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Tuesday, June 20, 1939Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
The Globe Gazette
Marble Rock Enters First Festival Queen Candidate 28 Communities to Send Bands ________ STEPS TAKEN TO GET FUNDS FOR ANNUAL PROJECT All Events Will Be Free to Public; June 20 Date Set
The Chamber of Commerce also announced the first entry of candidates for Miss North Iowa, queen of the festival. Miss Dorothy Keith of Marble Rock. Indications are that this, the fourth North Iowa band festival and second annual entertainment of North Iowa royalty will again be a colossal event. Last year the festival drew the largest crowd ever to assemble in the Roosevelt stadium, a throng estimated at from 10,000 to 15,000. The initial step toward financing the project will be taken at a breakfast Thursday morning to be attended by 50 businesses and professional persons, who will endeavor to raise the required $2,500 for handling the project. All events on the program will be free to the public. The program will follow the same general plan as that of the 1938 festival with a parade at 11 o'clock in the morning and band concerts in Central park throughout the day. Candidates for Miss North Iowa will again ride in open cars in the parade and will be honor guests of a noon luncheon. Also to be invited to this luncheon are the mayors, presidents of the school boards, superintendents, principals and band directors of the participating communities. The grand finale will again be held at the Roosevelt stadium, with the bands in the stadium seats and the crowd in a large hollow square facing the stadium, leaving room in the center for drill work. Last year 43 bands and 4 drum corps from 43 communities participated in the festival. With 28 communities already entered the general committee is certain of an equally large representation. Instead of asking organizations for floats, the committee is planning to try out a new feature this year. It is proposing to offer cash prizes of $40, $30, $20 and $10 for the best decorated private automobiles in the parade. The festival will again be sponsored by the Mason City Chamber of Commerce with the following committee in charge: W. L. Nichols, chairman; C. A. Parker, Dan G. Klempnauer, John D. Vance, Carleton L. Stewart, C. F. Weaver and Don W. Wieder. Among the 23 bands entered for the festival thus far is Waverly which is in the event for the first time. Responsible for the entry is Bob Bagley, formerly of Mason City, in charge of the band and music activities of the Waverly schools. Following are the other 27 communities entering bands, practically all of them school organizations: Alexander, Belmond, Britt, Buffalo Center, Chapin, Clarion, Clear Lake, Dumont, Fertile, Fonda (municipal), Garner, Hampton, Hanlontown, Kensett, Klemme, Manly, Marble Rock, Meservey, Nora Springs, Osage, Rockford, Rudd, St. Ansgar, Thompon, Titonka, Ventura and Geneva.
30 BANDS NOW REGISTERED FOR BIG CELEBRATION Fourth Annual Summer Music Event Will Be Held June 20 Interest in the North Iowa band festival with its parade, mass concert and other colorful events in Mason City June 20 continues to gather momentum. The Chamber of Commerce, sponsoring organization, Monday announced that 30 bands are already registered for the mammoth music celebration. The announcement also was made that Edna Witt, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Witt, has been chosen the Nora Springs candidate for queen of the festival. Satisfactory progress is being made in the solicitation of funds to handle the program, which will be free to the public, it was stated. Special entertainment features will be a luncheon feting the queens at noon. At this luncheon there will also be mayors, presidents of school boards, suprintendents, principals and band directors of the participating communities. As now planned the parade of bands and floats will take place at 11 o'clock in the morning. Bands will play in Central park throughout the day and in the evening there will be the grand finale program in Roosevelt stadium. This program will include a mass band concert and the crowning of the queen of the festival. This will be the fourth North Iowa band festival and the second annual entertainment of North Iowa royalty. Interest in the project appears to increase each year. Last year, when the celebration was held as part of the Iowa territorial centennial and the eighty-fifth anniversary of Mason City, it was estimated that 15,000 persons were in attendance. Forty-three bands and four drum corps participated.
The Globe Gazette
TO PARTICIPATE IN PARADE WITH MARCHING BANDS Rules for Contest Announced by Local Committee in Charge The North Iowa band festival committee announces $100 in prized for the best decorated automobile entered in the festival parade on Tuesday, June 20. The automobiles entered must be privately owned passenger cars but they may be open cars, sedans or any type and may come from Mason City or vicinity or any town which enters a band in the festival. The prize money will be divided into four amounts of $40, $30, $20, and $10 and the committee of judges will be the final authority on what is meant by the word "best." They can take into consideration novelty as well as beauty, but the cars must be decorated. Decorations may be natural or artificial, flowers, bunting, flags or any kind may be used, just so their use is appropriate.
As contestants enter a simple set of rules will be sent them. The cars will be expected to participate in the morning parade at 11 a. m., when they will be judged, and to appear again at night at the stadium where the winners will be announced. The committee states that there will be no limit on the number which may be entered, but that unless a minimum of 25 cars are entered by June 3 it will reserve the right to either reject all entries of private cars or change the prize basis and allow cars to be also entered by organizations. "We are also inviting privately owned passenger automobiles in the contest," said Chairman W. L. Nichols, "for two or three reasons: In the first place, organizations of the city have provided the floats for three years of band festival parades. We want to relieve them this year of this work, even though they might like an opportunity to earn some of the prize money.
"Enter your car now, folks, and help assure the committee that we will have an outstanding parade again. We know we will have the bands. Thirty are already entered, and our problem will probably be like last year, how to take care of them. With the bands, the candidates for Miss North Iowa riding in open cars, and some beautifully decorated passenger cars we ought to have a parade that will be a record breaker for beauty and novelty."
The Globe Gazette
TOWNS REGISTER CANDIDATES FOR REIGNING BEAUTY 50 Bands and Drum Corps to Take Part in Mammoth Spectacle. Heavy registration of queen candidates from North Iowa communities has featured preparations this week for the North Iowa band festival to be held in Mason City Tuesday, June 20. Indications are there will be at least as many aspirants for the coveted role of Miss North Iowa as there were in the big centennial celebration and band festival last year. The queens will ride in open cars in the parade of bands and floats at 11 o'clock in the morning. They will be guests together with officials of their town and school at a luncheon to be held at noon at the Hotel Hanford. They will be guests at a theater party in the afternoon and will be especially honored at the massed band concert and spectacle at the Roosevelt stadium in the evening. It will be at this grand finale at the Roosevelt stadium that the identity of Miss North Iowa, queen of the band festival will be revealed. She will be crowned and clothed in royal robes for the occasion. The route of the parade will be from the Hotel Hanford south on Federal avenue to Fifth street south, then east on Fifth street one block to Delaware avenue, then north on Delaware to Second street northeast and east to the Lincoln school, while will be the headquarters for the visiting bands during the celebration. With 50 bands and drum and bugle corps, as well as a score or more of beautiful floats and the queens from most of the participating communities, the parade is expected to draw throngs of spectators along the line of march. The queen candidates are:
Transcriber's Note: Try as I might, I could not find Miss North Iowa Band Festival Queen Candidates No. 8 and No. 40.
Queen Ceremony, Massed Concert on From Stadium
[Page 3] Music in the air and on the air! KGLO microphones will follow the 44 bands, 4 drum corps and 40 queens when they come to Mason City Tuesday for the North Iowa Band festival so that listeners may have all the highlights of the day. Beginning with the parade shortly before noon and continuing through until the final note of the massed band concert dies out at the stadium in the evening, KGLO will be on the job to cover main events and present several of the bands on the air from the Wagner-Mozart music hall. With the aid of the mobile unit, the KGLO force will be able to present a complete picture of the band and queen parade in the morning, beginning at 11:45 o'clock, or earlier if necessary, and continuing until 12:15 p. m. Bands to be heard from the music hall in the afternoon are:
If ceremonies at Roosevelt stadium get started on schedule, a preview of the queen-crowning, marching bands and massed concert program will be aired from 7:15 to 7:30. The 8 o'clock newscasts will be opened with announcements from the stadium naming the entry who has been selected as North Iowa Queen.
The massed concert from Roosevelt stadium, in which all of the bands will join under direction of Carleton Stewart, will be aired from 9 to 9:30 p. m. Numbers to be heard on the massed concert are: "The Military Escort," "Washington Post" and the "North Iowa Band Festival."
[Page 12] [Page 16] All members of the Mason City high school marching band have been asked to report at the music hall at 9 o'clock Monday morning for rehearsal. Practice will be held at that time, according to J. J. Fitzgerald, for participation in the Tuesday band festival parade.
More Than 2,000 To Take Part In Band Festival on Tuesday
With 40 queens from 40 North Iowa communities outside of Mason City providing the largest procession of pulchritude in the history of North Iowa and nearly 2,100 musicians in 48 bands and drum and bugle corps thundering their salute, the festival has all the elements of the gigantic 1938 celebration and more, members of the community point out. Sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce, the festival provides the greatest gathering of bandsmen ever held in North Iowa, with Mason City playing the role of an entertaining host.
Climax of the celebration will be the massed band concert of the more than 2,000 bandsmen and the coronation of Miss North Iowa, queen of the festival at the Roosevelt stadium at 7 o'clock in the evening. The 40 queens, chosen on the basis of popularity, personality, scholarship and participation in school activities in each of their home communities will be seen in the morning parade. They will be the guests of the Chamber of Commerce at a luncheon at the Hotel Hanford at noon.
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BEAUTIES FROM NORTH IOWA TO RECEIVE HONORS Procession of Pulchritude to Start With Morning Parade
[Page 2, Section 2] Many a city over North America has been a flutter with plans and anticipation connected with the visit of royalty this spring. North Iowa has had its share. It had the crown prince and crown princess of two countries, Norway and Denmark. Few cities, however, have made more elaborate preparations for the entertainment of royalty than Mason City is making to fete the 40 queens who will be her guests at the North Iowa band festival here Tuesday. This is the fourth annual North Iowa band festival and the second annual entertainment of North Iowa royalty. Each of these queens represents a community in North Iowa, outside of Mason City. Each one will be given special honors in the band festival program. And most thrilling of all - one of these 40 queens will be selected as Miss North Iowa, queen of the band festival. That will take place at the concluding program at the Roosevelt stadium at 7 o'clock in the evening. The queen will be named in the early part of the program and the 39 other candidates will form her court. The queens, however, will have special entertainment throughout the day. At the 11 o'clock parade they will ride in open cars, each one adjacent to her community's band. At 12:30 o'clock the queens will be honored guests at a luncheon in the Wedgewood room of the Hotel Hanford. Also guests at this gathering will be city officials and school officials, including the bandmasters of the participating communities. It will be at this luncheon that the queens will be eyed by the judges who will select the festival queen. They also will observe the queens as they ride in the parade. In the afternoon the queens will attend a theater party that has been arranged for them. After the theater party the girls will be served a buffet supper, following which they will be conveyed to the stadium in order to be in the position before the opening at 7 o'clock. The queens will be in charge of a special committee of hostesses made up of Miss Bea Lynch, chairman, Mrs. Francis Darland, Mrs. Bob Ferguson, Mrs. Kenneth Neu and Mrs. Chester DeSart. And -- here is the official list of queens:
Under Leader of Chairman Nichols, Chamber of Commerce Members Planned Many Details of Huge Celebration All is in readiness for the opening of Mason City's fourth annual band festival and second entertainment of North Iowa royalty after weeks of work and preparations chiefly by a group of committees centered in the Chamber of Commerce. These committees have held numerous meetings and their members have devoted a large among of time to plans to assure success of this huge music event. Leadership in the preparations, of course, has been centered in W. L. Nichols, chairman of the general committee. Other members of this general committee are: D. G. Klempanauer, John Vance, C. A. Parker, Carleton L. Stewart, Charles F. Weaver and Don W. Wieder. The big parade was planned and leadership in handling it will come out of Paul McAuley's committee, made up of Fred Wagner, Bob Stoyles, Jay Tubbesing, Dr. V. E. Wicks, John Adams, Keith DeLacey, Dr. John Hood, John Morrison and Bill Sullivan. The program is in charge of a committee made up of John D. Vance, chairman, Carleton L. Stewart and Nick Schael.
The following were members of these teams: Walt Bramhall, Joe Price, Grover Relp, John Vance, Leo Davey, Claude Sinnett, H. E. VanEssen, L. E. Blanchard, George Harrer, Paul Pappas, James Rae, Dan Klempnauer, Henry Kimmel, Tad Martin, Dean Lightner, Fritz Olson, Carl Merkel, Jack Bodier, W. P. Tyler, G. E. Allbee, Don Innes, Paul Pritchard, Lloyd Geer, Dan McCloud, Bill Berger, C. E. Weaver, Lyle Liefbendorfer, Ray Prusia, Roger Patton, John Corsaut, C. E Leffler, L. J. Swanson, F. R. Fockler, H. L. Gore, George Mendon, C. V. McCarthy, M. W. Burns, C. M. Schaffer, H. B. Farrer, H. W. Wormhoudt, Fred Wagner, K. K. Kier, L. S. Sanders, E. J. Sprengeler, Ross Potter, A. M. Adh, Roger Flickinger, Jake Douglas, C. E. Cornwell, E. C. Jones, Dick Currie, Don Fitzgerald and L. T. Oldham. The committee in charge of arrangements for the entertainment of the North Iowa queens is headed by Mr. Klempnaur. Other members of the committee are: Carl Merkel, Henry Kimmel, G. E. Allbee, F. M. Humphrey and Paul Pritchard, who is in charge of the arrangements for the open cars. Hostesses for the queens are Miss Bea Lynch, chairman, Mrs. Francis Darland, Mrs. Bob Ferguson, Mrs. Kenneth Neu and Mrs. Chester DeSart. Mayor R. E. Pauley will head a committee for the reception of visiting notables. Other members on the committee are: Mrs. G. E. Bresse. City Manager Herbert T. Barclay, R. E. Robertson, Supt. R. B. Irons of the city schools, Principal James Rae of the high school and Carleton Stewart. W. A. Storer is in charge of headquarters for the visiting bands at the Lincoln school Garrett Chapman, chef de gare of the Forty and Eight, will be in charge of the ushers at the stadium. The committee on police, parking and platform is made up of Police Chief Harold Wolfe, G. E. McEldoon and R. D. "Duke" Molesworth.
Tuesday Night at Stadium MASSED BANDS TO PLAY UNDER STEWART BATON Coronation of Queen to be Climax of Big Celebration
The program for this evening event will include the coronation of the beautiful Miss North Iowa, around whom the other queen candidates will act as a court. A massed band concert will be given and exhibition drills presented. Arrangements in the seating of band members and spectators will be different than in other years. This time the bands - almost 50 of them - will occupy the grandstand, while the spectators will sit on bleachers, planked seats and the grass below. Bleachers are being procured from the North Iowa fair and other sources. Planked seats are in the process of being constructed in order to have all in readiness for the Gargantuan night program.
At 8 o'clock the entry of the floats will take place with the awarding of prizes. The Chamber of Commerce is offering $100 in prizes for the best floats in the morning parade. An exhibition drill will be presented by the Humboldt high school marching band, division No. 1 winners, under the direction of T. M. Talmadge. At 8"30 o'clock one of the big events of the festival takes place, the massed band concert by more than 2,000 band members under the direction of Carleton L. Stewart of the Mason City high school. The bands will play "Crossley March," Fillmore; "Officer of the Day," Hall; and "El Capitan," Sousa. Following these massed band numbers the Iowa training school band from Eldora under the direction of I. A. Lowell will give an exhibition drill. Last year's festival convinced the visiting thousands these boys could drill. At 9 o'clock there will be three more massed band numbers, "Military Escort," Fillmore; "Washington Post," Sousa; and "North Iowa Band Festival," composition in honor of the Mason City event by Berryman.
LINE OF MARCH ALONG FEDERAL AND DELAWARE Queens to Ride in Open Cars; Floats Add Beauty, Color
The column will be headed by motorcycle police, followed by police cars and officials, after which will come the Mason City Legion junior drum and bugle corps. Following these initial units will be the queens riding in open cars so they can be readily be seen by everyone. Each queen will be followed by the band from her community. There will also appear in the parade the school and city officials from each of the participating communities. Scattered through the long columns, adding to the beauty and interest of the moving spectacle will be floats provided by Mason City civic organizations. Floats have been entered by the Cerro Gordo county chapter of the American Red Cross, Boy Scouts of American, Cerro Gordo Safety council, Elks club, Girl Scouts of America, Junior Chamber of Commerce, Lions club, Kiwanis club, Rotary club, Mason City Woman's club, I. O. O. F. home, North Iowa fair, Patty and her Gang, Vance Music company, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Y. W. C. A. One of the marching units that will attract special attention is the Eldora training school band, which was invited to the festival because of the popular demand for the organization caused by its brilliant performance last year. Bands in charge of directors and school officials will start arriving in Mason City early Tuesday morning. Maintaining the Lincoln school at Second street northeast as their headquarters throughout the day, the bands will gather at specified places on streets intersecting Federal avenue north of the Hotel Hanford in order to be ready for the signal to "forward march" in the parade. Forty-four bands from 44 communities are booked for the parade, including the Mason City high school band under the direction of Carleton L. Stewart. Besides, there will be four drum and bugle corps, the Mason City Legion unit under the direction of R. L. Bailey, as well as the junior drum and bugle corps from Clear Lake and Ventura under the direction of John Kopecky and the Swaledale drum and bugle corps.
Demonstrations Also Will Be Presented on Festival Day
While the main attractions of the band festival will be the parade in the morning and the massed band concert and coronation of the queen in the evening, the big celebration Tuesday has other features that will interest visitors. For instance, there is to be a series of concerts and marching demonstrations. The concerts will be in Central park and the demonstrations on Federal avenue adjacent to the park. Two small massed band concerts are included in the repertory. The Manly band under the direction of Lawrence Hahn will give the first concert at 9 o'clock, followed at 9:20 by the Nora Springs band under E. L. Snyder. Osage bandsmen, under direction of Frank Piersol, will play at 9:40 o'clock and Ralph Geer's Kensett band at 10 o'clock. A marching demonstration will be given by the Dumont band under M. W. Seip's direction at 10:20 o'clock. A performance will be given by the Clear Lake junior drum and bugle corps at 10:40 o'clock. No concerts will be given during the period when the parade is staged, but at 12 o'clock events start again with a small massed band concert under the direction of Joe Berryman. Participating in this concert will be the bands from Rockwell, Sheffield, Clarksville, Riceville, Ventura, Algona, Klemme and Swaledale. At 12:20 o'clock the Ackley band under the direction of Marilyn Ridout will give a demonstration. This will be followed by a series of concerts as follows: 12:40 p.m., Forest City, Hugh J. Croft; 1 p. m., Fonda, Howard P. Berry; 1:20 p.m., Garner, Donald O. Anderson; 1:40 p.m., Rockford, J. T. Haugen; 2 p. m., Eagle Grove, Marcus G. Boe; 2:20 p.m., Rudd, Darwin T. Maurer; 2:40 p. m., St. Ansgar, Donald Barrows; 3 p. m., Thompson, Daniel L. Martin; 3:20 p. m., Thornton-Meservey, R. C. Hovey; 4 p. m., Greene, R. O. Morris; 4:20 p. m., Belmond, F. F. Griffen; 4:40 p. m., Clear Lake, John Kopecky. At 5 o'clock in the afternoon there will be another massed band concert in Central park, this one under the direction of Carleton L. Stewart. Bands taking part in this concert will be from Alexander, Britt, Buffalo Center, Leland, Fertile, Geneva, Goodell, Hanlontown, Elmore, Minn., and Hayfield. [Page 6, Section 2] Large Committee Is Announced to Handle Multitude of Details
Bands Instructed to Reach Stadium by Way of Federal Avenue
Each Coming With Band for Big North Iowa Musical Event
F. O. Griffen was recently elected president of the Iowa Bandmaster's association. Both sons are completing their first year in their present positions, Durwood coming to Britt from Minnesota, and both have been band leaders for three or four years. Neither has yet equaled their father's record at Hampton of having his band rate superior in the national contest the past two years. It is not surprising that the Griffen boys are musicians. "They were practically reared in a band room," said their father in a recent interview. In reply to the
After studying music with their father, and, of course being members of his band, both boys attended Charleton college and were graduated from Morningside college at Sioux City. A fine spirit of co-operation exists among the Griffens. A few years ago when Durwood was organizing a school band at Hayfield, Minn., his father took a group of Hampton school musicians to Hayfield to give a demonstration. Last year Durwood played a cornet solo at the commencement exercises here at the last band concert given here a few weeks ago. Durwood and Forrest each directed their father's band in a selection. Transcriber's Notes: F. O. [Fred Orville] Griffen, son of Charles Lewis and Augusta Florinda (Arnold) Griffen, was born May 5, 1890, and died July 15, 1943. His epitaph reads, " A Rest Is Silent." He was interred at Hampton Cemetery, Hampton, Iowa.
[Page 7, Section 2]
[Page 8, Section 2]
Mayors and School Heads Accept Local Invitations
These special representatives will be given seats on Federal avenue, from where they will review the parade at 11 o'clock. They will be guests at the noon luncheon in honor of the queens at the Hotel Hanford. Up to 7:30 o'clock seats will be reserved to them at the grand finale at the Roosevelt stadium in the evening. Acceptances had been received from the following up to Saturday noon:
Osage - Mayor Swanson; H. E. LaRue, school board president; George H. Sawyer, school superintendent; and Frank Piersol, band master. Rudd - Mayor Will Cheney; President Will Roberts of the school board; Supt. I. W. Edie; Mrs. D. T. Maurer, school principal; Mrs. Otto Brandau, music mothers president; and Darwin T. Maurer, band master. Clear Lake - Dr. A. B. Phillip, mayor; H. E. Freeman, school board president; T. G. Burns, superintendent; Catherine Chambers, principal; Mrs. Charles Comstock, music mothers president and John Kopecky, band master. Rockwell - Dr. Kaiser, school board president; Mrs. H. J. Wilson, music mothers president, and the Rev. F. J. Landdeck, band master. Thompson - O. J. Lockram, school board president; Mrs. G. A. Robinson, music mothers president; and Daniel L. Martino, band master. Swaledale - Lester Bonner, mayor; Hans Pahause, school board president; Mrs. Earl Drury, music mothers president; and Clyde Freeman, band master. Meservey _ Mayor Langlitz; Frank Guth, school board president; Mr. Berier, superintendent; Mrs. Lester Gobel, music mothers president; and Mr. Hovey, band master. Manly - Mayor Shulte; Mr. Culver, school board president; Mrs. H. D. Rissler, music mothers president; and Mr. Hill, band master. Hanlontown - Selmer Lee, mayor; G. Trusteum, president of the school board; Miss Dorothy Sivers, principal; Mrs. Benton Moeller, music mothers president; and Mrs. Scharf, band master. Thornton - Melvin Ingebretson, mayor; George W. Myers, school board president; D. C. Davis, superintendent; Mrs. Armand Nicolete, music mothers president; Mr. Hoby, bandmaster. Garner - I. C. Hastings, mayor; Charles Bithka, board president; Mrs. Alex Hammon, music mothers president; and Don O. Anderson, bandmaster. Fonda - Charles Christian, mayor; John Anderson, board president; B. C. Holmes, superintendent; Mrs. John Byers, music mothers president; and H. P. Berry, band master. Kensett - T. S. Baken, mayor; Mrs. R. H. Boutelle, music mothers president; and Ralph Geer, band master. Forest City - M. J. Wolf, mayor; Harmon Lundberg, board president; Mrs. William M. Hanson, music mothers president; and A. Rensink, band master. Algona - O. B. Laing, superintendent; and Bob W. Getchall, band master.
Eagle Grove - Mayor Martin; Superintendent McDowll; and Principal Berry. Fertile - Theland Ellhon, mayor; A. Groarters, superintendent; Mrs. Harley Ouverson, music mothers president; and Mr. Grundahl, band master. Klemme - Paul Grange, mayor; H. F. Jost, board president; Mrs. Lester Stilie, music mothers president; and M. C. Batchelder, band master. Belmond - Mrs. Guy Baker, music mothers president; and F. F. Griffen. Buffalo Center - Roy L. Lostigan, mayor; F. C. Daum, board president; Emeralda Kruse, principal; Louise Lohrbeck and Mrs. F. C. Koppen of music mothers. Nora Springs - Karl Volkman, mayor; Kenneth Shanks, board president; Henry Foster, superintendent; Fred Larson, principal; Mrs. Ralph Rowley, music mothers president; and E. L. Snyder, band master. Eagle Grove - J. H. Martin, mayor; C. L. McDowell, superintendent; Roger Berry, principal; and M. B. Boe, band master. Rockford - F. M. Weber, mayor; Dr. H. H. Ervin, board president; Hazel Plumly, principal; Mrs. L. V. Leigh, music mothers president; and Joseph Haugen, band master. Clarksville - W. F. Busching, board president; R. K. Thompson, superintendent; Mrs. Busching, music mothers president; and Ray C. Smith, band master. Hayfield - Superintendent Norton; Mrs. Elmer Bredlow, music mothers president; and Karl Bohlen, band master. Britt - H. R. Brooks, school board president; L. J. Thies, superintendent; Mrs. Fred Holck, music mothers president; and Durwood Griffen, band master. St. Ansgar - John Bernstern, mayor; S. A. Kleinwort, board president; Mrs. W. H. Eggleston, music mothers president; and Donald Barrows, band master. Hampton - Joe Sikkema, mayor; G. E. Rankin, superintendent; Mrs. K. W. Harrison, music mothers president; and F. O. Griffen, band master. Ventura - Ted Wolfrom, school board president; Howard Smith, superintendent; Mrs. Kenneth Peterson, music mothers president; and John Kopecky, band master. Alexander - George Dunn, mayor; Roy Richards, school board president; Mrs. F. E. Bohlen, music mothers president; and Roy Thomas, band master.
"Goldman Band," march, K. L. King; "Ariana," overture, Louis Boyer; "Pomposo," tuba solo, Al Haynes, played by Jim Iliff, graduate of the Clarion high school this spring, and winner of Division II rating in the state contest; "His Honor," march, Henry Fillmore; "Pilgrim Chorus from Tannhauser," Wagner, arranged by C. E. Holmes; "Tonawanda," Indian dance, by A. F. Wendland; and "El Capitan," march, by Sousa.
 Left to right the girls are Beverly Ziesemer, Jame Ziesmer and Mary Redding. Some of the bands had as many as six such leaders.
Part of the huge crowd which thronged Roosevelt stadium Tuesday night to cheer the queen of North Iowa at the crowning ceremonies is shown in the panorama view which was taken from the top of the grandstand. Seats for approximately 6,200 persons had been placed on the cinder track around three sides of the stadium's green oval but the seats were filled long before the program started and the crowd overflowed to sit on the grass, leaving only a roped off rectangle for the marching band demonstrations. The crowd on the field was estimated at 10,000 persons in addition to the grandstand which was filled with band members and spectators. The 40 queens of North Iowa's bands can be seen seated on the platform in the center of the picture. The dark rectangle at the left in the crowd was formed by the uniforms of the Eldora training school band which gave a marching demonstration during the evening program. The Humboldt high school band also performed. (Lock photo, Kayenay engraving.)
Marjorie Smith of Clarion, chosen queen of the North Iowa band festival, is shown on the throne with crown and royal robes, reigning over the giant spectacle at the grand finale held at the Roosevelt stadium Tuesday evening. (Lock photo, Kayenay engraving.)
Great Volume of Music Wells Forth as Massed Bands Play Numbers (More Pictures on Pages 2, 3)
The nearly 2,000 high school band members from Miss North Iowa's and 42 other towns forgot prejudice and cheered and pounded their drums for several minutes as the brunet beauty left her chair among the other candidates to mount her golden throne. So close was the decision of the special judging committee at the luncheon for the 40 queens at the Hotel Hanford that they recommended that naming of four maids of honor. These four were Virginia Sernett of Hampton, Virginia Koons of Britt, Erma Jean Martin of Osage and Florence Hart of Humboldt. Their names were announced at the stadium by W. Earl Hall, master of ceremonies, and caused mingled cheers and groans from the grandstand as the members of the four bands realized that their candidates had been eliminated from the title race. Disappointments were drowned in enthusiastic cheering soon after the naming of the queen. Each of the steps in the ceremony was the signal for another demonstration as the royal robe was placed on her shoulders by the hostesses, a huge bouquet of red roses handed to her after she was seated on the throne and when W. L. Nichols, general chairman of the festival, placed the crown on her head. The stadium program opened with a concert by the Northwood high school band under the direction of L. T. Dillon after which closed cars rolled into the stadium on the cinder track to bring the 40 queens to the platform. Each of the queens marched around the platform after receiving an engraved compact from the hands of Carl Merkel and the approach of each gave rise to a noisy demonstration from the band which she represented. The parade of floats followed with the throne as the last to enter the stadium. The prize winners were announced by the master of ceremonies. First to the Elks club entry, second to the Mason City Women's club, third to the Y. W. C. A., and fourth to the throne, entered by the Junior Chamber of Commerce. Judges of the floats were Dr. A. B. Phillips, mayor of Clear Lake, chairman; C. L. McDowell, superintendent of Eagle Grove schools; H. E. LaRue, president of the Osage board of education; Mrs. K. W. Harrison, president of the Hampton Music Mother's club; and Mrs. Ida E. Larson, Swea City postmaster. After the queen had been escorted in her throne by the hostesses, Mrs. Chester DeSart, Miss Bea Lynch, Mrs. Francis Darland, Mrs. Bob Ferguson and Mrs. Kenneth Neu, the Humboldt high school band gave a marching demonstration [Page 2] under the direction of T. M. Talmadge. Carleton Stewart, director of the Mason City high school band, then led the huge massed band seated in the grandstand in three numbers after which the Eldora training school band gave a marching demonstration. During the last group of massed band numbers the baton twirlers gathered in the infield to entertain the audience with their deftness.
Thought It Would Be One of Others: "They Were All So Sweet"
That's how it feels to be named Miss North Iowa and queen of the band festival. Miss Marjorie Eileen Smith said so late Tuesday evening and she should know. She was picked from the 40 candidates representing as many North Iowa towns at Tuesday's band festival. Chosen Miss Clarion by a vote designating her as the most popular girl in the senior class, Miss Smith was still very modest after the close of the crowning ceremonies at Roosevelt stadium during the evening. "I thought it might have been any one of the others. They were all so sweet. I certainly didn't dream it would be me." She admitted that hearing her name called was such a shock that it took her several minutes to regain her composure sufficiently to be able to smile. The 17 year old brunet queen of all North Iowa is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Granville W. Smith. Mr. Smith is a Clarion furniture dealer and funeral director. She expects to matriculate at Iowa State college next fall to study commercial dress buying and said she might transfer to a New York school after two years at Ames. "I've always been interested in clothes ever since I started sewing for dolls," she admitted. "No, I don't sew for dolls any more," she smiled in answer to a question. "I design some of my own clothes. Designing and drawing are my field. I have a woman make them." Her hobby is the Iowa Pilgrim Fellowship, the young people's organization of the Congregational church, she said without hesitation. During 1938-39 she was president of the Webster City district and the preceding year was secretary. She is not a member of the band but was in the 1939 state champion girls' glee club and plays the piano. She also was president of the student council, in charge of the social program for the last year, class officer for two years. Miss Smith was president of the school Latin club and president of the Clarion Outing club. She volunteered a word of thanks to the hostesses who had the 40 queens in charge throughout their day in Mason City. "I heard many of the girls remark how lovely they were to us," said Miss Smith. "We all had a grand time." The hostesses were Mrs. Chester DeSart, Miss Bea Lynch, Mrs. Francis Darland, Mrs. Bob Ferguson and Mrs. Kenneth Neu.
Marian Skene, Miss Ventura in the North Iowa band festival, has been selected to turn the valve that will introduce natural gas to the newly constructed distributing system of the town, it was announced Wednesday by the People's Gas and Electric company. The event will take place about 8:30 Wednesday night, H. D. Makeever of the company stated. The ceremony will include several numbers by the Ventura band and special illumination.
Looking across the parade ground to the platform occupied by the 40 queens and beyond the grandstand occupied by nearly 2,000 bandsmen who played in the massed band concert at the grand finale of the North Iowa band festival at the Roosevelt stadium Tuesday night. (Lock photo, Kayenay engraving.) [Page 3]
Photographs courtesy of The Globe Gazette
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Twenty-eight bands are already entered in the North Iowa band festival to be held in Mason City June 20, it was announced Wednesday by the Chamber of Commerce.
The Globe Gazette
"In the second place, we believe that there's are a lot of individuals in and around Mason City who will be glad to help the band festival along by decorating a car and who will enjoy doing it. Another reason for privately owned passenger cars is that we have constantly kept the commercial exhibitors out of this celebration parade.
From 5:30 to 6 o'clock in the evening, Program Director Nick Scheel plans to present a number of instrumental soloists from the various bands to the air audience.
A giant stage was prepared Monday for Mason City's fourth annual North Iowa band festival and second annual entertainment of North Iowa royalty to be held Tuesday.
While band concerts start at 9 o'clock in Central park, the big opening event of the festival will be a parade through the business section of the city at 11 o'clock. A hundred units, made up of bands, floats and specialties will flow southward on Federal avenue from the Hotel Hanford to Fifth street south, then east to Delaware and North to Second street northeast.
[Page 3, Section 2] The outstanding event of the day's program at the North Iowa band festival Tuesday will be the grand finale at Roosevelt stadium, scheduled to start at 7 o'clock.
W. Earl Hall, managing editor of the Globe-Gazette, will be master of ceremonies for the program, which gets under way at 7 o'clock, when the Northwood high school band under the direction of L. T. Dillon gives a half hour concert. This will be followed by the introduction of candidates for queens of the festival and the crowning of Miss North Iowa. W. L. Nichols, general chairman, will place the crown on the head of the festival queen.
[Page 5, Section 2] A stream of rhythmic music from 2,100 bandsmen will feature the mammoth, colorful North Iowa band festival parade that will flow through the Mason City business district Tuesday morning at 11 o'clock. Forty-eight musical groups - 44 bands and four drum and bugle corps - will make up this mammoth column of marching melody. Starting at the Hotel Hanford the line of march will be south on Federal avenue to Fifth street south, then east to Delaware avenue and north to Second street northeast, where the bands will return to their headquarters at the Lincoln school.
HAMPTON - The band festival at Mason City Tuesday will be more or less a family affair for the Griffens. F. O. Griffen, band leader at Hampton the last seven years, and his two sons, Durwood of Britt and Forrest of Belmond, both band leaders, will be present with their bands. This is the first time all three have been present, although last year the father and one son, Forrest, then of Sheffield, attended and the latter's band had the successful candidate for queen.
When the boys were at home there was a family orchestra in which Mrs. Griffen played the piano or saxophone, Mr. Griffen the violin, Forrest the clarinet of saxophone, and Durwood the cornet. Mrs. Griffen formerly played the saxophone on various occasions with her husband's band, but has given up her musical activities.
[Page 9, Section 2]
Special invitations have been extended by the North Iowa band festival committee to the mayor, school board president, school superintendent, school principal, music mothers president and the band master of each of the participating communities to be special guests at the celebration Tuesday. Responses to the invitations have been received from a large number of these.
Goodell - O. Sandberg, mayor; Elmer Klienenberger, school board president; James Freeman, principal; Mrs. Harry Carpenter, music mothers president; and Mrs. Clyde Freeman, band master.
[Page 10, Section 2] Clifton Burmeister, director of the Clarion band, announces that his organization will broadcast the following program over KGLO as part of the band festival entertainment Tuesday.
A crowd of approximately 13,000 persons exploded into a roar of approval as Miss Marjorie Eileen Smith of Clarion was crowned queen of the North Iowa Band Festival at Roosevelt stadium Tuesday evening.
"It made the chills run up and down my back."
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