"Although the students here at Newport News High School have varied interests, there is one that all have in common - school spirit.  This quality has come to be synonymous in the minds of our student body with a man whose own enthusiastic and infectious pride in our school has made him become, in effect, our faculty sponsor of school spirit."
1961 Anchor, p. 6 - "DEDICATED TO MISS WISE, FOR YOUR KNOWLEDGE, and to MR. WILSON, FOR YOUR SPIRIT"
04/24/04

THEN:		NOW:
		Saturday, October 23, 2004 1964's 40-Year Reunion - Newport News, VA
1965 Anchor, p. 21	1972 Anchor	Carol Buckley Harty ('65) of NC and Mr. Jim Wilson of VA	Mr. and Mrs. James P. Wilson of Emporia, VA
04/17/04	Courtesy of Tim Parsons ('73) of VA - 10/17/04 Thanks, Tim!	11/02/04	08/18/07

I LOVE this job!  Out of the clear blue sky I received a phone call this morning from Mr. Wilson!
What a delight!  We had great fun both remembering the past and anticipating October's reunion.
He gave me permission not only to add him to the Alumni Page, but to post his email addy for you here.
Thanks, Mr. Wilson!

- Carol Buckley Harty ('65) of NC - 07/14/04

I bowled with Mr. Wilson in a local league here on the southside a few years ago. He looked great.
I remember when he gave me a choice once after I got a pink slip.
He said, "Ok, you can have 5 days or 5 licks. " I took the 5 licks.
I was instructed to take my wallet out of my pocket and bend over.
He gave me 5 licks with a paddle that had holes in it. And it hurt like heck. 
I'm not sure what I did wrong but I'm sure I deserved it and I never did it again.

Tim Parsons ('73) of VA - 10/17/04
HA HA!  Thanks, Tim!

As for James Wilson - not a hero of mine at the time and certainly no love lost between us -
nor probably any other drummer he ever directed.
However, he did insist on a standard of excellence that was unmatched in the 60’s and I have yet
to see a HS band that could come close to his NNHS TYPHOON MARCHING SENOR BAND.
When I reflect on things I learned from him … not a single note, rudiment nor cadence
comes to mind (Ms Shockley taught me how to play) -
but Mr. Wilson taught me about setting a goal and achieving it, about insisting
on extraordinary as being your ordinary, about discipline, dedication and PRIDE.

- Jim Dossett ('66) of FL - 10/29/04
Thanks, Jim!

I remember how angry Mr. Wilson would become with the whole percussion section from time to time.
He'd throw his baton across the room and yell, "You're not percussionists; you're just a bunch of drummers!"
Of course, his constantly raising the bar meant that the Typhoon Band had the best percussion section anywhere.
All seven of my children participated in band at least for a time.
So often I remember thinking how Mr. Wilson would never have tolerated the lack of discipline,
the shoddy appearances, the almost intentional mediocrity which sometimes prevailed among
some (but blessedly not all) of their directors, due to lack of attention to detail.
I would see those bands in concert, and they would not snap their instruments to attention,
they would wiggle and squirm in their chairs, they would even (gasp!) talk to each other.
I watched them in parades and their ranks were crooked, they would be out of step, and their shoes didn't even match.
And I would hear their lame drum cadences and think, "Oh, why don't they just play the Gil-Walk?!?"
And then I'd remember. The Gil-Walk wasn't a nationally known cadence.
It was composed by Bill Gilbert and John Walker, both of the Class of 1964,
probably while they were still freshmen.
Bill even taught me how to play the snare drum part myself, back in '63.
I remember it still, just as surely as I can still play "Fanfare and Giant" on my flute.
It may not have been famous; it was simply the best.

- Carol Buckley Harty ('65) of NC - 11/05/04

Forever and always he will be Mr. James P. Wilson, Jr. - never just Mr. Wilson or, heaven forbid, Jim!
Mr. James P. Wilson, Jr. instilled in his band members the qualities of dedication to whatever pursuit one is involved, whether
being in the band, studying for other classes, being kind to others, being prepared,
or being one member of a larger group contributing our best.
To this day I use Mr. James P. Wilson, Jr. as a role model. I expect the people I supervise to be on time,
prepared and ready to contribute to the group.
My favorite memory of being in the band is the (Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival Parade in) Winchester each year, and
winning the trophy each year, of course! After the parade we would travel to interesting places including Gettysburg. No outsider
could ever believe a group as large as ours (125 to 150+ members) could dress exactly alike, right down to our socks and shoes,
and behave so politely given that we were all teenagers!
Remember the year it rained ('66) and we all wore raincoats until just before the reviewing stand? We really looked sharp
compared to all the other bands. We won that trophy, too!
I went back to Winchester about 10 years ago for the parade, and I can say with all truthfulness there was no band, of any size,
from anywhere, who could hold a candle to us! We were the best!
I have many more memories of the four years I was in Mr. James P. Wilson, Jr. 's band. I'm sure you all do, too.
Mr. James P. Wilson, Jr. should be proud of the legacy he left at Newport News High School. He is one of a kind.
Thank you, Mr. James P. Wilson, Jr.

- Shirley Eanes Matthews ('66) of ? - 02/11/05:
Thank you, Shirley!  I'll add my "Amen" to all of that.

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!

Seventy-Six Trombones

Seventy-six trombones led the big parade
 With a hundred and ten cornets close at hand.
 They were followed by rows and rows of the finest virtuo-
 Sos, the cream of ev'ry famous band.
 
 Seventy-six trombones caught the morning sun
 With a hundred and ten cornets right behind.
 There were more than a thousand reeds
 Springing up like weeds;
 There were horns of ev'ry shape and kind.
 
 There were copper bottom tympani in horse platoons,
 Thundering, thundering all along the way.
 Double bell euphoniums and big bassoons,
 Each bassoon having it's big, fat say!
 
 There were fifty mounted cannon in the battery,
 Thundering, thundering louder than before.
 Clarinets of ev'ry size
 And trumpeters who'd improvise
 A full octave higher than the score.

"Seventy-Six Trombones" midi courtesy of http://www.prairiefrontier.com/pfcards1/music/patriotic/76tromb.mid,
at the suggestion of Dave Spriggs ('64) of VA - 06/13/03 
Thanks, Dave!

"Seventy-Six Trombones" lyrics courtesy of http://www.lyricsdownload.com - 06/13/03

Animated Army Flag clip art courtesy of http://www.angelfire.com/ny4/KevsGifsGalore/Patriotic.html - 06/18/03

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