Cuba City High School's Fine Band

On June 5, 1929, an article celebrating the Cuba City High School band's three years of existence was published in the Telegraph Herald. This photo, taken by the Gem Studio in Cuba City, accompanied the article. The musicians are wearing their dashing white uniforms with scarlet caps and capes (the school colors at the time).

 

The photo was captioned as follows: Back row—Paul Brewer, Lewis Fiedler. Second row--Bert Richards, Norma Peacock, Delos Doyle, Leonard Porter, Harold Geyer, Herman Fiedler, Prof. Kexel, Wayne Raisbeck, Harold Jackson, Margarite Nelson, Marion Curtis, Day Kellner, George Stephens. Front row—Mae Nelson, Myrtle Clemens, Beth Porter, Lawrence Harty, Hyacinth Donohoo, Lawrence Hilvers, Delbert Eddy, Lloyd Coates, Clarice Harty, Gertrude Jacobi, Hazel Cook, Kenneth Jones.

The entire article may be read here, or viewed below:

Cuba City, Wis., June 5.—Special: The Cuba City High school band has just finished the most successful year since its organization in September, 1926. The band was organized through the efforts of Floyd Smith, superintendent of the High school at that time, and W. H. Goldthorpe, director of the Cuba City Military band. Three months after the band was started the school board hired Professor T. Kexel and since then the band has made great progress. 

 

The first year the band was featured in a series of band concerts and a grand musical. The second year the band put over another series of concerts and through the support of the entire school district they were able to purchase their uniforms consisting of scarlet capes lined with white, and scarlet caps. 

 

The band won second place in the Sunday school parade at Dubuque in 1928, and enjoyed a trip to Muscatine, Ia., where they played a concert which was also broadcast over station KTNT. Near the close of the school year this band played a joint concert with the Shullsburg band, under the direction of Mr. Di Tella of Dubuque, at Cuba City. The massed band was composed of 114 pieces. Another joint concert was played at Platteville with the Platteville High school band under Prof. A. Tarrell, totaling 150 pieces. 

 

Ten members of the band graduated this year, representing ten of the best musicians in southwestern Wisconsin for high school experience. In appreciation for the help the band has given athletic contests, the wholesome advertising the band gave the school, and the degree of progress made by them under Prof. Kexel’s leadership, the Senior class presented him with a silver baton at the time of their graduation. Prof. Kexel has signed his contract and will be with the band for another year.