Band Update

[grossbus]

there has been more than one thread here with commentary about the DUMB (both the marching band and the pep band). i thought you might be interested in this.

as a DUMB alumni, i received today a letter Jeff Au (Director of Athletic Bands) and 6 page color brochure. you might be interested to know that the band had two sousaphone players this year only because he was able to offer a $500 stipend to each.

the letter and brochure outline his plans for the future (to reach 145 members which would give them needed flexibility at tournament time and needed mass for the football field) and the funding needs and options to meet those needs.

another tidbit of which i was unaware, the entire band was arrested for disturbing the peace and marching without a permit at 1:30am in hotlanta prior to a game with GTech in 76. yes!

i have declined to contribute to various Duke funds in the past two years until the Group of 88 is gone, but it is hard to deny this request, especially since the brochure contains a picture of me in the drum line during the pre-game routine back in the day.

you want to help DUMB get better? make a contribution! i am sure they would accept contributions from non-DUMB alumni.

his email is jau@duaa.duke.edu

[Tappan Zee Devil]

another tidbit of which i was unaware, the entire band was arrested for disturbing the peace and marching without a permit at 1:30am in hotlanta prior to a game with GTech in 76. yes!]

The same thing nearly happened to us in 1969. We held an after midnight parade down Peachtree street, pretty much tying up traffic. The cops arrived en masse and lined us up, hands above our heads against the wall, for probably fifteen minutes and then marched us back to our hotel and told Mr. Henry that this had better never happen again.

Jim

[grossbus]

excellent! i am sure jim henry was not pleased with this, but he was probably more displeased at being ordered about by the atl police.

fyi to all not familiar with the band situation in the acc, Duke, at 83 is the only one less than 100 members. Wake, 115, the U, 185, and BC, 180, are the only ones less than 200. FSU has 450. ALL of the other schools have staff sizes ranging from 3 to 10. we have 1.75 staff positions.