Figure 1.--This portrait of a clarinisist in a band uniform looks to have been taken about 1905. A more perfect example of a River City band bember is hard to imagine. We do not know for certain, but we suspect that the boy here particiaptes in a civic rather than a school band. The photographer is "H.F. Coombs," but the city is not indicated.

We note the formation of many town or village bands in the 19th and early 20th centuries. These bands were imortalized in "The Music Man" and the River City marching band. Some of these bands had elaborate uniforms. These appaer to have been all-male bands. We still have very limited informnation on these banfs. We do not know yet, however, to what extent boys were involved in these bands. After World War I, these bands declined in importance as many high schools organized marching bands which tended to act as local community or civic bands. We believe that before World War I that high schools often had pep bands, but became much more elaborate after the War. Our information on these bands, however, is very limited at this time. We have some early 20th century images, but we are not always sure if these are civic or school bands. Most American high schools have marching bands and their uniforms vary widely, although military styles in the John Philip Souza tradition have perhaps been the most common. We also note some Scout bands in the 1910s and 20s.

Chronology

Marching bands are probably as old as organized military formations. It was the perfection of valved brass instruments in the 1830s, however, that permitted the development of the modern matching band. As a result the size and sound of band changed dramatically. Brass instruments could play all the melodies once reserved for woodwinds and because of their more robust sound were perfectly suited for a marching band. The keyed bugle required considerable study to achieve proficiency. The invention of matched valve brass instruments, saxhorns, made playing a brass instrument something an amateur musician, including children could master. We note the formation of many town or village bands in the 19th and early 20th centuries. These bands were imortalized in "The Music Man" and the River City marching band. After World War I, these bands declined in importance as many high schools organized marching bands which tended to act as local community or civic bands. We believe that before World War I that high schools often had pep bands, but became much more elaborate after the War. Our information on these bands, however, is very limited at this time.

Uniforms

Some of these bands had elaborate uniforms. These appaer to have been all-male bands. We still have very limited informnation on these bands. Here towns varied considerably as to how they uniformed their municipal bands. The size and affluece of the town of course were critical elements. Most American high schools have marching bands and their uniforms vary widely, although military styles in the John Philip Souza tradition have perhaps been the most common. This often involved elaborate decorative braid on the jacket. Caps were much more varied. We have some early 20th century images, but we are not always sure if these are civic or school bands, or in some cases if they are band uniforms at all. This is especially the case, of course, if a boy is not holding his musical instrument. We have few images of early high school bands. Many high schools by the 1930s, however, had organized large, elaborately uniformed matching bands.

Gender

We do not know yet to what extent boys were involved in the civic bands of the 19th century and early 20th century. Many appear to be composed of both adults and youths. Some appear to have been all boy bands. They do appear to have been entirely or almost entirely male bands. We are unsure about early high school marching bands, they may have primarily been made up of boys rather than girls. The high school marching bands may in fact have changed the band tradition. Gradually girls began participating in the high school bands. We know very little about this process. I'm not sure when this began to vhange, presumably in the 1920s. We do note some children's bands with boys and girls in the 1920s, but they were not very common. Much more common were all boy bands.

Types

We notive several different types of marching bands in America. The first to develop were military marching bands. The most famous was John Philip's Souza's Marine Corps band which became know as the "President's Own". Much more wide spread were municipal or civic bands. Then there were school bands, primarily high schools and colleges. We also note some Scout bands iduring the 1910s and 20s.

Individual Bands

We have begun to compile a list of American marching bands involving children. We have found civic, school, and Scout bands. Some of those bands include the Sutton School Band (1923) and the >Haddam School Band (1940s).

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Created: December 3, 2002
Last updated: 12:05 AM 5/18/2005