Finally A New Trumpet (Cont.)
Screen 3 of 5The Pulaski County (named after the Polish general who came to the aid of the American Colonies in their War of Independence against England) Fair held late each summer at Somerset, Kentucky, was a great event for all who lived in that part of eastern Kentucky. The members of our band, therefore, were quite excited about playing for it. All our expenses would be paid, and in addition each of us would be paid a total of $10 for the four days. A military bus took us from Bowling Green, Kentucky to Somerset the day before the fair was to begin. We had fun on the bus trip, even though it was a long, hot and dusty ride. Most of the music instruments were packed in the rear baggage compartment, along with suitcases and boxes; but by special permission from the director, I was allowed to keep my new trumpet in the rack above my seat. I even tied the handle of the case to the wall so it would not slide off the rack as we bumped over the rough cobblestone and gravel roads.
We arrived at Somerset late in the afternoon, had a light supper at the hotel, and then rehearsed for about an hour in the evening. Everything went well, including our night's rest, and all of us felt we were ready, in every way for the opening day of the fair.
By prior agreement, our band was to assemble at nine A.M. in the town square and play a few numbers there to attract attention and stir up interest in the fair, before marching to the fair grounds.
The "Square" in a small Kentucky town was usually located in the heart of the business district. If the town was the county seat of government, as was the case with Somerset, the county court house could be found in the center of this area, with a "square" of one-block streets surrounding it. The town's most prominent stores, shops and offices were in the buildings on these streets facing the courthouse. It is important for the reader to know this setting, in order to understand what happened next.
The band assembled on the courthouse lawn that first morning of the fair and gave a brief concert there while standing in formation. A number of people--both old and young--gathered around and seemed to enjoy the marches, waltzes and overture which were on the program.
Then our director barked the command (all directors seem to feel a sense of power when they give commands like this), "fall in--marching formation." This we did immediately on the street directly in front of the courthouse. My position in the formation was "left guide" in the fourth row, which meant I was on the extreme left side close to the stone curbing separating the brick sidewalk from the street, and about half way between the front and rear of the formation. (The band was composed of eight rows with five in each row, making a total of 41 in the band, including the drum major who always marched several steps out in front.)
Our plan was to march around the square once while playing the old favorite, "National Emblem March," and then out Elm Street to the fairgrounds--about a mile away. The instructions were clear; we had fine weather and an admiring crowd. All this plus my new Holton trumpet made me very glad to be alive. Oh what a day!
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