Marching Bands

Congratulations to Jill Leovy for her excellent coverage of the marching band activity (Nov. 28). Although my children have long since passed through the school system, I can well remember how little coverage these hard-working bands received in the press. They drilled and practiced almost all year long, performing at parades, games and various functions, instilling pride in the students in their schools in a very tangible manner.

School marching bands have created many thousands of former band members, spread over many generations and multiplied by the thousands of schools and colleges across the country, who represent an enormous reservoir of loyalty, goodwill and undying interest. Marching bands are like corporations--they never die, the members pass on through, then go on to live their useful lives. But whenever in life they hear or see a marching band go by, they stop and look and listen and for a moment they are strutting along, instrument in hand, giving their best for their band, school and community.

ALEX SHEPPARD

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