This Pastime has such a range of tones from the tinkling of a tiny, tinny sounding bell to the deep throated bong of a deep, deep chime.
It is about the first set of concert chimes purchased by the Warren High School Lumberjack Concert Band (circa 1970-71).
Of all the printed band programs that survive with me, the instrumentation listed on the back cover tells who played this new set of silver chimes and bells when they appeared in the old, drafty, music practice room off Cherry Street on the north end of the former high school campus.
As memory recalls, the Warren Band Parent Association had a good fall, in the various concession stands, sales and other fund-raising pursuits. I also bring in the spring and summer selling of such products as car wash soaps, silver and metal polish, and even light bulbs to raise funds for the band by its members.
Also, every spring, when wearing the hot, black, wool uniforms were most uncomfortable, we stood downtown and sold paper tags on “Band Tag Day.”
Band Tag Day was literally a donation of from a few pennies to folding money ($1 bills, mostly) from citizens who worked, shopped in the downtown stores or we mostly caught unaware of the “Band Tag Day,” drive and donated as they could.
To be prevented from being bothered again by more relentless WHS Band members, the paper tag could be attached (by a straight pin) to your shirt or blouse to show you had been a previous donor. Band members roamed the downtown streets and such areas as the Mad Butcher and Kroger parking lots to seek donors.
The full-day ordeal was always, it seemed, in 100-degree weather when wearing the old wool uniforms, but we did it to help the program buy nicer things for the musical education of its members.
This was for me, up close, the first set of concert style chimes and certainly the first set I had ever seen played as an instrument in the musical program of the band, with these soothing and melodious sounds.
The bells arrived and there were some “tryouts” from those students in the percussion department – hence the bells/chimes would not be featured in all the concert numbers we practiced and played. But Curry W. Martin, the director of the program and his wife, Mary Lou, of course, ordered some very fine musical score numbers that same year, showcasing this new instrument.
In the 1970 Band Queen’s Royal Concert (the 2nd annual such event) held Thursday night Feb. 12, 1970, in the WHS Field House, the chimes were featured in the night’s selections. The Field House, where most all the band concerts were performed, as there was not room on the old WHS indoor stage in the high school to house such an assemblage of musicians, the chimes and bells made its debut.
Senior Jimmie Jenkins, played the bells, a set that, if I am thinking correctly, were borrowed hand bells from the local United Methodist Church in Warren. Jimmie Jenkins, who was a senior, also had time on the tympani (all three drums) on the evening’s program.
Also playing the tympani was Paul Gannaway.
Dorothy Richard played the chimes. She had a double-faced mallet, a hard leather head on one side and a softer red velvet colored piece of cloth on the other side of the mallet.
Dorothy was also the third chair snare drummer, playing in a foursome of Chair 1, Larry Henderson (who made all district band), Chair 2, Robert McClellan who was a senior, Dorothy and then 4th chair Larry Gulledge.
The band program this year was a “combination” of both the merged schools of the Bradley County High and Warren High. It was the first year of both programs being together, and thereafter being a singular Warren High School Band.
Mr. Lee Mitchell, was listed as the Associate Director of Bands. Curry Martin was listed as Head of the WHS Music Dept. Wallace R. Ferguson was listed as the Associate Director. All three men led the band in 15 numbers during the evening. Mitchell left Warren in the spring and had a very distinguished school career in Southern California.
One of the special moments was a solo on the tympani by Mr. Mitchell called “Tympani.”
Never has Bradley County’s shar spring thunder made as rich, full, and forceful sound as Mr. Mitchell expertly demonstrated on the kettle drums that evening. He also played rhythms so smooth and soft, the audience bent forward in their seats to hear his drumming.
In the evening the magical and very popular “Love Theme,” from the block-buster motion picture “Romeo and Juliet,” was one of the first numbers to feature both the bells and the chimes. Richard and Jenkins, to my memory, played flawlessly.
An additional tune of “Colorama,” held a significant part for the chimes if my memory is in tune with this old, faded concert program.
On the night, Miss Cindy Marsh, a senior, was crowned the WHS Band Queen. First runner up was Miss Susan Lee, a sophomore. Second maid was Miss Marsha Riley, a freshman, and Junior Phillis Rogers, was third place in the evening. The place finishes were calculated by the number of dollars raised in the various weeks leading up to the event.
Cindy Marsh sold more light bulbs than all the other contestants combined. She also sold more of the band’s car washing formula, which ironically came in an orange plastic bottle.
To add a footnote on the chimes, a year later, in 1971 a former Band Queen coming out of the bass clarinet section would play them.
Dorothy Richard, now a sophomore in 1971, had become a WHS Cheerleader.
The very first WHS Band Queen, Jonalyn Bryant, in 1969, who was also first chair Bass Clarinet, played the chimes in the third annual band queen concert in 1971.
Again in 1971, the band played the “Love Theme” from Romeo & Juliet and a new tune, “No Other Love, Op. 10, #3,” which featured the chimes.
Steve Phifer, a practice teacher from Arkansas A&M College, who went no to be the brother-in-law of Bruce Tarleton, directed the number “Greensleeves,” where the chimes played. Phifer went on after graduation to Malvern to direct bands there.
Jonalyn, the program reminds me, was also an alternating band member, as first chair Bass Clarinet, she did double duty that evening.
Jan Savage, a freshman, was the band queen in 1971, first maid was Mary Catherine Huey, a junior; second maid, Ruth Herring, a senior, and third maid was Terri Laster, a sophomore, who would be the head majorette for most of my four years in the WHS Lumberjack Marching band.
These concerts for me, both in February in 1970 and 1971, and the regal sound of those sparkling silver metal chimes, still ring in my ears as a Pastime to remember.