THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2013
PAGE 5
HOMECOMING HISTORY
JAYHAWKS THEN AND NOW
Alumni and students connect through past and present homecoming experiences
Former Marching Jayhawk continues love of music
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MEGHAN KETCHAM
mketcham@kansan.com
Marjorie "Marlee" Skeen-Parmiter was one of the first women to don a Marching Jayhawks uniform at the University in 1943. She continued to pursue music throughout her career, and would teach her piano students the University fight song.
In a retirement community in Lenexa lives an old woman with a piano. Photos of former music students and family sit on the shelves, and old newspapers and sheet music are propped against the wall. For many of the students in the photos, this piano gave start to their music lessons in their youth. As the young students plucked their first notes, the sounds would join together and create the familiar tune of the University fight song. Though the children didn't realize it, this song wasn't only the beginning of their music careers, but their teacher's as well. As their teacher taught them the notes, she remembers, playing the same notes with the Marching Jayhawks during homecoming.
In September 1943, Jawhawk football spectators were shocked at the site of women marching into Memorial Stadium, wearing not dresses, but the same crimson and blue marching band uniforms as their male peers. Among these women marched Marjorie Lee "Marlee" Skeen-Parmiter, one of the first females to join the Marching Jawhaws.
With World War II calling the men to service, the marching band needed to add women to its ensemble to compensate for the loss of men. At the time, this radical idea was necessary to maintain the band for football and basketball games.
Meanwhile, Skeen-Parmiter had
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
received a music scholarship from the University after receiving a 'highly superior' score on her piano solo at state competition. When she arrived at the University, there was a need for women in the marching band, so Parmiter joined and marched with her Baritone on the front rank, the tallest of all the girls.
Parmiter said that it wasn't easy being a girl in the marching band. She said that the critics were ready to 'pounce' on the girls if they didn't play correctly. Despite this, Parmiter and the other women remained in the band.
"There used to be a time when they hated it so much, to have girls in the marching band," Parmiter said, "but the war was on, and if they didn't have you, they wouldn't have a band."
Women were banned from
"I loved Lawrence. I just really did because so many people loved music and wanted the very best."
MARJORIE "MARLEE" SKEEN-PARMITER
Former Marching Jayhawk
the Marching Jayhawks in 1948, following the end of World War II. Though their participation was brief, women were an important part of the band during the war — the band likely wouldn't have existed without female additions.
Parmiter recalls a memory of Dr. Gastin, head of the music
department at the time, calling on her one evening to pick up an instrument and play in the orchestra.
"When they needed a trombone player in the orchestra, I had happened to come by the office and Dr. Gastin said 'Here, take this horn and get over to Hoch. They need a trombone.' And I said 'Well I don't play trombone' and he said 'Well, you'll give it a try'"
Parmiter said she recalls Dr. Gastin noticed things that other teachers did not.
"Dr. Gastin was something else," Parmiter said. "He was meaner than a junkyard dog. He called me in one time to thank me for being so nice to these two young men my senior year. And I said 'Well Dr. Gastin, why wouldn't I be?' They were two gay students. He was thanking me for being nice to them and they were as nice as they could be. It wouldn't have occurred to be. It would not have occurred to be any other way. Dr. Gastin really did notice a lot of things about you."
Mentors like Dr. Gastin inspired Parmiter become a music teacher herself.
"I just think KU has the best music [education] department in the country." Parmiter said. "I know that is prejudiced, but they had the most practical approach to teaching. I thought."
Before her music-teaching career began, Parmiter had the opportunity to work for Phog Allen as a secretary. As she sat in her piano room, she recalled with both embarrassment and admiration
a memory of Phog asking her to blush for a famous photographer and later apologizing to her.
inead photographer for 'Life Magazine' came in during the war," Parmiter said. "Phog asked me to come in there and introduce me to him, and I wasn't used to meeting famous people and this was a famous person. He [Phog] said, 'I've got one of the few females on the hill that still blush. Blush for
him Marlee!' I just got as red as all. The next day, I found a box of chocolates and a letter of apology on my typewriter."
After graduating from the University, Parmiter taught in many cities across the state, from Topeka to Bonner Springs and as far as Central Kansas. Since marching in the band, Parmiter's life has changed considerably, but the University has remained a constant
reminder of her beginning.
"I loved Lawrence," Parmiter said. "I just really did because so many people loved music and wanted the very best. I just loved KU. I really did."
— Edited by Chas Strobel
Twirler continues an experienced Jayhawk legacy
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Current twirter Shannon Livengood, a junior from Clay Center, performs at football games with the Marching Jawahres. She will lead the band in the homecoming parade.
DANI BRADY
dbrady@kansan.com
Past and present Jayhawk twirlers Beverly Bernardi Post and Shannon Livengood both have a passion for baton twirling and share the experience of holding the national champion title during their collegiate years.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS
or four days a week in Topeka," Post said.
Baton twirling has changed immensely since Post held the position for the University from 1974-1978. Livengood, a junior from Clay Center, enjoys listening to old stories from previous twirlers and comparing how the position she currently holds has changed throughout the years.
"When I got ready to go to college, I didn't know where to go but I wanted to stay close to home so I could continue teaching dance and baton three
Post attended Topeka High School, where she held the position as feature twirler and performed at high school football games.
Post distinctly remembers performing during halftime at a memorable Notre Dame versus Kansas basketball game.
Beverly Bernardi Post was a University twirler and twirling national champion in the 1970s. She now owns the Beverly Bernardi Post Conservatory of Dance in Topeka.
"This guy came over to me and said, 'When we go to commercial break, I am putting you on national television,' Post said. Post said the experience was "one of the thrills of [her] lifetime."
Livengood is currently under direction of the band department and, rather than performing at basketball games, twirls at football games and at the pregame with the Marching Jayhawks.
Livengood can be seen leading
"My entire freshman year, I didn't get to perform at any basketball games and my sophomore year, I needed a separate try out." Livengood said. Livengood will perform at halftime during one women's and one men's basketball game this season.
the Marching Jayhawks down the hill during the homecoming parade. Post was not considered part of the band and did not lead the Marching Jayhawks to Memorial Stadium before each game.
Neither twirler was given a coach, choreographer or sponsored by the University. "I spend most of my time practicing alone, making up my own routines with a song chosen by the band director," Livengood said. "Unless I am able to reserve Robinson Auditorium or find a
spot at the [recreation center], I practice outdoors."
Through shared memories and comparative experiences, both Post and Livengood agree that twirling for the University has been an honor. Livengood hopes to continue twirling for the University until she graduates and, eventually, find a future twirler with enough experience to follow in her and Post's footsteps.
Edited by Chas Strobel
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