User:Allegrorondo/Kenosha Queensmen
| Type | Drum and Bugle Corps |
|---|---|
| Location | Kenosha, Wisconsin |
| Division | Junior |
| Founded | 1964 |
| Disbanded | 1969 |
| Folded | 1971 |
| Championship titles | WI VFW Class B - 1966 |
The Kenosha Queensmen, also known as the Holy Rosary Queensmen, was a competitive junior drum and bugle corps. It was formed in 1964, as a junior parade corps based in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The group was sponsored by Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Catholic Parish and the Paul Herrick American Legion Post 21.
The Queensmen Squires was their junior corps, founded in 1965, for members in grades 5-8.
The corps’ colors were royal blue, sky blue, and white.
1964 - parade corps
1965 - Class C corps
1966 - Class B corps, WI VA state champion
Membership declined following 1969 season. The two high schools in Kenosha had just joined a summer marching band competition circuit, (the precursor to MACBDA), and would not allow band members to join the drum and bugle corps; and the Corps could no longer use the Holy Rosary Church facilities for winter practice.
With much lower membership in 1970, the Queensmen merged with the Explorer Scouts of Racine to form the Racine Explorer Scouts. The two corps separated again after this one year, but factors such as worn-out equipment led to the quiet demise of the Queensmen in 1971.
Notes[edit]
The Our Lady of The Holy Rosary Queensmen Drum and Bugle Corps has completed the most successful season in it’s two and one-half year history. Having spent the 1964 season as a parade unit and 1965 as a class “C” field unit, the Queensmen moved into class “B” for the first time this year. Before the year began, it was predicted the Queensmen would make strong advances and probably be a threat to the top corps in class “B”. This proved an underestimation. During the winter, the Queensmen color guard consistently placed high and by the end of the guard season was rated third in the midwest. When the summer field season started, the corps was already a threat. As the season progressed, the corps climbed higher. When St. Patrick’s Imperials and the La Crosse Blue Stars, the top two corps in class “B,” unofficially moved into “A” competition, the Queensmen quickly rose to the lead in their class and became one of the fastest rising corps in Wisconsin. For their first year in class “B”, the Queensmen’s record speaks for itself: a third place rating in the Midwest Color Guard Association; many first place color guard trophies; the Midwest Color Guard Circuit trophy for the most improved color guard; Commander’s Medalion to the Queensmen color guard Sgt. Melody Hess. Among the corps’ ll first place awards this year are the State class “B” V.F.W. title; first place in the Riverview Park (111.) contest and outstanding unit out of 113 drum corps and bands from five states at the Riverview tournament. At this contest the corps defeated for the first time the class “A” St Patrick’s Imperials. This year the Queensmen sponsored a color guard contest, a small corps standstill, an ice cream social, the Midwest Catholic Music Championships field show and were the host corps for the ‘‘Cavalcade of Drums” County Fair Contest. Among their many out of town trips, the Queensmen represented Kenosha in Ontario, Canada at the Sertomanaires contest. The Queensmen are presently preparing to host the 1966 Badgerland Drum and Bugle Corps Association Convention. The Queensmen members and staff have proven what hard work, dedication and determination can do and Kenosha can rightly be proud of its newest addition to the drum corps family[1]
Queensmen begin preparations for 1970 season Queensmen drum and bugle corps announced several structural changes in the corps at the general membership meeting following a four-week post season layoff. For one, the Queensmen color guard, formerly all-girl, will go coed in 1970, with the addition of boys. This departure from tradition was brought about by the desire to fit any young man or women into a firm spot in the Queensmen regardless of prior experience. Tile winter color guard program will reamin all-girl, however, with the new look coming into view when the corps takes the field next summer. To Get New Bugles The Queensmen’s silver bugles, now badly worn and beyond repair, will be replaced by a new set of custom made chrome instruments. The present set has been in use since the corps’ organization in January of 1964. A crisp new appearance will greet drum corps fans next year, too, when the Queensmen turn up in their revised uniforms of royal blue, sky blue and white. A city and county-wide recruiting program, to begin shortly, will bring the corps to its largest size in history, as the Queensmen enter their seventh season. Since their organization the Queensmen have appeared in ll states and Canada, before over 25 million spectators, and have accumulated 121 awards. TTie administrative staff, enlarged for 1970, consists of Louis Rugani, corps president; Kip Dom, vice-president; James Courtney, second vicepresident; Joseph Courtney, business manager; William Andersen and Nicholas Heide, quartermasters; Glen Le [2]
June 30, 1969 KENOSHA NEWS Queensmen New quarter sought by expanding corps By SHERI NYE SEEFELDT Kenosha News Staff Writer It's a team thing, a musical sport, a family. What is it? Ifs Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Queensmen Drum and Bugle Corps. The goal of the corps, which carries Kenosha’s colors, is to carry on its winning tradition for this city. Comoosed of boys and girls 14 to 21-years-old, the corps is only five years old and is rated in th • too IO among some 300 drum corps in the Midwest. Th? idea of the Queensmen germinated when the Rev. James Tarsi, a former pastor of Holy Rosary Church, was inspired by a performance of “The Music Man” and started looking for a non-sectarian constructive activity for Kenosha youth. He was joined by Louis Rugani, a Holy Rosary parishioner and a former member of the Kingsmen Drum and Bugle Corps, and together they began the Queensmen Aug. 8, 1904. Has 140 Members The corps is composed of 140 members, mainly from Kenosha and Kenosha County, but four corpsmen are from Chicago and several live in McHenry, 111 and Bensenville, 111 “And we expect more youths,” said Rugani, now director of the corps. “The corps is a regenerative thing. Corps members bring their friends and the friends bring their friend. We acquired six new corpsmen just at our last meeting.” Individual members of the Queensmen feel strongly about belonging. Kitty Nicolazzi who has had three-and-a half years of drum corps experience, said that she joined tho Queensmen because ‘‘they were going forward and I could visit a lot of places and talk to a lot of people.” Rugani had this to say. ‘‘Our strong points are a fierce pride in the corps, loyalty, and dedication. The kids work together as one unit; you have to if you want to be successful ” The feeder group for the Queensmen Is the Squires, composed of boys and girls ll to II-years-old. The Corps has been rated tops in its class in the Midwest for the past three years. The Color Guard, which is part of the corps in summer, but competes on its own during the winter months, is also a winner All Are Welcome Whether or not a youth can play an instrument he is welcomed into the Queensmen. Upon arrival he is tested for any ability on the bugle or drum. The youth may use tim instrument he selects for the duration of his participation in tho corps, and if possible, (sunwise) he may take it home to practice. Instruments for the corps consists of tho brass section of 36 horns (with seven types of bugles) and the percussion section of IR drums and cymbals (with eight types of drums from the 28-inch bass to the smallest snare). Tho Queensmen and Squires meet about twice a week during tho summer and once in the winter. Meeting in tho evening, they practice old routines and learn new ones readying themselves for tho summer competitions. The corps usually enters about 36 competitions during each summer. These events have taken place in such far-flung cities as Boston, Detroit, Marion, ()., and Sarnia, Ont., Canada. The uniform for the corps is a white satin blouse, royal blue trousers with a white stripe, white buck shoes, white gloves, and white shakos with 12 inch high royal blue plumes. Self-Disciplined The corps survives on self enforced discipline. ‘‘Since tho corps Is a real team with everyone counting on everyone else, each youngster not only looks out for himself, but for each other. The corps members do their own disciplining. I don’t have to do much more than instruct, guide and direct,” said Rugani. “It’s a good thing,” he added. The corps is financially independent, existing on cash prizes won in competitions and on private donations. The members pay 50 cents a week dues during the winter to keep the corps going. The staff is mainly voluntary with an occasional paid professional guest instructor. A hoard of directors, headed by Rugani, operates the Queensmen. Included are Dale Karrigan, Kip Dom, Burnel Anderson, Glen Letourneau, and John Isermann, who directs the Squires. Since its inception, the corps has practiced in the Holy Rosary facilities in the winter months and on Drum Corps Field, Lakemont Stadium, in the summer months. But next winter, the corps will be without a place to practice. Because of its continual expansion, the corps has outgrown Holy Rosary and now is looking for a temporary winter home where it can practice and keep equipment until it can erect a building — hopefully in two or three years. Hopes of finding a temporary home are high in the Booster Club, composed of parents and interested persons who have begun a building fund. Invitational Event Aug. 8 This building fund will be increased from the proceeds of the corps’ main fund raising activity, The Queensmen Drum and Bugle Corps Invitational. This contest will be belli on the corps’ fifth anniversary, Friday, Aug. 8 in Lakemont Stadium. The field will be national In scope. Nine corps will participate. They are the Anaheim Kingsmen. Anaheim, Cal.; Boston Crusaders, Boston, Mass.; St. Francis Xavier, South Weymouth, Mass.; St. Paul Scouts, St. Paul, Minn.; St. Rita Brassmen, Brooklyn, N.Y.; St. Patrick Imperials, Milwaukee; Racine Boy Scouts, Racine; Nisei Ambassadors, Chicago; and the Mariners, Greendale, Wis. The Queensmen offer a unique family plan admission besides the general admission of $1.75. An entire family can be admitted to tho competition for only $5. [3]
Show Summary (1964-1969)'[4][edit]
| Year | Theme | Repertoire | Score | Placement (VFW Prelims) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | What Can I Say After I Say I'm Sorry? * Great Gate of Kiev (from Pictures at an Exhibition) | - | - | |
| 1965 | Swan Lake * Climb Ev'ry Mountain (from The Sound of Music) | 53.9 | 49th | |
| 1966 | Demetrius and the Gladiators * Manhattan Tower * Marche Slav * This Is A Great Country * Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah * Little Girl * Lullaby of Broadway (from 42nd Street) * If I ruled The World | 60.65 | 44th | |
| 1967 | Flight of the Bumblebee * One of Those Songs * Demetrius And The Gladiators * Manhattan Tower * Marche Slav * Hoedown (from Rodeo) * If I Ruled The World | 66.40 | 29th | |
| 1968 | 'Whatver Happened to Baby Jane? * Mission Impossible * For A Few Dollars More * This Land is Your Land * Hoe Down * Blue Star | 77.05 | 19th | |
| 1969 | 'Girls of the Folies Bergere * On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe * Topeka * On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe | 73.60 | 30th |
References[edit]
[Encyclopedia of Drum and Bugle Corps, 1966; rec.arts.marching.drumcorps 3/15/2002]
External links[edit]
- alumni page here
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