talk and consideration to forming their own organization. In these early years,
many band directors filled the dual positions of director of the high school and
director of the grade school bands in their small towns. With the growth of the
band movement in the State of Illinois, it became a very difficult task to host
a state contest with high school bands, solos, and ensembles, as well as grade
school bands, solos, and ensembles!
The
accompanying letter lists the officers of the Illinois School Band Association
in 1939. They were Harold N. Finch of Highland Park, President; F. C. Kreider of
Collinsville, 1st Vice-President; P. M. Keast of Elmhurst and Park
Ridge, 2nd Vice-President; and H. S. Frederick of Paxton,
Secretary-Treasurer. The honorary president was A. A. Harding, and the past
presidents were A. R. McAllister, Don Allen, Paul Morrison, M. W. Rosenbarger,
G. W. Patrick, and V. K. Reese. The active membership of the Illinois School
Band Association in 1938, including all of the high school and grade school
participants were 265 bands with 11,000 students participating. (See Exhibit #1)
Because
of the overcrowded facilities, the Illinois School Band Association asked the
grade school band directors to form their own association. The grade school
directors were more than happy to organize their own group. As an incentive, the
Illinois School Band Association gave the new grade school association the sum
of $500 to get them on their feet and off and running. This was quite a bit of
money in those days.
The
suggestion of forming a grade school association occurred at the 1939 Fall State
meeting of the Illinois school Band Association. This meeting was an annual
affair held at the old band building on the campus of the University of
Illinois, Champaign, and was arranged by A. A. Harding and his staff.
The
leading organizer and spokesman for the grade school band directors was P. M.
Keast, Director of Bands in Elmhurst and Park Ridge. Immediately after the
decision to break away from the Illinois School Band Association, P.M. Keast
hastily called a meeting later that same day in Champaign for all the grade
school band directors. Because of the shortage of time, no officers were elected
but P. M. Keast was appointed chairman, and under his direction, guidance, and
leadership, the Illinois Grade School Band Association was formed. He chose H.
W. Granzow, Maywood, to assist him. P. M. Keast was an excellent leader with
strong ideas, and he kept the welfare of the association uppermost in his mind
at all times.
It
was decided to divide the entire state into 5 districts. Cloyd Myers, in his
first year at Sterling, was appointed Chairman of the Northwest District. There
was no constitution drawn up, due to the lack of time, but the guidelines of the
Illinois School Band Association were used.
The
first state contest, which included the first division winners of the district
contests who qualified in solos, ensembles, and bands, would be held in
Bloomington, Illinois, in the month of May, 1940. The locations in Bloomington
would be at Illinois Wesleyan University and Bloomington High School. All
classes of solos and ensembles and Class E, D, and C bands would perform on
Friday, May 10, at Presser Hall on the campus of Illinois Wesleyan University,
and all B, A, and AA bands would perform on Saturday, May 11 at Bloomington High
School.
There
would be a required selection for each band class, and then the organization
would perform a march and another selection of their choice. Each band would
also participate in the sight reading contest, and this would count as a part of
their final rating. All solos would have to be memorized.
Frank
B. Jordan and Robert Ross of Illinois Wesleyan University along with Paul
Gossard, Superintendent of Schools in Bloomington would also assist in the
management of the first state contest. George Reeder, Secretary, Association of
Commerce in Bloomington, would also assist with the lodging, meals, etc. P. M.
Keast organized the program. All facilities and services at the schools were
donated.
The
Illinois Grade School Band Association was off and running to a very successful
and bright future in the field of instrumental music for many years to come.
At
the present time (1988), the only remaining living members present at the first
meeting of the new association are: Ernest Caneva, W. C. Edwards, Lyle Hopkins,
Forrest McAllister, Cloyd Myers, Theodore Paschedag, and Emmett Sarig.
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