Typhoon Band
Newport News High
School
Typhoon Band
| Directors | ||
 Miss Eleanor Sherman |
 Mr. Leonard Zimet |
 Mr. James P. Wilson |
| 1959 Anchor, p. 45 | 1955 Anchor, p. 14 | 1965 Anchor, p. 21 |
| Oberlin Conservatory, BA, BME |
Indiana University, BME Butler University, MS |
Wayne State University, BS |
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| 03/13/04 |
Belt Buckle -
probably from an early band uniform Courtesy of Jimmy Parker of VA, President of the Class of 1962 - 12/28/03 WOW! Thanks, Jimmy! |
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Click on each year below for more images and stories.
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| 08/24/07 |
1954 - Drum Major Carleton Spivey ('55) |
| 03/18/04 |
1955 - Drum Major Carleton Spivey ('55) |
| 03/18/04 |
1956 - Drum Major Leonard Dunford ('57) -
(I think) |
| 03/17/04 |
1957 - Drum Major Leonard Dunford ('57) |
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| 12/14/05 |
1958 - Drum Major Larry Crickenberger ('58) |
| 08/29/07 |
1959 - Drum Major Norman Dick ('60) |
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| 08/24/07 |
1960 - Drum Major Norman Dick ('60) |
| 03/15/04 |
1961 - Drum Major Chuck Lilly ('63) |
| 02/03/08 |
1962 - Drum Major
Chuck Lilly ('63) |
| 11/04/03 | May 1962 Senior Band Trip to Winchester, VA and Washington, D.C. |
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| 05/09/08 |
1963 - Drum Major Chuck Lilly ('63) |
| 03/29/06 | Senior Band - Original Yearbook Glossy PLUS NNHS Band Logo - Courtesy of Janice McCain Rose ('65) of VA |
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| 03/19/08 |
1964 - Drum Major Randy Smith ('66) |
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| 03/17/04 |
1965 - Drum Major Randy Smith ('66) |
| 06/04/06 |
1966 - Drum Major Randy Smith ('66) |
| 08/24/07 |
1967 - Drum Major Larry Bridgers ('68) |
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1971 |
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05/14/034 |
Name Badge.
. .Every Year the Fund Raiser for Band Was
Selling the "World's Finest Chocolate Bars"
Courtesy of Susan Whitcomb Harlin ('72) of TX Thanks, Susan! |
| 03/15/04 |
"World's Finest Chocolate Bars" Courtesy of Dave Spriggs ('64) of VA Thanks, Dave! |
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This page was created and dedicated on Thursday, March 18, 2004
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I don't know if we have any other NNHS band directors out there still teaching. If so e-mail me at llrmb@aol.com.
I have been teaching Band and sometimes Chorus in Spotsylvania County for 37
years, first at Spotsylvania HS
1967-1979, then Courtland HS 1980-1989, then
Chancellor HS 1990-present. In the 1980's the state began offering
schools the status of VIRGINIA HONOR BAND if that Band program received a
SUPERIOR at the State Marching
Festival and a SUPERIOR at the District Band
Festival. (not as easy as it sounds)
(When we were
at Newport News under Mr. Wilson he always took us to Festival as a non-graded
group - we were
known through-out the state as the OUTLAW Band because we
refused to be graded. (found this out later)
This year my
Chancellor HS Band received its ninth Virginia Honor Band award. My bands at
Courtland received
Virginia Honor Band 7 times. Usually this award goes to
about 30-40 bands per year statewide. My total
of 16 VHB awards puts me 6th
on the all time State list. My thanks go to James Wilson and the girls and
guys
in the Typhoon Band who taught me that winning spirit- we never lost at
Winchester because we worked too hard to lose.
Believe it or
not you would recognize my band students because they have that same Typhoon
spirit today -
that's why we are so successful in marching and in the concert hall.
I know a call
has been put out to all the Typhoon Band members to check in and lets plan a
big reunion somewhere
with Wilson. We did have a great time - does he know
that? I really think that would be great - remember you
never know who won't
be here tomorrow so if it is ever going to happen NOW IS A GOOD TIME -----
and Craig Miller ('63) did say we could all come stay at his house down Miami way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Ken Lipscomb
('63) of VA - 03/13/04
Thanks, Kenny!
I don't know how big Craig's home is, but somehow I doubt that he intended
for hundreds of us to descend upon him at once, but it does sound like fun!
Congratulations on your accomplishments!
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...It was so great to see the band pictures. I was so gosh-darn proud of our
band.
I was not a band member (my mother made me take piano lessons) but my brother
Bill was
in the band.
I made both of my children join band in middle school. Son Chuck plays trumpet
and daughter
Becky plays flute and piccolo.
We live in a small town and the band gave them both something fun to look
forward to doing, parades, football games, etc.
They were not hugely athletic in school, our son later obtained
his black belt
in karate and daughter is an accomplished ballet dancer. When Chuck received
his commission
into the US Navy at UVa the Marine Band from Quantico came and
played
"The Stars and Stripes Forever"...
the piccolo soloist was a young woman and she
came down front and center
and played it for the audience.
My daughter leaned over and whispered into my
ear..."that is a real b---- to play!"
In today's world it seems
that the band members are eclipsed by the
jocks...perhaps it was always that way, but you know, musicians
sure do have
something great to take through their entire life, that is the way I feel about
it.
- Jean Poole Burton ('64) of RI - 06/24/04
Thanks, Jean!
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Jean's comments
made me wonder just how many of our former band members
kept up with their instruments after high school. In 1976 we moved to Ste.
Genevieve, MO,
a lovely historic town on the banks of the Mississippi River. They had a
municipal band
which played weekly outdoor concerts in the summer on the back steps of the
parochial school.
Spectators would park their cars in the adjacent parking lot, and honk their
horns for applause.
As participation in the band itself was open to the public - no auditions, just
willing spirits - I took my flute
and joined them for several seasons, even after we moved a good clip up the road
to Pevely, MO in 1979.
It was great fun; I had a marvelous time!
The Fourth of July Concert was always held in the ball field, preceding the
municipal fireworks show.
Each year there always seemed to be several pranksters in the crowd
who would "share" some firecrackers
with the band. How exciting!
One year the piccolo player was out of town for this concert. She let me
borrow
her piccolo,
and the responsibility for the piccolo solo on "The Stars and Stripes Forever"
fell to me - ME! EEEK!!
I must concur with your daughter's assessment, Jean!
Thanks for the memory - and the laugh!
- Carol Buckley Harty ('65) of NC - 06/29/04
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I have many fond memories of my days in
the band.
Mr. Wilson
was very strict, but it sure paid off.
Every year, we would compete in the Winchester Apple Blossom Festival, one of
the largest and best
parades in the state. I think we won the best marching band award five years in
a row from 1961-65,
came in second place in 1966, and didn't even place in my senior year (ha!).
Anyway, in 1965, I think,
it was raining during the parade. Mr. Wilson decided that the band should wear
see-through rain coats
over our uniforms, which we thought was very considerate of him. The viewing
stand was at the very
end of the parade, and you had to make a left turn before the judges could see
the band. So, right
before the turn, Mr. Wilson yells, "Rip off the raincoats, and let them drop to
the ground". So we did,
and as we made the turn, we looked like we just stepped off the bus. I don't
know if the raincoats
made the difference (we won first place), but what a great strategy! Mr. Wilson
had done it again!
- Clifford Smith ('67) of AL - 01/22/05
Thanks, Clifford!
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We were some of the luckiest individuals
on the planet to be where we were! What about the 5 straight first place
finishes
of the
Typhoon Band
at the Shenandoah Apple
Blossom Festival Grand Feature Parades? No one came
even close to that
record of consistency for many years. In
May of '64, we played through all five
selections, from that
year and the four
previous -
Giant,
March of the Olympians,
El Cid, Parade of the Charioteers, and
Conquest - (the order?) in the
judging area on Handley Boulevard in Winchester. All those selections were not
watered down at all, and were challenging
enough to play sitting down - let alone while marking time, and also
moving
ahead in the parade lineup, in the judging area,
where we were stopped, for some reason. That is some
feat, when you realize that
the judging stand was at the end of a nearly
two mile parade, and it was in the heat
of the afternoon! We were powerful,
superbly conditioned and taught, and we showed
everyone there just what
superior coaching (again!) and adequate preparation
could accomplish...meanwhile the rescue squads
were doing
their usual brisk business with the other poor souls who were not as
well prepared by their 'coaches' - we had
the real Coach!
By the way, after the parade, we simply changed into traveling clothes at the
armory, and went
to dinner across
the street! I'm sure there is much more, but those memories resurface from time
to time in my mind -
no apologies - and I
think about how fortunate I was to be around people like that!
- Jimmy Hines ('64) of Northern VA -
04/29/05
Thanks so much, Jimmy!
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The string of victories by the band at Winchester was something. But I remember
the parade being longer
than two miles and several hills involved. Of course, that could be like us
walking ten miles to school in the
snow barefoot. You said we were "well drilled", and that's no joke. My second
week in Air Force basic
training I was called to the DI's office and told I was being made a squad
leader. The DI said he knew I was
from Virginia and wanted to know which military school I had attended. I told
him I was in the NNHS band
but he wouldn't believe me. Still asked me the same question on graduation
day. So yes, the many hours
of practice and hard work paid off for us personally, and for the reputation of
the school. It was great to see
Mr. Wilson last October and let him know how
much influence he had on so many lives.
- Dave Arnold
('65) of VA - 04/29/05
Thanks, Dave!
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"Theme Song from
Giant" midi courtesy of
http://home.online.no/~gunnar-a/Shad-ThemeGiant.mid
thanks to the magic of Dave Spriggs ('64) of VA - 06/13/03
Thanks so much, Dave!
Animated Typhoon clip art courtesy of http://memeart.tripod.com/Weather.html - 04/17/08
Musical Bar clip art courtesy of http://clipart-darktreasures.com/Clip_Art/ClipArtMusicSheetMusic.htm - 02/05/04
