jefferson bands

did you know...

• the first orchestra (10 members) was directed by Jacob Jordan, the physics teacher in 1915.

• the orchestra first performed at convos and basketball games, and was directed by Paul Smith, the history teacher in 1916.

• the first female orchestra director was Miss Camille White, a Purdue graduate, in 1919.

• the first high school band (1926) had both high school (14) and grade school (18) members, and was all male.

• the first high school band (1926) was directed by Miss Camille White, but "Charles Lee takes her place in public."

• John Phillip Sousa was the honored guest at a Jeff band concert in 1926.

• in 1927, the first uniform consisted of a military style hat and  cape over regular white shirt and pants.

• Jeff first attended a state marching band contest in 1931.

• in 1933, the band practiced at 7:20am Monday through Friday. 

• female musicians were not  allowed to participate in the Jeff marching band until 1941.

• in 1943, the band director reported that the "band numbers are down due to losing quite a few boys to the service."

• the price of the tickets to the Band Spring Concert was set at 15 cents in 1944..

• 1949 Band and Orchestra Parents Club minutes show Mr. McAdams asking the parents to consider private lessons, "as the present standards could be raised in this way."

• Mr. McAdams had the first, week-long, away from school band camp in 1950.

• in1957 the director, Richard Bowles, wrote a march, "Field of Color" especially for Purdue's high school band day - in which over 8,000 players from 175 Indiana schools (including Jeff) participated

• Jeff's spacious new school building, with a separate music wing opened in 1970

• Carroll Copeland took the band back to Miami for its second appearance in the Orange Bowl Parade in 1971

• in 1976. the marching band, under the direction of Gary Wishmeyer, was 194 strong, and included 8 majorettes, 16 flags, 3 rifles, 1 twirler and 2 drum majors.

• Star City Festival, a Drum Corps International competition, was sponsored by the music department. Lafayette saw the Phantom Regiment, Madison Scouts, Guardsmen and Cavaliers in 1977

• Richard Miles, the new director in 1980, featured his #1 Drumline from marching band contest in the newly formed Percussion Ensemble.

• the marching band participated in the 1983 World's Fair Parade in Knoxville, TN. 

• in 1984, the first year of the state concert competition, Jeff made the "Sweet 16".

• the marching band placed 5th at the 1984 Grand National Competition in Indianapolis.

• the marching band played in the Hoosier Dome for a Colts football game in 1985.

• Buddy Rich played a concert at Jeff in 1986.

• percussion ensemble performed at the 1989 Indiana Music Educators Association Conference.

• in 1991, the Wind Ensemble made the state finals in concert competition.

• in 1994, The Gala Affair is held for the first time in the corral. Only wind ensemble performed.

• in 1995 there were 8 drum majors.

• marching band participates in the 1999 Kentucky Derby "Pegasus Parade."

• the Wind Ensemble performs at the 2014 Indiana Music Education Association conference in Fort Wayne, IN.

• the marching band participated in the 2016 Hollywood Christmas Parade in Hollywood, CA.

• all percussion students in the Lafayette School Corporation present a combined performance at the 2023 Indiana Music Education Association conference in Fort Wayne, IN.