All right, fess up; Who threw the eggs at the high school in Rosholt, S.D.?
Unless the goofballs who did it owned up, the Rosholt High band wouldn't be allowed to attend the WDAY Band Festival in Fargo.
This was in 1963. Connie Kleinwort, now of Fargo, played clarinet in the Rosholt band then, and she and all the band members didn't want to miss the event. "It was something we looked forward to each year," she says.
Well, Connie writes, "I don't remember if anyone ever did admit to it, but at the last minute we were allowed to attend." And they had a great time. "Fargo always had the red carpet out for us, and we truly enjoyed the day."
Connie sends along the 1963 program for this, the ninth annual festival. Among the highlights: the parade, which was televised and broadcast; the Civic Auditorium canteen where band members ate; a lunch for the queen candidates at the Town House Motor Motel; a luncheon at the Gardner Hotel for mayors, school officials and other dignitaries; judging of the queen candidates and the crowning of the winner; and a "musicians' hop" for the bands.
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Ken Kennedy of WDAY was the chairman of the festival. Some of the WDAY staffers who headed committees under him were:
Tom Hofsommer and Dennis Schrimpf, cars; Jack Lester, escorts; Norm Schrader, publicity; Tom Barnes, dignitaries; Sumner Rasmussen and Harold Mussetter, television; Jack Dunn and Bill Burn, mayors and superintendents; Norm Engstrom and Juline Savold, radio; Ken Smith and Milan Frisch, reviewing stand; Howard Campbell, Don Dresser and Larry Gauper, musicians' hop; Verna Newell and Joan Lambert, queens; Roy Pedersen, Bob Fisher, Dick Berdahl and Jim Anderson, parade.
And many more, all who pitched in to make the festival a big day for area bands, including the one from Rosholt, which made it despite the bums who tossed eggs at its school.
If you have an item of interest for this column, mail it to Neighbors, The Forum, Box 2020, Fargo, ND 58107; fax it to (701) 241-5487; or email blind@forumcomm.com .
