Alumni Bulletin - Fall 2007 - (Page 19)

the faithful retelling of stories, songs, and traditions. Details of those traditions remain cloaked in mystery, because band members won’t describe their clandestine rites to outsiders. So it’s little surprise that while the band’s recent 100th anniversary celebration was hailed as an unqualified success, it isn’t quite as clear that it actually marked the band’s 100th anniversary. In June, 130 current and former band members gathered at the Best Western Lehigh Valley Hotel & Conference Center for a grand centennial celebration. They formed a circle to sing Lehigh’s Alma Mater. After the traditional ﬁrst three verses, each class performed their own version of the ﬁnal verse, which they wrote as freshmen recruits. Some verses recited were more than 53 years old. “The 97 Reunion did exactly what it was intended to do,” says Rick Huddy ’74, who traveled from Bremerton, Wash., to attend. It brought “long-standing friends together to rekindle our relationships, relive and celebrate our shared history, and reflect on how that experience impacted our lives.” The centennial reunion was organized entirely by Audrey Turnowchyk ’09, a clarinet player, and other current band members. They made arrangements, contacted alumni, and planned the event. “Audrey did an unbelievable job,” says David S. Thaler ’70, ’71G, ’78G. “Her hard work made for a magical evening.” 2007 was recognized as the centennial year because Jonathan Elkus, the legendary band adviser from 1957 to 1973, recalled attending the 50th reunion in 1957. However, the following account can be found in Lehigh University: A History of Education in Engineering, Business and the Human Condition by W. Ross Yates, recognized as the authoritative source for Lehigh history: “In 1904 a marching band was organized. Its financing by the students can be guessed at from the surviving pictures—of a small group of players inexpensively dressed in white ducks, brown sweaters, and sailor’s caps.” Yates’ account does confirm one of the main sources of pride for members of the band, regardless of the exact date of the group’s founding: Since the beginning, most of the leadership and responsibility for the marching band has been borne by the students. Neumeyer attends practices and coaches the band musically, but officers in the band are expected to handle all logistical concerns. The students select music, write shows, teach shows to other members, clean their uniforms, purchase their own instruments, and organize food, transportation, and “every aspect of the band,” Neumeyer says. During halftime at Taylor Stadium, the 1958 marching band leaves the audience no doubts about which football team should win. fall 2007 19 PHOTOS COURTESY OF LEHIGH UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES

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Alumni Bulletin - Fall 2007

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