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Memories of the Band
by Roger Vacca '64

We had the only American High School Marching Band in Europe in 1963 and 1964.  In fact, it had such a notoriety that we were invited by Charles DeGaulle to join some of the greatest bands in Europe at Le Mans for the International Band Festival as guests of the French Government.  This occurred on June 6, 1964 for one week. 

We marched in two 1-hour parades a day and one huge parade on the last day of the festival.  That last parade was so large, it would have rivaled the Grand Finale of  The Music Man.   It lasted from about 10 a.m. until late afternoon.  It was so large that the city had set a huge banquet in the Topiary Park for each group to break, while the parade kept going. 

There were military bands from the Swiss Guard, the Black Watch, French and German and who knows what other military units.  There were POLKA BANDS on flat bed trucks. There were specialty bands.  However, there were only two bands of our age group... Ours and a larger band for (I believe Lancaster in Wales.)  That band had an all girl drum line.   (I was drum captain that year. )

Chateauroux used the latest in high stepping drum cadence which stood out against the military cadencies of the other bands.  We were the darlings of the city. 

We traveled in the base AIR EVAC BUS, which had the red crosses and the big square back doors.  We traveled on all the tours that week on that bus.  And, we even took the bus on a run around the famous race track.  The bus had a governor which kept our speed down to 50 miles an hour.  However, the infamous "S" turns were so tight, we really had to move back and forth to negotiate those curves.

There was a Cathedral in the town built against a famous rock.  Legend had it that if a young maiden hung out the window so as to place her finger in the well worn hole in the rock, she would marry well. Needless to say, the rock had a few takers that trip.

We weren't on our best behavior at all times.  In fact, the first few hours we were in our horseshoe shaped hotel, we were caught flying paper airplanes from our windows into the courtyard below.  However, the real problems occurred when we found the supply of little balls that exploded when thrown to the ground.  There was a real stink when some of our group was throwing those at the cars in the courtyard from the windows in our rooms.

Band on the Bus

These Sabre Blade articles shared by Betty Adamek.

Madrid Arena

The 1965-66 Marching Band
Under the leadership of Mr. Gordon J. Glaysher

Chris Sullivan ('70) sent these great souvenirs of the Boys & Girls in the Band.  Thanks,  Chris.

1966 Cluis Snail Festival