Thursday, March 22, 2007 Older Editions

The Back Page: Marching and mascots - Memorable moments of All Girl Band

By Bill Dalton

Kathy (Gaudette) Heseltine has more information about the All Girl Band, which performed at high school football games in town throughout the 1940s and '50s and into the '60s. She says, "A friend of mine, Pat Roberge, was asked to join the band and play the trumpet with lessons to be included. Unfortunately, her training was limited and she had to resort to pretending she was playing at times. She stayed for a couple of years and then went on to become a cheerleader."

Veryl (Dufton) Anderson, a friend of Kathy's, remembered a band mascot named "Buttons." The dog's career was short but marked. Buttons was trained to march with the band, but never went through a dress rehearsal.

His owner was a band member. Debut day for Buttons went well until the trumpet and drum section of the band started playing. The loud sonance was traumatic to the doggy. He first sat down in the middle of the field and howled over and over. As the finale, he lost control of the last part of his digestive system. Kathy says, "That was the end of Button's mascot career and probably much to his relief."

Kathy has another good story, "While marching on the field during a home game, one of the band members who led a column made the mistake of not making the designated turn left toward the home stands. She continued to march straight ahead by herself toward the goal post at the end of the field. It was hard for the other members of the band to hold their composure and concentrate while marching and playing their instruments. Unfortunately, the girl's parents were in the stands for the very first time watching their daughter perform."

Faith-Ann Galber, who was the head majorette in Kathy's senior year (class of '62), brought a new dimension to the art of baton twirling. Kathy says, "During half-times, Faith-Ann was the first girl we ever saw twirl a fire-lit baton. This was a spectacular event to watch and it drew many 'Oohs' and 'Aahs' from the crowd. I think she was a first not only in our little town but maybe the entire state."

I suppose, to have such an event today, the stands would be evacuated, with a fire truck standing by; the fire baton-twirler and her parents would sign mandated releases, and the twirler would be required to wear head-to-toe fire-proof clothing.

Kathy (Gaudette) Heseltine and her husband Charlie (also class of '62) live on Elm Street. Charlie and I played a lot of baseball together. He broke his leg in his junior year, which ended his football playing, but he played four years of baseball. Kathy and Charlie have two daughters, both superb athletes. Kim, class of 1988, was a two-sport captain in soccer and skiing. She continued both sports at Keene State and was inducted into that school's hall of fame along with her entire soccer team. Amy, class of '92, was a two-sport captain as well. By any standard, she must be considered one of the town's legendary athletes. Among other honors, she was picked as the top female athlete in her senior year and was captain of both soccer and skiing. She was four-time all-conference and all-state in skiing as well as the Eagle-Tribune Female Athlete of the Year in skiing. In soccer, she was all-conference, all-state, team MVP, and Eastern Massachusetts MVP. She went to Providence College and was captain of the soccer team, All-Big East, All-New England, and All Northeast. She was inducted into the Andover High School Hall of Fame as soon as possible.

I received an e-mail from an old friend, Bunny (Bryant) Downs, who was in the All Girl Band from 1942 to 1948. She played the snare drum for three years and was a majorette for the next three years, becoming the head majorette in her senior year. Bunny married Bill Downs, who became Andover's longtime fire chief and then selectman. What is nicely unusual is that all three of their daughters followed Bunny by being majorettes and then head majorettes. Cathy Downs (Wisecarver) graduated in 1970; Barbara Downs (Morache) in 1973; and Lesley Downs (Hewett) in 1976. Mrs. Downs says she is very proud of her daughters. Well she might be; having four head majorettes in one family must be a record.

Elizabeth Tammany graduated in 1960 and was a majorette at Punchard High School (where Town Offices now are) and then Andover High (in the building that is now the West Middle School). She was one of the head majorettes in her senior year. Her dad, Bill Tammany, was a well-known police officer and for many years the safety officer who came around and spoke to school kids. A couple of years after Elizabeth graduated, she met Larry "Tiger" Lynch at a local baseball game between younger and older police. Tiger and her dad were on opposite teams. Tiger had been co-captain of football in 1955 (class of '56) and a very good catcher in baseball. He was tough as nails, but was good to us younger kids who idolized him. He was one of our local sports heroes. Elizabeth and Larry fell in love and were married, eventually moving to Florida in 1982 with their two children.

I heard from Bridget Lynch, their daughter. She and her brother Kevin still live in Florida. She says of her mother, "I have such great memories of her teaching me how to twirl the baton on our front yard on Vine Street. I can still hear her wedding rings clinking on the metal of the baton as she showed me the 'mixing bowl.' She was so proud of her involvement with the band, and I have shared her high school band pictures with my nieces. They love the uniform and the great tall hat 'Nana Beth' wore. My mother died in 1986, 10 years before my oldest niece (her namesake) was born but they have learned about her life through stories and, thankfully, lots of pictures. The pictures from my mother's days in the band are by far the most requested by my nieces. My father returned to Andover in 1990 and lived there until his death in 2000. I used to visit Andover more frequently when he was alive but less so now."

I will have more information on the band in future columns. I'd also like to gather information about girl's basketball and field hockey. Andover Townsman columnist Bill Dalton can be reached at billdalton@andovertownie.com.