Beardstown High School Band - 1936
Posted by: 
YoSam.
N 40° 01.024 W 090° 26.057
15T E 718966 N 4432804
Must have been a great trip in 1936, would be an exciting one, even today.
Waymark Code: WMKTMX
Location: Illinois, United States
Date Posted: 05/29/2014
Views: 2
County of marker: Cass County
Location of marker: State St. side, Art Zeeck Park, Beardstown
Marker erected by Beardstown High School
Date marker erected: 1936
Marker text:
Dedicated to
BEARDSTOWN HIGH SCHOOL BAND
F. H. Swift, Director
Winner of
Superior Rating
National High School Band Contest
Cleveland, Ohio
1936
"Sometimes in history there are those events which, in retrospect, fostered consequences far exceeding what the original instigators ever could have imagined. Such was the case with the Schools Band Contest of America first held in 1923. This first "national" event, sponsored by instrument manufacturers for the sole purpose of boosting sales of band instruments, grew well beyond its original purpose. Over the next decade and beyond it helped bring stability to school band programs that had struggled through a sporadic past, while raising the standards of performance and literature in America's school bands.
"The aforementioned social climate of the 1920's and the end of World War I brought about a decline in both professional and military bands. The band instrument industry was in desperate need of a new market for instrument sales. With school band programs on the rise, and music supervisors becoming more accepting of band programs in the curricula, the manufacturers began to build a new market base.
"Plans were in place to have the next contest in Des Moines, Iowa, but political and economic events of the depression caused the event to be canceled. When the event resumed in 1933 divisional ratings were introduced, changing the competitive climate of the event significantly. For the subsequent contests held through 1931 there was an individual winner, whereas in later years this practice was discontinued in favor of a system where ratings by numbers were issued, ranging from excellent to poor. By using this system, there was the possibility of having several first divisions awarded.
"The contests had done an extraordinarily good job of raising the quality of school bands. The performance level of the bands and quality of literature performed had improved. But concerns began to be voiced as to the overall benefit of the contests. First, there was the aforementioned concern about the intense rivalry leading to one overall winner. Also, school officials questioned the travel expense involved during a time of depression, as well as the interruption of class routine. The educational value of focusing long periods of time on a very limited repertory also came into question. It came down to a simple evaluation of whether the problems resulting in preparation and expense to perform at the national contest could be justified educationally and financially. No doubt echoing their sentiments were the increasing number of band directors who swelled the ranks of the loser category in the contests.
"The national contest in 1933 was held in Evanston, Illinois. The 1934 and 1936 contests were held in Des Moines, Iowa and Cleveland, Ohio, respectively. By 1938, it was perceived that the national contest had become too large to manage, so regional contests were sponsored, instead. In time, state run contests would become the dominant force, and have remained so to the present." ~ The entire article can be read here: The American School Band Movement