Monday, September 25. 1972
7
University Daily Kansan
Band Day Brash and Bouncy
Russell L. Wiley, founder of KU Band Day, directed the bands in their opening number.
Kansan Staff Photos by Pris Brandsted and Joe Coleman
The University of Kansas Band leads the bands at the morning parade.
By KEVIN SHAFER
Korean Staff Writer
Memorial Stadium was filled Saturday with all of the color of an exotic greenhouse in full springtime bloom.
The occasion was not a florist's show, but the annual University of Kansas Band Day.
Nearly 80 bands were on hand for the festivities, which began Saturday morning with a parade through downtown Lawrence.
Wide-eyed with excitement,
many of the high school
musicians could be seen running
away carrying their big afternoon at KU.
The musicians could be heard for blocks from the stadium to 11 a.m. practicing for their half-time spectacle.
Organization was the key word as over 1,500 students were positioned on the tar turf in the shape of a giant "US."
BOTH THE organization and the practice paid off when the bands beloved their opening album of "America the Beautiful."
Under the direction of Robert E. Foster and Russell Wiley, the students' bands continued their half-time show with a unique arrangement
of "76 Trombones" and ended
their performance with the traditional playing of the "Battle Hymn of the Republic."
Wiley started the annual Band Dip back in the 1890s, and has been playing every season since then. The 1972 performance marked the start of a major revival of his every season since then.
One member of the Argentine High School Band, sophomore Mónica Martín, and two compatriots had to leave at 7:30 Saturday morning to be on time for the pre-game parade. The Kansas City, KS, team was outside Kansas City, KS.
BUT NOT all of the 78 bands came from as close as that.
Lonn Richards, director of the author High School Band, and assistant chaperons at 3:30 Saturday morning to be able to participate
Bulber is 10 miles northeast of Hutchinson and is about a four-and-a-half hour drive from Lawrence.
Richards summed up the days activities by saying, "I think its a good day to go on a major campus to see a football game and all the festivities. It may be the only day I can get up on here on the KU campus."