Football was her favorite season

by Nancy Slaymaker Football season is here and I am glad. I love the game! And love all the marching bands. One in particular memory is of the Wellington Marching Band.

Years ago, in the middle seventies, both Wellington band directors had graduated from Ohio State. Luckily for Wellington they brought the Buckeyes discipline and band ideas with them to our band. And that band worked hard and long and was very dedicated.

I remember the first time I saw "our" band how amazed I was at how wonderful they were -- precise, inventive and great sounding -- OSU like.

So when Wellington played football at Oberlin High School -- and having heard how important music was at Oberlin College -- I was expecting a great marching band from their high school. Not quite as good as ours, though. That was too much to expect.

After our fabulous band performed that half-time, as good a program as we had seen, the band knelt on the sidelines to watch Oberlin's band. To everyone's surprise, six lonely Oberlin band members marched -- out of step -- onto the field. The tiny band was disoriented, a couple going the wrong way, the music was hard to hear. Everyone in the stands felt sorry for their band. But those members bravely struggled through.

And when they marched from the field, all Wellington band members -- still on the sidelines -- stood and clapped for them. They knew how much nerve it had taken to perform that night, how hard it had been for them to have followed our band.

All our fans, I am sure, were as proud as P.C. and I were. Not only was our band superb, but thoughtful, understanding and gracious.

So you can understand my not forgetting that football half-time game in Oberlin. That band performance all those years ago. And why so many wonderful memories of Wellington stay with me. Will share more next time.