The Sandusky High School Band was Busy in 1936

In 1936 the Sandusky High School Band gave a series of free Sunday afternoon concerts, under the direction of Byron F. Aldrich. In February, the band played for the Sandusky Auto Dealers car show held at the Sandusky Junior High School.

The Sandusky Star Journal of March 13, 1936 reported that the Sandusky High School Band played for the Style Promenade put on by the M.R. Herb store at the Junior High School. Elmer Bauer also played selections on the Frohman Memorial organ at the style show. Over three thousand were in attendance. The band also provided musical entertainment for the Postmasters Convention at Cedar Point in June as well as for the district meeting of the American Legion in November.

A large concert put on by the Sandusky High School Band took place at the Sandusky Junior High School in December 11, 1936. For this concert, the admission fee was 25 cents (about $5 today). Hundred of area businesses also sponsored the band concert, and were listed in the Sandusky Star Journal on December 10, 1936.

Byron F. Aldrich directed the Sandusky High School Band from 1923 until 1955. Many Sandusky High School alumni honored Mr. Aldrich at a dinner in the fall of 1981.

The former band director is quoted in the article, from the Sandusky Register of September 20, 1981, “Maybe I can’t remember all the names, but I can remember just where each one sat when they were in the band.”

Byron F. Aldrich passed away on October 6, 1984. He and his wife Florence are buried at Oakland Cemetery. Mr. Aldrich touched the lives of many during his long tenure at Sandusky High School.

Sandusky High School Band in 1925

Here is the Sandusky High School band from the academic year of 1924-1925. The band is seated in front of the steps at Sandusky High School, now Adams Junior High. Mr. Byron Aldrich served as the director of Sandusky High School’s band from 1923 until his retirement in 1955. Below is a picture of the band from the 1925 Fram.

On Monday, November 3, 1924, the Sandusky High School band led a parade of over two thousand students through the streets of Sandusky in support of an upcoming levy. The band gave a concert at the high school auditorium on Friday, December 12, 1924, to a near capacity crowd. The musical numbers played by the 58-piece were so popular, that several encores were requested. Special numbers included a baritone solo by Wayne Pfaff, a coronet duet by Arthur Lange and Richard Smith, and a clarinet trio consisting of Marion Bailey, Wade Miller, and Charles Fettel. Though they didn’t place, the Sandusky High School band went to a State High School Band Contest in Akron, on May 21 and 22, 1925. The Sandusky Star Journal of May 23, 1925 indicated that “Sandusky gave a splendid account of itself” at Akron. Fostoria’s band took first place, with West High School of Akron finishing second. Earl Cheetham, a sousaphone player in the Sandusky High School Band, was selected to perform with the All-Ohio High School, which performed at the Ohio State Band in the summer of 1925 under the direction of Professor Wainwright of Fostoria, Ohio. Visit the Sandusky Library Archives Research Center to learn more about the history of past residents of Sandusky and Erie County, Ohio.