HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1976-01-07, Page 14For most of the SDHS girl's trumpet band's history, • bandmaster George
Hildebrand has direbted with authority and leadership.-George direct's the band at
the recent International Plowing Match near Oshawa.
laugh before: They perform
SDHS girls trumpet band Marches on
To Floridaparade in February
It's a long road from being a
small band organized to play at
cadet inspections and the Fall
Fair, to a spot as the only
Canadian marching band in one
of the biggest parades in Florida.
But that's the road the Seaforth
District High School Girls
_Trumpet band has travelled since
1957, and George Hildebrand has
been their leader for almost the
whole time.
There were 28 girls in the band
in 1957. 63 girls play in the band
this year and George says he
plans to expand to 70 girls before
long.
The band has played in big
parades all over Ontario, the
Royal Winter' Fair, Niagara Falls
and in Michigan. But forms
S DHS principal L.P.Plumsteel
says that at home in Seaforth, we
tend to take them for granted.
Mr. Plumsteel had a big part in
starting the original SDHS band
in 1948. "It was a boys' bugle
band, which we organized to
accompany cadet inspection,"
Mr. Plumsteel says.
A few girls joined the band and
the former principal says, "we
found they were better musicians
than the boys and more of them
could read music."There was a
certain appeal in those days in
having an all girl band," Mr.
Plumsteel says, as Seaforth's
was one of the first.
The SDHS Girls Trumpet Band
wasn't quite all girls for quite a
few years though. Until the late
1950's there was always one male
member. He carried the big bass
drum which was.thought to be too
heay for . girls.
A girl has carried the drum for
the past 15 years or so with no ill
effects. There are two girl bass
drum players in the 1975 band
and as Mr. Plumsteel says,
"they don't seem to mind it a
bit."
It's unfortunate that there has
been no scrapbook kept of the
band's accomplishments over the
years. There is some information
in SDHS yearbooks and we can
piece together a picture of bigger
and wider accomplishments every
year.
The band is the official band of
the Ontario Plowmens'
Association and always'plays an
important part in the
International Ploughing Match.
Ip 1963, they welcomed Prime
Minister , L. B. Pearson to the
Match.
In 1968 in brand new uniforms,
the green blazers and plaid skirts
they still wear, they met Pierre
Elliott Trudeau when he was here
during his first election
campaign.
The girls in the band are
nicknamed "the Saints", and, the
term is taken from their unofficial
theme song "When the Saints go.
parching in", which they've
played for as long as local people
can remember.
In 1964 the yearbook has the
"40 saints from Seaforth High"
going to the International in
Peterborough.At the 1960 Match
in Belleville, the girls stuffed
themselves throughout their trip
and made a recording for West
Germany, according to a
yearbook article by Carolyn
Hammorid.
George had a rest in 1965-66
when the band was led by Nancy
Berger, who had been a: member
of the band herself.
1973 was the first year that the
band played in the Memorial Day
parade in Inkster, Michigan.
More than 200,000 people saw
them march in the Inkster parade,
their leader says proudly.
Mr. Hildebrand and band
members think that the invitation
to be the only marching band
from Ontario in the big Edison
parade in Florida this winter is a
real honour.
They are currently putting as
much energy as they do into
playing, into a fund , raising
campaign to pay their air fare to
Fort Myers. With the help of a
newly organized auxiliary to the
band, they've had' a rummage
sale and a roast beef dinner.
They plan a lot more activities
and are happy to get donations to
the fund that's been opened for
the trip at the 'FOronto Dominion
Bank here.
The band will' probably be
billeted at Fort Myers College
during the parade and their room
and board will be provided.
In order •to make the Florida
trip, the band needs the support
of the whole community. The
organization of an auxiliary to
give band members guidance and
moral support has helped. SDHS
principal Bruce Shaw has been
investigating the possibility of a
Wintario grant and is getting help
from the local board of education
and MPP Jack Riddell.
All of Seaforth can't go to
Florida in February to see the
SDHS band march in the third
biggest parade in the state. But
donations to the girls in the band
will help them to get there and do
a priceless publicity job for
Seaforth.
As part of their fund raising effort for their
held several events. Wednesday night
Legion and served a large crowd.
Florida trip the SDHS band has
they held a beef dinner at the
Photos by
Dave Robb
Story by
Susan White
The gifts- in the band share
1d--THE BRUSSELS .potti JANUARY to, i .916•
El Ion. Stewaet-4 the olciiire
concentration A6 she
play-8 her tell rel Pet , is orie. of
68, 'girls fom going.
on the' rip to Fort 'Myers, tin
February,._