Harlan Huckleby
03-03-2008, 01:40 PM
Monona Grove High band to get new duds
Gena Kittner
MONONA -- These band uniforms could probably march themselves.
Made of a heavy wool blend and exposed to generations of teenage sweat, the navy blue uniforms with a white bib overlay that have clad Monona Grove High School Marching Band members for 34 years are missing buttons, have zippers that no longer zip and contain fabric that is ripped, stained and faded "beyond repair. "
"They would actually duct tape pants to the kids because the waistbands were shot, " said Debbie Kreigh, a member of the Friends of Monona Grove Band booster club whose son marches in the band.
http://www.madison.com/images/articles/wsj/2008/03/03/64199.jpg
A hat with a broken visor is one example of the poor condition of the 34-year-old Monona Grove High School Marching Band uniforms. Emily Allen, a Monona Grove senior who plays French horn, displays the damaged hat with its wing-clipped eagle.
Now the marching band is trading up.
Last month, the Monona Grove School District approved funding two-thirds of the $30,000 needed for 150 new marching band uniforms, and the band boosters are well on their way to raising the rest.
The new threads will make their debut at the Monona Memorial Day Parade.
That was welcome news to students, including Emily Allen, a senior who plays the French horn and has vivid memories of sweating through her heavy uniform while marching down Monona Drive during past parades.
After the parade, "I (would) literally peel my uniform off me, " she said.
While many schools struggle to find funding to update worn uniforms, Monona Grove is likely in a class by itself.
The lifetime of a band uniform depends on the material and the frequency with which it is worn and cleaned, said Brenda Bant, school band director and president of the Wisconsin Youth Band Directors Association.
"However, I still think 34 years is an extremely long time to use the same uniforms, " Bant said. "Students today are not the same sizes as students 34 years ago either. "
Band director Pat Dorn, who expects to put in the order for new uniforms today or Tuesday, describes the new togs as a "sleeker look, " and not as heavy.
The new uniforms also come equipped with suspenders so students won 't have to worry about their pants falling down, he said. The top is an all-in-one piece instead of the current suit-coat-type jacket with bib overlay, which can be hard to fit, he said.
As a freshman, Allen said she was a little surprised by the old uniform fitting process.
"If you can get (the pants) on and they stay on you, that 's what you 're going to wear, " she said. "I can 't think of a single person in my class (whose uniform) fits right. "
In addition to being uncomfortable, ill-fitting uniforms can also affect how a person plays, she said.
"There 's no way you can play to the best of your ability " with shoddy uniforms, Allen said. "The safety pins aren 't exactly comfortable. "
http://www.madison.com/images/articles/wsj/2008/03/03/64200.jpg
The new Monona Grove High School marching band uniform.
Gena Kittner
MONONA -- These band uniforms could probably march themselves.
Made of a heavy wool blend and exposed to generations of teenage sweat, the navy blue uniforms with a white bib overlay that have clad Monona Grove High School Marching Band members for 34 years are missing buttons, have zippers that no longer zip and contain fabric that is ripped, stained and faded "beyond repair. "
"They would actually duct tape pants to the kids because the waistbands were shot, " said Debbie Kreigh, a member of the Friends of Monona Grove Band booster club whose son marches in the band.
http://www.madison.com/images/articles/wsj/2008/03/03/64199.jpg
A hat with a broken visor is one example of the poor condition of the 34-year-old Monona Grove High School Marching Band uniforms. Emily Allen, a Monona Grove senior who plays French horn, displays the damaged hat with its wing-clipped eagle.
Now the marching band is trading up.
Last month, the Monona Grove School District approved funding two-thirds of the $30,000 needed for 150 new marching band uniforms, and the band boosters are well on their way to raising the rest.
The new threads will make their debut at the Monona Memorial Day Parade.
That was welcome news to students, including Emily Allen, a senior who plays the French horn and has vivid memories of sweating through her heavy uniform while marching down Monona Drive during past parades.
After the parade, "I (would) literally peel my uniform off me, " she said.
While many schools struggle to find funding to update worn uniforms, Monona Grove is likely in a class by itself.
The lifetime of a band uniform depends on the material and the frequency with which it is worn and cleaned, said Brenda Bant, school band director and president of the Wisconsin Youth Band Directors Association.
"However, I still think 34 years is an extremely long time to use the same uniforms, " Bant said. "Students today are not the same sizes as students 34 years ago either. "
Band director Pat Dorn, who expects to put in the order for new uniforms today or Tuesday, describes the new togs as a "sleeker look, " and not as heavy.
The new uniforms also come equipped with suspenders so students won 't have to worry about their pants falling down, he said. The top is an all-in-one piece instead of the current suit-coat-type jacket with bib overlay, which can be hard to fit, he said.
As a freshman, Allen said she was a little surprised by the old uniform fitting process.
"If you can get (the pants) on and they stay on you, that 's what you 're going to wear, " she said. "I can 't think of a single person in my class (whose uniform) fits right. "
In addition to being uncomfortable, ill-fitting uniforms can also affect how a person plays, she said.
"There 's no way you can play to the best of your ability " with shoddy uniforms, Allen said. "The safety pins aren 't exactly comfortable. "
http://www.madison.com/images/articles/wsj/2008/03/03/64200.jpg
The new Monona Grove High School marching band uniform.