JTHS: 100 years to beat the band

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Updated: March 21, 2012 8:07AM

JOLIET — The storied band program in the Joliet Township High School District is observing its centennial this year, and the district is proud to be celebrating.

The community can get involved in a number of ways.

Around 120 alumni — from a variety of years and from throughout the country — will perform a centennial concert for the community July 29 at Joliet Central High School.

The concert will include alumni from the Joliet Central, West and East campuses and the old Joliet Township High School.

The Band Alumni Association will present a celebratory dinner on July 28 at the Carpenters Hall, 1407 Essington Road. Cost is $35.

Also in late July, the Joliet Area Historical Museum will present an exhibit, “Strike Up the Band,” displaying memorabilia, instruments and historical information from 100 years.

Band history

Joliet Township High School was founded in April 1901 at the site of the current Central campus, at 201 E. Jefferson St.

Sometime during the 1912 school year, school officials wanted to start a band and looked through their files to see if any faculty members played musical instruments. They saw that A.R. McAllister, a wood shop teacher, played the cornet. The school began a band that year.

McAllister became the band’s full-time director in December 1913. The band began a meteoric rise to national fame.

“By 1917, it was recognized as the finest high school band in the state. In 1923, the band was invited to St. Louis as the official band of the 40th district Rotary convention,” wrote Lynne Lichtenauer, director of alumni relations, in her history of the band.

The history is available on the alumni page on the district website, www.jths.org.

Under McAllister’s leadership, the band won state championships in 1924, 1925 and 1926, and national championships in 1926, 1927 and 1928.

Lichtenauer includes this detail from the 1929 yearbook: “In ’29, the national contest was held in Denver and the JT band decided not to participate as a favor to the other bands; however, the JT band was invited as a guest band. This was the highest honor to ever be given a high school band.”

The band took national titles again in 1931, 1933, 1935, 1938 and 1940. McAllister led the band until his death in October 1944.

This is only the beginning of the band’s legendary history and is the foundation of the tradition that Joliet will see in action at this summer’s concert.

How to help

Organizers are looking for the community’s help in supporting the summer concert and museum exhibit.

They are seeking memorabilia, sponsorships for the exhibit and advertising in the centennial concert programs.

“There’s a lot of different ways people can involve themselves,” Lichtenauer said.

To get involved, call Lichtenauer at 815-727-6763, or email llichtenauer@jths.org.

For information about the Band Alumni Association, visit www.jthsbaa.org.