Chattanooga Central High School Band

        The Chattanooga Central High School Band
             Needs Our Help and Support to Carry On
                         A Truly Magnificent Heritage!

Having been an institution in the Chattanooga Area for over 100 years the Chattanooga central High School band is in need of acquiring more instruments to accommodate a growing membership as well as to replace some instruments that are more than 45 years old.  That is right there are some instruments that are in use in the band that came to the new facility back in 1969.  This year they borrowed over $25,000.00 to buy some of the needed instruments and this sum did not fulfill their needs they still need additional instruments.  That is the reason for this very worthy fund raising campaign to not only retire the debt incurred in the recent purchase of the latest instruments, but to obtain the remainder of those badly needed instruments.  Below are excerpts from a wonderfully written history of our beloved band, researched and written by Mrs. Molly Epperson while she attended the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

         This is one of the New Instruments recently  
                              purchased for the Band

Please read this exceptional piece and please consider helping our wonderful Central High pay off the newest instrument loan and have enough funds to buy the remaining instruments to give every student the chance to take part in a wonderful heritage that is THE Central High School Band.

The following excerpts are used with the blessings of
                         The Author, Mrs. Epperson.

           The Chattanooga Central High School Band
                                  a History 1907-1970

By Molly Epperson, University Of Tennessee Chattanooga

Chattanooga Central High School is one of Tennessee’s oldest high schools and is an institution that enjoys a very long tradition of excellence in many facets of education. The school band is no exception. From its beginnings as an extension of the school’s R.O.T.C. military training program in the 1920s to its current standings as a successful, independent musical organization, its history is rich with tradition, pride, and musicianship. The history of the Chattanooga Central High School Band parallels other exemplary and pioneering schools of its age and fits the pattern of other successful instrumental music education programs across the United States. In exploring the history of Central's band, generalizations can be made to many historically successful high schools that were begun in early foundational schools around the turn of the 20th century.

 Central High’s Music Roots

Central High School was dedicated on January 3, 1908. The school had been organized at the beginning of that school year, but the new facility would not be ready until the beginning of the second semester of the 1907-08 school year. P.P. Claxton, famous educator and U.S. Commissioner of Education, spoke at the dedication of the new building. January 6, 1908 marked the first day of classes in the new "state of the art" high school.  Mrs. C.A. Garrett was the first music instructor at Central High. She taught both vocal and instrumental music according to the first published CHS yearbook, The Sleepless Eye.

There was a small orchestra that was organized under the management of Mr. Gunn during "the latter part of 1912, with only three or four members. It steadily grew in numbers and efficiency to a whopping thirteen pieces" in 1913. At the beginning of the second semester of the 1912-1913 school year, a Victor phonograph was installed, promoting music listening and literature, especially opera, to the students.

 This was likely instrumental (pardon the pun) in the establishment the following year of an opera being presented annually by CHS students. The school orchestra played for these operas and grew in number throughout the first two decades of the 20th century. Central High School was seemingly very well informed, as it was at the forefront of trends in music education throughout this early period.

NO LONGER JUST A BOYS’ CLUB

The school year 1931-32 brought a big change in the band program. Since its inception, the orchestra had included both male and female members. The band, however, was only for young men. In 1931, two girls were added to the band roster. Mary Bowen and Helen (Ruth) Pease were two clarinet players who wished to join the band. The attitude of the other band members is unknown, but Mary Bowen is listed as the Honorary Captain for the following school year. It seems that if not welcomed with open arms, the girls were definitely treated with respect. They marched right along with everyone else and donned military issue skirts with their uniforms. 1932-33 brought a new club to Central, though, that may have been a way to keep the "no girls allowed" spirit going. The Band Club was formed the very next year after the first girls were admitted to the military band; it was only for boys, sponsored by the band director, and made up of only male members of the band. The club existed for a few years, but eventually was joined by all band members. Other band clubs through the years include the Girls’ Band Club

    Here are three of the new horns that were bought
                                              for the Band

During this time in the band’s history, there were two separate bands, though they were not mutually exclusive in membership. From 1945-1949, the school band was referred to as the “Purple and Gold Band,” and the Military Band was a separate entity. The Military Band performed for R.O.T.C. events and were physically, though not musically, trained through the R.O.T.C. Department. The Purple and Gold Band, later just called the band, played in both marching and concert settings and was taught by a musically trained band director. In 1940, two new groups were added as part of the marching band: the Majorettes and the Girls’ Battalion. The Majorettes were baton twirlers that performed at halftime with the band as the visual ensemble of the group. The group became more popular during the mid-50s, with as many as 25-30 members. The Girls’ Battalion was the forerunner of the color guard and performed with the band for many years19. At some points in the 50s and 60s, the group had as many as 100 members marching in formation with the band. Strangely, they existed not as a part of the band, but as a part of the Girls’ P.E. Department.  The Swing Band was another important part of the band program at CHS and was begun in 1948. It existed in many forms: Swing Band, Band Ensemble, Jazz Band, etc., but all had basically standard jazz band instrumentation.



CHANGING TIMES

The 1960s and 70s brought about huge changes at Central High School. The original school building that had been dedicated in 1908 had become run-down and unsafe, so a new building became a necessary priority.  The dedication of the new school building took place on November 9, 1969, though students had been having classes in the new building since the beginning of the 1969-70 school year. The band, under the direction of new band director and CHS alumni Bobby Dugan, performed at the ceremony.  When Central moved into the new school building in the suburbs, several features of the school and the music department were changed. The orchestra was no longer a part of the musical offerings at Central, and has not been offered there ever since. The Girls' Battalion was no longer part of the half-time show, but the new group of "flag girls" became the first color guard at CHS beginning in 1969. The R.O.T.C. department no longer sponsored a separate band for military purposes when the new school opened. Lastly, a new name was adopted for the band: "The Central Sound of Chattanooga." All of these changes and many others through the more recent years of Central’s history have impacted the band a great deal.  Seven Band Directors have served at central High since 1970, and all of them have put their own signature on the program in turn
 Most importantly, through all of the changes that over 100 years has brought to Central High School, the band has always been an organization with devoted musicians, great music teaching, and proud traditions.  Central High School enjoys this very long, rich heritage, and looks with optimism into the future with a continued dedication to teaching young people through instrumental music.

                 Todays Central Sound circa 2015
           Central High Mascot "STAN the POUNDER"