Coffeyville Drum and Bugle Corps
Being a member of the all girl Drum Corps was an important part of my high school years and had an impact on my life. I had the privilege to be part of this exemplary female group during my junior and senior years at Field Kindley High School in Coffeyville, Kansas. The group originated on January 2, 1935 when “the Student Congress of FKHS granted a charter to the Drum and Bugle Corps” as an all female organization. The inspiration for this group came from an unexpected source; Ruth McFerren*, the school librarian, was recovering from a car accident when she came up with the idea. “Only girls were eligible to join (Turner).”
But wait…there’s more to the story. In 1888, three different newspapers (Elk City Eagle, Cherryvale Bulletin, and Weekly Star and Kansan) mention the Coffeyville Drum Corps. The Elk City Eagle newspaper declared that the “Coffeyville Drum Corps is composed of a gentlemanly set of boys” while the Weekly Star and Kansan stated that “the corps wore nice uniforms and consists of twelve players, a drum major and a color bearer.” In 1916, the Sun again mentioned this group when it asserted that the Coffeyville Drum Corps and Coffeyville Concert band “aided and abetted” a “rally parade” as it passed through the downtown streets. (I found no mention of this group after 1916.)
The modern Drum Corps (1935-1986**) was steeped in tradition. Only a certain number of girls were allowed in the organization. “The first Corps consisted of 16 members plus a drum major…During the 1935-36 school, membership of the Corps rose to 25 (Turner).” During my years, the number was 33. To determine who participated, interested students took a music test and were required to have a teacher recommend them. Director Harvey Lewis made the final selection.
This YouTube video was posted by Andy Taylor on June 2, 2010:
Finding out that you were selected to become a member of the Drum and Bugle Corps was an adventure in itself. The date was a closely guarded secret and did not leak out. On that special day, early in the morning while it was still dark and everyone was still asleep, the current members arrived at each new girl’s house, honking car horns, banging on things, and altogether making a tremendous amount of noise, waking the girl and her family (as well as the neighbors) and dragging the girl out of her bed. Everyone gathered together (the new inductees still in their pajamas and nightgowns) and the girls marched as members of the Drum and Bugle Corps for the first time. Then it was back home in time to get ready for school. The girls were given three dimensional construction paper drums to wear around their necks so everyone at school knew who the new members were.
Even though Drum Corps was a daily class, members lived by the philosophy that “Drum Corps is a way of life.” The girls had a lot of fun and developed a special camaraderie with other members while living up to high expectations and demonstrating a strong work ethic.
We performed year round in parades and at pre-game and half-time shows for football and basketball. According to the 1972 yearbook (my junior year), “For the first time ever, the Drum Corps was featured on nation-wide television for a TU basketball drill.” Additionally, the DC members were ushers at the Coffeyville Inter-State Rodeo every August. We had two sets of uniforms depending on the season. (One of the more unusual expectations was that we had to wear a girdle under our uniforms.)
Socially, Drum Corps was known for their slumber parties. Okay, there was no “slumber.” We gathered at someone’s house after performing at certain games. I remember lots of talking, laughing, and eating. The party ended in the early morning hours.
One of the main Drum Corps events was the annual reunion. This formal event was planned and organized by the current corps. Many hours were spent in making decorations and in the actual decorating itself. All past and current Drum and Bugle Corps members were invited to dinner with time for various recognitions, speeches, and the announcement of the new drum major. Then we moved to the gym for marching afterwards. Past members got to get together with their peers and marched together. Once a Drum Corps member, always a Drum Corps member. The evening ended with the basketball half-time show performed by the current group of DC members.
The Coffeyville Drum and Bugle Corps also had a strong tradition of sisters belonging to this organization. My sister, Becky, and I continued this tradition.
I am proud to have had the opportunity to be part of this all female group. I made good friends and it helped prepare me for college. “The Drum and Bugle Corps became one of the most outstanding organizations at the school (Turner).”
*The Coffeyville Journal on September 11, 2005 stated the DC organizer’s name as Ruth Ferrin while the 1937 Field Kindley High School yearbook states her name as Ruth McFerren.
**Director Harvey Lewis “Papa Lewis” was director from 1944 until his retirement in 1974 and was the face of the Coffeyville Drum and Bugle Corps. Changes were imminent in the 1980’s because of changes in leadership and society. Sometime in the 1980’s boys were permitted to join because of equal rights. The Coffeyville Drum and Bugle Corps “ceased to exist in 1986 (Turner).”
Sources
“17 Aug 1888, 1 – the Elk City Eagle at Newspapers.com.” Newspapers.com, https://www.newspapers.com/image/489337478/?terms=Coffeyville+Drum+Corp&match=1.
“20 Oct 1888, 3 – Cherryvale Bulletin at Newspapers.com.” Newspapers.com, https://www.newspapers.com/image/489088796/?terms=Coffeyville+Drum+Corp&match=1.
“28 Sep 1888, Page 6 – the Weekly Star and Kansan at Newspapers.com.” Newspapers.com, https://www.newspapers.com/image/117944305/?terms=Coffeyville+Drum+Corp&match=1.
“7 Nov 1916, 5 – the Sun at Newspapers.com.” Newspapers.com, https://www.newspapers.com/image/417776655/?terms=Coffeyville+Drum+Corp&match=1.
“Alfred M. Landon’s Notification Day Parade … – Kshs.org.” Kansas Memory, The Kansas Historical Society, 2022, https://kshs.org/km/items/view/100418.
“Coffeyville Drum Corps.” Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/coffeyville.drumcorps.
Taylor, Andy, director. Coffeyville Drum and Bugle Corps.m4v. YouTube, YouTube, 2 June 2010, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWJvYmsja-0. Accessed 25 Feb. 2022.
“Tornado Drum Corps, 1948-1949 by [Americana – Kansas] – 1949 – from Johnson Rare Books & Archives (SKU: 72098).” Biblio.com, Americana-Kansas, 1 Jan. 1970, https://www.biblio.com/book/tornado-drum-corps-1948-1949-americana/d/1359715420.
Turner, Ursula. “Drum and Bugle Corps Members Reunite.” The Coffeyville Journal, 11 Sept. 2005, pp. 6B–8B.
“U.S., School Yearbooks, 1880-2012”; School Name: Field Kindley Memorial High School; Year: 1972