One hundred years, 100 bands, 100 queens in 200 pages!

That's the story of this Centennial issue of the Globe-Gazette, devoted to the mammoth task of presenting the stirring account of Mason City's first century of history.

Published on the eve of Mason City's giant Centennial celebration, which takes place June 7 to 14, this 212 page issue is a significant event in itself. It is the largest newspaper ever published in Mason City and as such is a fitting part of the city's observation of this historic event.

In the pages of this newspaper are told, not only the account of those 100 years of the history of Mason City, but the spectacular, colorful story that 100 queens and 100 bands from 100 communities surrounding Mason City are coming to have a part in the celebration, each one representing a year in the city's history.

With this are the stories of other events in the celebration, the parades, processions of beautiful floats, historical window displays, a pavement dance, a Centennial ball, choir and band concerts and special religious services that are a part of Mason City's observance of this important milepost in its history.

This issue, published to present the story of this celebration and the history of this community the past century, is made up of 10 sections. It has a 40 page tabloid devoted exclusively to a history of Mason City. Several sections carry interesting stories of many events of the past century and one section is given over to the details of the program of the eight-day Centennial celebration.

To print this issue was not a small undertaking. The 30,000 copies of the newspaper that were printed required two carloads or a total of 83,000 pounds of newsprint.

Spread out into one sheet the width would extend from Mason City to Washington, D.C., a distance of more than 1,000 miles.

Printing of the Centennial newspaper required the casting of 376 stereotype plates, with a total weight of 15,792 pounds.

Of the 30,000 newspapers printed, 13,000 are in the mails to destinations in all of the 48 states, the District of Columbia, Alaska, Hawaii, Germany, the Scandinavian nations and other countries. The remainder was delivered by carrier salesmen, who had a tremendous job on their hands as each paper weighed 2.6 pounds.

Indications are that Mason City will have a tremendous influx of former residents and other visitors to take part in the celebration, which gets under way next Sunday, June 7, with a musical salute in East Park. A special welcome for homecomers and visitors is set for Monday, June 8.

The North Iowa Band Festival, larger than ever with its 100 flashing bands and 100 gorgeous queens, will be the center of interest Tuesday. Wednesday will be Transportation Day, with a parade through the business section of the city and a special program at the airport at noon.

One of the high moments of the week will be the historical parade and the coronation of the queen of the Centennial Thursday. Friday will be turned over to a community-wide sports day.

A church decoration program, sponsored by the Garden Club, and a street dance is on the program for Saturday and Sunday, June 14, the final day of the Centennial celebration, will be devoted to special services in the churches and a community sing at East Park.

As is pointed out more fully in other sections of this newspaper, this spectacular celebration is being held in commemoration of the building of the first cabin in Mason City exactly a century ago by John L. McMillin and his descendants down to the fifth generation are to be presented as part of the program.

On the pages of this edition are told the story of the arrival of the first white settlers and the procession of men and women 100 years long that followed them to help make Mason City what it is today.

Contained in this issue is the story of families that braved the uncertainties of the prairie and the peril of sloughs and other dangers to get here and who endured the primitive life of the [illegible] wilderness after their crude cabins were erected.

There are stories about the trouble the pioneers had with Indians, how they faced bleak tragedy when the merciless blizzards swept across the prairies, how they lived beyond reach of medical care or any of the refinements of life and how when that moment came they were willing to levy almost confiscatory taxes upon themselves to bring a railroad to the village.
~ Pages 1 & 2

 

CENTENNIAL BUTTONS
[Page 36] Selling the Centennial buttons for the Chamber of Commerce is one of the contributions of the Mason City Business and Professional Women to the celebration. Mrs. W. F. Isaacson, left, first vice president, looks on as Mrs. J. E. Osborne pins a button on Miss Eva Scott. At 10 cents each the buttons are providing a small margin of profit to help a little on the huge budget needed by the Chamber of Commerce to sponsor the Centennial celebration. Practically all of the $17,000 that makes the celebration possible was raised among the business, professional and industrial men of the community.

  BUILDING FLOATS
[Page 37] Helping to build many of the floats for the Centennial historical parade is Warren Ruby, high school art instructor. For several weeks Ruby spent his spare time constructing elaborately tinseled spars and effects to adorn many of the floats. The workshop in his garage was filled with the results of the one man production line.

 RADIOS TO CO-ORDINATE PARADE

[Page 37] "Walkie-Talkie" radios of "H" Company, Iowa National Guard, will be used to co-ordinate the several miles of bands and floats in the North Iowa Band Festival parade. Getting the low-down on the workings of the miniature radios from 2nd Lt. David Hirsch of Company "H" are, from left, Hurschel O'Brien, starting chairman of the Band Festival parade; Jerry Burhite, Band Festival parade chairman; Vern Kimball, safety and co-ordination chairman; Hirsch, and Don Tubbesing, spacing and policing chairman. The Junior Chamber of Commerce is handling the arrangements for the parade.

  HOSTESSES FOR FESTIVAL QUEENS
[Page 37] Pictured above are the hostesses for the 100 queens who are to contribute so much to the success of the North Iowa Band Festival Tuesday of Centennial Week.

From left, they are: Front row - Mrs. Cecil Boyer, Mrs. Paul McAuley, Mrs. M. C. Paulson, Mrs. Robert Bergland, chairman; Mrs. Fred Andresen and Mrs. M. Chinkers; Back row - Mrs. Lloyd Farrer, Mrs. George D. Atkinson, Mrs. L. W. Lichtenberger, Mrs. Bernard Payton and Mrs. H. W. Crawford. Mrs. Warren DeVries, co-chairman, is not in the picture.

  FLOATS TO DEPICT HISTORY
[Page 40] Floats depicting the history of Mason City over the past century will be a part of the Centennial historical parade Thursday evening of the week of the celebration. This picture of the Globe-Gazette float in the 75th anniversary celebration may give some indication of how history is portrayed in parades. It shows the origin of the first written records on stone, then parchment and finally the daily newspaper.

  111 QUEENS COMING
[Page 43] Talk about a Coronation. England has only one Queen, Mason City will entertain 111 queens. What a procession it will make when the hundred festival queens appear in a grand procession on Roosevelt Field. The picture at left] shows the 86 queens of last year.

For three nights, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, Mason Cityans and visitors will have an opportunity to see "Our Century," Women's Club play, at the high school.

[Section 10, Page 6] A significant part of the Centennial celebration will be the Tuesday, June 9, program when 100 bands and 100 queens converge on Mason City in the 15th annual North Iowa Band Festival.

More than 5,000 band members in colorful uniforms will be joined by school officials, parents, hosts of friends and others to make the day one of the most spectacular of the week's celebration.

While the program of marching and music goes on all day, there will be two focal points of outstanding interest - the parade at 10 in the morning and the grand finale, with the massed band concerts and the coronation of the new festival queen at the Roosevelt field, starting at 5:30 p.m.

Reigning as queen of the festival until that moment arrives when thousands watch with suspense the coronation of the new sovereign, will be Miss Gwendolyn Johnson of Ventura. This 18-year-old, blue-eyed girl was the selection of the judges fro 86 candidates last year. She has been at the State University of Iowa the past school year.

Among the special attractions of the festival will be the participation once again of Meredith Willson, who will be in the morning parade and, with Mrs. Willson, will be guest of honor at a luncheon for visiting bandmasters at the Hotel Hanford at noon. He also will have a prominent part in the evening event.

Bruce Stengel, who delighted the thousands at the 1952 festival is coming back this year. He will appear in the morning parade and at the evening event at the Roosevelt stadium.

The parade will follow the route of other years, the queens, bands and floats converging on State and Delaware at which point the column moves south to 5th S. E., then west to Federal and North to Hotel Hanford.

The queens, each one representing a community taking part in the festival with a band entry, will be feted throughout the day. Following the parade they will attend a luncheon at the Hotel Hanford and at 2:15 p.m. will be introduced at Central Park.

Concerts will be held throughout the day. Before the parade the Mason City All Grade Band, under the direction of Stanley L. Davis, will play.

In event of rain the parade will be held in the late afternoon. If it rains in the evening the finale will be held in the Roosevelt Fieldhouse.

9:15 a. m. - Concert, Central Park - Mason City All Grade School Band, Stanley L. Davis, conductor.

10 a. m. - Parade of Bands, Queens and Floats.

12:15 p. m. - Hanford Hotel - Luncheons for visiting bandmasters and their wives, and for the queen candidates, Meredith and Mrs. Willson guests of honor.

12:30 to 4:30 p.m. - Band Concerts and Special Events, Central Park.

2:15 p.m. - The queens appear in Central Park and are presented from the band stand.

3:15 p.m. - Continuation of the Central Park concerts.

5:30 p.m. - Roosevelt Football stadium opens for grand finale entry of 100 bands, Bruce Stengel of Wisconsin and his Baton, the Manchester Marching Band, Crowning of Miss North Iowa, Meredith Willson, the massed bands.

8:15 p.m. - High School Auditorium, second showing of Women's Club play "Our Century."

[Section 10, Page 7] Twelve North Iowa Band Festival queens have been named since the plan of having royalty at the big musical events was adopted in 1938. Most of these coming to the Centennial Celebration.

The festival, which will be held Tuesday, June 9, will have as its reigning queen Miss Gwendolyn Johnson of Ventura until the new queen is selected. Miss Johnson was named as the 1952 queen. She has been at the University of Iowa the past year.

The first of the queens was Miss Shirley Morgan of Sheffield, named in 1938. She is now Mrs. Res. Harrison of Indianola, and has three children. She, with her husband and two oldest children, will be here at the festival. She wrote to Mrs. Helen De Sart, chairman of the committee, that she was "thrilled to be coming to such a gala affair."

The 1939 queen was Marjorie Smith of Clarion, now Mrs. John A. Ellsworth of Omaha, and in 1940 Miss Charlotte Anne Foss of Belmond was the queen. The latter is now Mrs. Henry A. Winter, Jr., of Denver, Colo.

The 1941 queen, Miss Alberta Joslyn of Clear Lake, now Mrs. Reeves Hall of Independence, is planning to attend the festival with her husband, son of Editor W. Earl Hall of the Globe-Gazette, and children, David, Ann and James.

Miss Bethel Lashbrook of Osage, the 1942 queen, wrote she would attend the festival, stating she still remembered how "nicely the queen candidates were treated."

After a four year interval during the war the festivals were resumed in 1946, when Miss Marilyn Fowler of Greene was named queen. She is now Mrs. Arvid Lindell and still lives at Greene.

Miss Elaine Broessel of Monona, the 1947 reigning beauty, is now Mrs. Glen Drahn of Belle Plaine. She and her husband, head football coach at Belle Plaine, have two little girls. She is making plans to attend the festival.

The 1948 queen, Miss Shirley Eyler of Clarion, was graduated as a United States Air Line stewardess March 13 and is not expecting to come.

Miss La Donna Glieden of Luverne, 1949 queen and now Mrs. Robert Reibsamen of Corwith, writes that she will be here.

Miss Kay Cayou of Liverore, choice of the 1950 event, is attending Stephens College at Columbia, Mo., and plans to be here for what is expected to be the biggest festival of them all.

The 1951 queen, Miss Audrey Madson of Hampton, is attending St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minn. She is eagerly looking forward to coming and having a part in the festival on this Centennial Year.

[Section 10, Page 7] The North Iowa Band Festival, which now brings some 4,000 high school musicians to Mason City every June, had its inception in a modest musical event back in 1936.

That year the Iowa Bandmasters Convention was held in Mason City and the Chamber of Commerce invited a few school bands to participate in a parade, concerts and other events during the day and an evening show at the Roosevelt Stadium, at which 17 bands performed in a massed concert.

The event was so pleasing to Mason Cityans that they decided to try it the following year without the bandmasters convention. This time 27 bands responded. From that time on the number of bands grew steadily until the number reached the 50 mark in 1941 and 1942.

The festival was then discontinued during the war. When it was renewed in 1946, it was one of the big events of Mason City's celebration of the Iowa Centennial. Since then the number continued to grow until in 1952 when 85 bands and queen candidates came to the festival.

Noted band leaders have been invited to lead the great massed band performances. Frank Simon, well known band master and teacher and former conductor of the Armco band heard on the radio for many years, came on two successive years. Karl L. King of Fort Dodge, Iowa's famous march composer, was the guest conductor in 1951, and Gerald Prescott, director of the University of Minnesota bands, was here for the 1952 event.

In 1948 and in 1950 Meredith Willson, Mason City's native son, distinguished composer and conductor, as well as the one-man Chamber of Commerce for this community, returned for the festival and a prominent part in its festivities. He and Mrs. Willson rode at the head of the parade and later reviewed it. He was the central feature for the bandmaster's luncheon and his compositions were sung and played at the finale.

[Section 10, Pages 8 & 9]

 

[Section 10, Page 10] Thousands will gather at the Roosevelt field Tuesday evening of Centennial week for the grand finale of the 15th North Iowa Band Festival, at which will take place the coronation of the new queen and the concert by more than 5,000 band members from 100 communities surrounding Mason City. C. D. "Chuck" Hilton will be the master of ceremonies.

Other colorful events of the evening will be the marching demonstration by the Manchester High School Band under the direction of Erling B. Hanson, the greetings to the home folks by Meredith Willson and two performances by Bruce Stengel, the amazing baton expert from Wisconsin.

To Direct Band

Willson will direct the Mason City Municipal Band in his newly composed Centennial March, which is to be aired as a salute to the nation over Paul LaVelle's Cities Service program on NBC Monday evening, June 8.

The one big event of the evening program, made up of many colorful numbers, will be the naming of the new queen from among the 100 contestants. Following this will come the coronation by Meredith Willson.

The massed band numbers will be directed by both Willson and Carleton L. Stewart. The numbers will be selected from the following: "Officer of the Day," Lyone and Healy; "The Thunderer," by Carl Fischer; "Queen City," Fillmore; "Our Director," Walter Jacobs; "Washington Post," Carl Fischer, and "Iowa Band Law."

~ ~ ~ ~

Tuesday Night

5:30 p.m. - Roosevelt Field opens to the public. Grand entry of bands begins immediately.

6:45 p.m. - Entry of the colors, color guard, queens and attendants, "Star Spangled Banner."

7 p.m. - Processional of the reigning queen, Miss North Iowa of 1952 (Miss Gwendolyn Johnson of Ventura), queens of other years, 1953 queens and hostesses.

7:30 p.m. - Bruce Stengel of Wisconsin and his baton.

7:45 p.m. - Marching demonstration - the Manchester High School Band - Erling B. Hanson, director.

8 p.m. - Meredith Willson greets the home folks and the band members, and directs the Mason City Municipal band in his Centennial March.

8:15 p.m. - Miss North Iowa of 1953 is announced and crowned.

8:30 p.m. - Bruce Stengle and his flaming batons.

8:45 p.m. - Massed band numbers directed by Carleton L. Stewart and Meredith Willson.

~ ~ ~ ~

Reserved for Bands

All the permanent stadium seats and the bleacher on the north side have been reserved for visiting bands and their chaperones. Bleachers will be available for the public on the entire west and south sides.

The platform for the bands, queens and visiting notables will be on the east side of the field.

The visiting bands will come to the baseball field, then through the southeast gate, starting their entries at 5:30 p.m. at 6:45 the entry of the colors, color guard, queens and attendants will take place, followed by a processional of the reigning queen, Miss Gwendolyn Johnson of Ventura, the queens of other years, the 1953 queens and hostesses.

The queens will circle the field and take their seats on the platform, with Miss North Iowa of 1952 - Miss Johnson - on the throne.

Later in the program when the new queen is announced she will ascend the throne and reign over the remainder of the program.

QUEENS, TWIRLERS and MEREDITH WILLSON COMING TO BAND FESTIVAL

[Section 10, Page 17]

HUGE ORGANIZATION WORKING ON PREPARATIONS FOR CITY'S CENTENNIAL

[Section 10, Page 18] Hundreds of men and women on numerous committees have been at work for weeks on preparations to celebrate Mason City's Centennial the week of June 7 and 14.

Although sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce, the celebration program will be the work not only of that organization and the 50 or more committees set up to carry out the myriad of details, but of many other groups and individuals.

Heading the list of committees are Gen. Hanford MacNider, honorary chairman; John D. Vance, general chairman; and D. G. Klempnauer and Leslie Hawkins, vice chairman of the general committee. Also on the general committee are E. C. Jones, George C. Senn, Dr. Hardly F. Pool, Enoch A. Norem and Lester Milligan, secretary.

[Following are the committees for the Band Festival:]

Publicity		E. C. Jones, chairman Bob Altman, Max Boyd, Kenneth Carey, Bob Carson, Charles J. Casey, Hal De Gursh, Gail Grippen, Leslie G. Hawkins, C. D. Hilton, Roy B. Johnson, D. G. Klempnauer, Ed Lamson, Jack Larson, Max Minott, N. J. Moreland, R. I. Mott, Allen D. Patton, Henry Pendergraft, Howard Stewart, R. L. Stoyles, W. M. Temple, Enoch A. Norem and Donn White.
Window displays		Joe F. Hanes, chairman
Distinguished guests		W. Earl Hall, chairman Frank Currie, C. A. Parker, Ward Hamilton and Dr. C. O. Adams

The band festival committee, of which W. L. Nichols is chairman and Dan G. Klempnauer, co-chairman, is made up of the following committees:

General committee		Norman Allison, Leo Allstot, Paul Behm, C. E. Blanchard, H. H. Boyce, G. W. Burhite, Robert Carson, Al Cornish, J. J. Fitzgerald, Oscar Jewell, E. C. Jones, Roy B. Johnson, Harley Klemas, Charles Kraft, Roger Lyons, Carl J. Merkel, Henry T. Paine, C. A. Parker, Grover Reip, Leo Risacher, Keith Sanborn, Bob Sawyer, Ken Schmidt, R. W. Selby, L. H. Shepoiser, Steve Stahl, Carleton Stewart, Joe Simon, Thomas Teas, John D. Vance, H. E. Van Essen, C. F. Weaver, Maynard Nelson, Don Hubacher, Guy Zach, Enoch A. Norem, Mrs. Robert Bergland and Mrs. Warren De Vries.
Noon luncheon & reception		Mr. and Mrs. Carleton Stewart Mayor and Mrs. Howard E. Bruce and a group of festival committee members and their wives.
Festival parade		Under supervision of Junior Chamber of Commerce G. W. Burhite, general chairman Vern Kimball, co-ordinator & safety Clayton Schultz, bands Hap Turner, floats Bob Betts, queen's cars Don Tubbesing, policing Bob Huffman & Bob Guild, concessions Hurschel O'Brien, starting.
First aid stations		Janet Baird & Red Cross workers.

To Be Hostesses

Festival queen hostesses		Mrs. Robert Bergland, chairman Mrs. Warren DeVries, co-chairman Mrs. Paul McAuley, Mrs. B. L. Payton, Mrs. H. W. Crawford, Mrs. L. W. Lichtenberger, Mrs. Fred Andresen, Mrs. M. C. Paulson, Mrs. Cecil Boyer, Mrs. M. Chinkers, Mrs. Lloyd Farrer, Mrs. Eddie Jones, Mrs. George Atkinson and Mary Zultner.
Festival queen committee		C. E. Blanchard, chairman W. J. Burger, Carl Merkel, S. R. Clough, Carl Skaggs, Chuck Hilton, W. H. Hammitt, Grover Reip, Marcus Lundbert, D. G. Klempnauer and C. A. Pope.
Distribution of tickets & supplies to bands		Thomas C. Teas.
Morning standby program in case of rain		Ralph Geer.
PA system at park & stadium		George Miller.
Boy Scouts participation		Peter S. DeJong.
Parking of cars & buses		H. H. Boyce & Chief Leo Allstot.
Bleachers & general arrangements at the schools		Charles Kraft, L. H. Shepoiser, Hazel Coon, P. O. Brunsvold, A. G. Krager and numerous employes (sic) of school system.
Concerts in Central Park		Bill Yenerich & members of Toastmasters.
Ushers for festival parade reserved seats		Carl Klath & members of Lions Club.
Hostesses at school buildings for band festival		Mrs. Steve Vician & members of the Mason City Woman's Club.
Hosts to Bruce Stengel		Roy L. Bailey & Richard L. Bailey.

To Name Queen

Judge to name Miss North Iowa - C. F. Weaver, president of the Chamber of Commerce, chairman, and the following heads of civic groups:

L. H. Shepoiser, Rotary		Dr. R. F. Kunz, Kiwanis
C. E. Gilman, Lions		Stanley Haynes, Exchange
Guy Zach, Junior Chamber.

In addition to these there will be five votes from the women's committee.

Meredith Willson reception committee - Dr. and Mrs. H. F. Pool, Mr. and Mrs. Tom Arthur, Mrs. Edna Bryant, Dr. and Mrs. William Egloff, Mr. and Mrs. W. Earl Hall, Mr. and Mrs. D. G. Klempnauer, Mr. and Mrs. Morris Laird, Mr. and Mrs. Lester Milligan, Mr. and Mrs. L. A. Moore, Mr. and Mrs. C. F. Weaver, Mr. and Mrs. John D. Vance, Mr. and Mrs. Carleton Stewart, Mr. and Mrs. Hugh H. Shepard and Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Nichols.

Committees on festival night finale -

Color guard & flag raising		Tyler Stewart.
Seating of bands		A. E. Smith & members of the 40 and 8.
Parking of buses & getting bands into stadium		Dick Mettler, Bill Wagner and Ed Corless with members of the Rotary Club.
Ushers at field		Fred Wagner & members of Kiwanis Club.
Head usher on the field		Roy B. Johnson.

BAND STARTED GETTING NATIONAL RECOGNITION IN 1929
CONTEST TRIPS BEGAN UNDER G. PRESCOTT
Start Playing in Elementary Grades

[Section 10, Page 20] The Mason city high school band, which last [1952] December was invited to play before a national band clinic in Chicago, began getting nationwide recognition in 1920.

That year the band under the direction of Gerald S. Prescott went to Flint, Mich., to enter its first national contest. Mason City received eighth place in that contest and the next year was given a third at a national contest in Tulsa, Okla.

In the fall of 1931 Prescott, who is now [1953] director of the University of Minnesota bands, was succeeded by Carleton L. Stewart. Under Stewart's leadership the high school band and orchestra entered nine national contests in addition to state contests and received a first division rating each time, except one year when the orchestra made second division. Division ratings came into use instead of placings.

First Class Ratings

No national contest was held in 1932, but the Mason City band won first place in the state. In 1933 the band was in the first division at Chicago and the next year the national band contest was held at Des Moines and the orchestra meet at Ottawa, Kan. Mason City went to both, receiving first division ratings. Stewart continues to regard the 1934 band the best produced under his direction.

In 1935 the orchestra got second division rating at the national, the only time a Mason City school musical organization failed to make first division in a national contest.

Product of Teaching

In 1936 the band went to Cleveland and in 1937 the orchestra was at Columbus, Ohio, getting top honors. In 1938 regional contests replaced the national and in that and the following two years the Mason City band and orchestra got first division ratings at Minneapolis. in 1941 and 1942 both musical groups were at the St. Paul regional meets getting similar awards. With the war the contests were discontinued.

Mason City's pre-eminence in band and orchestra is the product of a teaching system that starts boys and girls playing instruments in the grades and continues through the junior high schools, as well as the high school. This with the fact that skilled instructors have been provided has contributed to the excellency of this division of school work.

As visible evidence of Mason City's interest in band and orchestra music was the construction of the Music Hall in the Central School grounds in 1934.

5,000 BAND MEMBERS IN FESTIVAL

Five thousand band members from 100 communities in North Iowa and southern Minnesota will converge on Mason City Tuesday, June 9, for the North Iowa Band Festival.

For all of them it will be an event to which they have looked forward throughout the year. Together they will make a mighty musical program at the massed band concert at the Roosevelt field in the evening.

The festival will be a big event for the bandmasters also. They will be guests, together with their wives, a a luncheon at the Hotel Hanford at noon, at which Meredith Willson will be the speaker.

Participating in the musical event with the visitors will be five Mason City bands, municipal, high school, two junior highs and the grade school organizations.

Following are the bands participating in the festival and their directors.

Alden A. O Larson		Alexander Bob Lightbody		Algona Russel Gaster
Allison W. W. Schaefer		Armstrong Wilbur C. Harris		Ayrshire Murray B. Elmore
Belmond Roland Brom		Bricelyn, Minn. "Cee" Turner		Bristow Kathryn Carol Benesh
Britt Ray Bartholomew		Buffalo Center Theodore Post		Burt Walter C. Spade
Carpenter William J. Walsh		Chapin William Zabilka		Clarion Daryl L. Hanson
Clear Lake Ludvig Wangerg		Colwell O. K. Conklin		Corwith Daryl Stansbury
Cresco Mervin N. Lysing		Crystal Lake Leo Mormon		Dows Alfred Jacobs
Dumont P. D. Kauffman		Elma Ramon Huhns		Elmore, Minn. Bobby Griggs
Emmons, Minn. "Cee" Turner		Fenton Loren O. Barker		Fernald Mrs. Estelle Miller
Fertile Peter Farmakis		Floyd Donald Whitcomb		Fonda Myron Teague
Forest City Sigard J. Fardal		Franklin Cons. Sidney Stott		Frost, Minn. Bobby Griggs
Garner Barbara Rankin		Geneva William W. Zabilka		Gillette Grove Warren P. Slocum
Goldfield Ralph L. Drollinger		Graettinger Warren L. Jones		Grafton Elmer L. Schey
Grand Meadow, Minn. Robert W. Aarsvold		Greene Edwin M. Houck		Hampton L. Maurice Feese
Hanlontown Wayne Pringle		Hansell Roger P. Thornton		Hayfield J. J. Fitzgerald
Ionia O. K. Conklin		Kanawha Stanley Bulka		Kensett Wayne Pringle
Kiester, Minn. Elwin Eichhorst		Klemme Charles D. Whitford		Lake Mills Dean R. Olson
Lakota, Ind. V. A. Barrett		Ledyard Wilbur C. Harris		Livermore Carl F. Hansen
Lone Rock Marilyn D. Bauman		Luverne James A. Larson		Lyle, Minn. C. M. Swenson
Manchester Erling B. Hanson		Manly Ralph J. Arnold		Marble Rock Wyman Marquardt
Mason City High School Paul W. Behm		Mason City Grade School F. Stanley Davis		Mason City Monroe Jr. High J. J. Fitzgerald
Mason City Municipal Carleton L. Stewart		Mason City Roosevelt Jr. High Henry T. Paine		Merservey Miss Alice Foikedahl
Meville Gordon E. Luedike		Nashua R. J. Mussehl		Nora Springs Leslie R. Krafft
Northwood Charles H. Kirsch		Orchard O. K. Conklin		Osage Ken Carpenter
Panora Duane Veach		Plainfield O. K. Conklin		Plymouth Peter Farmakis
Radcliffe Harvey Von Wald		Rake E. E. Fisher		Renwick W. Keith Baessler
Rock Falls Elmer L. Schey		Rockford Robert V. Grindle		Rockwell Charles Bush
Rockwell City Anthony V. DeMaro		Rodman Robert J. Bailey		Rolfe William Kloster
Rudd M. E. Anderson		Ruthven T. A. Christiansen		Scarville Martin A. Hjelmeland
Seneca Mrs. George Anne Voigt		Sheffield F. A. McCoy		Spirit Lake Lorier V. Olson
St. Ansgar Merlin L. Johnson		Swaledale Miss Betty Hubbard		Swea City Edward E. Stewart
Thompson Steven A. Rich		Thornton Mrs. Mildred Thomson		Titonka Harold Gartner
Truman, Minn. John E. Berg		Ventura H. Milo Hall Jr.		Welcome, Minn. Henry H. Hansen
Wells, Minn. GeraldE. Swanson		Wellsburg Romaine C. Baskius		West Bend David L. Larson
Whittemore Donald E. Conrad		Woden J. R. Tisdale

CHAMP TWIRLER USES "FLAMING BATON"

[Section 10, Page 23] Bruce Stengel, the medical student from Marquett University, who had become one of the top baton twirlers of the nation, will again be a special feature at the North Iowa Band Festival Tuesday of Centennial Week.

A national twirling champion, 21-year-old Stengel has earned numerous awards at parades, football games, stage shows and music festivals through the country.

He will lead the morning parade and appear at the grand finale at the Roosevelt field, at which he will give two performances, the latter one with flaming batons.

Stengel started his career in twirling early in life. He combined twirling with dancing and and piano lessons while in the grades at Suring, Wis., where he got his start. Before high school he had appeared at the Wisconsin State Fair and on the stages of the Bay and Orpheum Theaters in Green Bay, Wis. He was a regular attraction with the Green Bay city band at the age of 9.

While in high school Stenel was named to the Arion National Foundation for outstanding musical achievement. At Camp Randall in 1947 Stengel walked off with the Wisconsin twirling title and 23rd medal at the age of 15 years. He appeared at Chicago's giant music festival at Soldier's Field in 1948 after winning a preliminary tournament and took second place before a crowd of 95,000.

At the 1949 city centennial winter carnival at St. Paul, Stengel was alternate drum major for the Milwaukee Railroad's Hiawatha band.

~ ~ ~ ~

Concert Program in Central Park

Bands will play in Central Park throughout band festival day. Following are the schedule of events in the park:

9:15 a. m. - Mason City Grade School Band, F. Stanley Davis, Director.

10:00 a. m. - Parade.

12:30 p. m. - Garner, Barbara Rankin, Director.

1:00 p. m. - Buffalo Center, Theodore Post, Director.

1:30 p. m - Hampton, L. Maurice Feese, Director.

2:15 p. m. - Queens are presented from the platform.

3:15 p. m. - Kiester, Minn., Elwin Eichhorst, Director.

3:45 p. m. - Truman, Minn., John E. Berg, Director.

4:15 p. m. - Osage, Ken Carpenter, Director.

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BAND PLAYED IMPORTANT ROLES IN EARLY DAYS

[Section 10, Page 24] Mason City has had many bands during its century, including the Rainmakers Band, so-called because it never failed to rain when that organization had a concert.

Near the turn of the century it was the "Citizens Band," organized in the fall of 1896 with Harry Keeler as director. Keeler had been a member of several bands since the days he played cornet at Manly while still in knee-pants but this was the first Mason City organization of which he was director.

In the fall of 1899 an attempt was made by Capt. E. W. Clark and others of the National Guard, just returned from the Spanish-American War, to have the Mason City unit become the regimental band. That honor fell to Webster City, however, because it was the residence of the colonel commanding.

Give Benefit Concert

A benefit concert was given April 3, 1899, by the Citizens Band at Parker's Opera House - admission, 25 cents.

"A good band is the cheapest band best 'ad' a town can have," says the program provided by Will H. Hathorn, one of the members.

"This band was organized last fall with the intention of making it a permanent organization. Instead of trying to induce outside musicians to locate here, young men of sterling qualities from our own city were interested, thereby establishing an organization composed of home people to get the benefit derived from the drill and training imposed at the rehearsals.

For Everybody

"The program presented are not for the private delection of a few cultured musicians, although we trust that they too will find some things of interest to them, but the main purpose is to please the people and by pleasing the people, enlist their good will and lead them gradually to a higher plane of musical understanding and appreciation.

"We can only succeed in this most laudable enterprise through the encouragement and kindly support of the citizens, both of which we have received so far and confidently expect in the future."

Assisted in Concert

The band was assisted in the concert by Mrs. W. D. Allen, soprano, and Mrs. George Bowen, contralto. W. B. Terrill was president of the band and J. W. Adams, manager.

The members included: Piccolo - "Shorty" Bowman; clarinets - Joe Dent, Joe Kennedy, Slocum, Fletch Emery, Harry Dyer, "Dad" Sheetrz, Geyer, Oscar Sumner, Long, Smith, Charles E. Hathorn; saxophones - Henry J. Steinberg, Will Terrill, Edward Loomer and McCleary; cornets - Harry Keeler, Lawton, Pat Cronin, Bahn, Charlie Prusia and Willis Bagley; trombones - Burr C. Keeler, John H. Greve, Carl Smith and Rollin Duffield; baritones - Wesley Thomas and Irving Smith; horns - Joe Adams, Johnson, William H. Hathorn and Stewart; basses - Frank Smith and Sheriff Jake Confer; drums - Ernest Hitchcock and Cliff McMillan.

QUEENS COMING BACK

[Section 10, Page 25]

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Unless otherwise noted, photographs courtesy of The Globe-Gazette.
Some of the photographs did not scan well. In such a case the photograph
has been substituted with a clearer copy if available.

Transcriptions by Sharon R. Becker, November & December of 2014