The band director was Holmes McNeely

The band director was Holmes McNeely. I liked Holmes and thought he did a good job of choreographing the half time shows.

Band scholarships of $50 or $250 a semester were given out to band members. I did not know about this until the end of my freshman year when I was settling up with the bursars office for my freshman year. What a nice surprise. Holmes used this scholarship fund to bring in ‘ringers’ to augment the band. He brought in on trumpet player who was a Rice graduate and really a good player and very humble. I can see his face but his name eludes me. He also brought in a high school student, Mike Mauldin, with whom I became a good friend.

One band trip I particularly remember was a trip to Fort Smith, Arkansas, to play the University of Arkansas. We flew on DC-3 aircraft! The plane was older than I was.

In the spring we had concert band. My sophomore year was another good band year. I made friends with Jim Roberts from Idaho, a good player who was eventually a roommate in the Branard house.