(The following was written by Grover Davis, and is reprinted from “Reflections”, a collection of local stories available at the Grove City Welcome Center and Museum. Any opinions made in the article are from the author.)

During this time we were getting these other things going we were trying to organize a band and doing that the hard way also. The school had no money to help us, so it was up to the boys and their parents to get the band started. We had no instrument sand no one to take charge, so a committee was appointed to go up to the Columbus Barracks and talk to the Commander that had The Barrack Band under his command to see if he would send a man out to get us started.  We finally convinced him that this would be a good thing for the whole community and also give the Barracks Band a lot of publicity.  The Commander finally sent a good man to help us get going.  This man’s name was Sargeant Dumas and he soon proved to be the right man.  Mr. Dumas met with the boys and decided which instrument each boy was suited for.  Mr. Dumas What is a fine musician in a very good teacher. The school had no money to help us get our instruments so each boy had to buy his own, and with what each boy made working and the help of our parents, we finally got our instruments.  Mr. Dumas taught us how to read notes and how to press the right key for each note and trombone players the way to play by watching their slides according to their notes.  Plenty of practice for all of us with the only way we could learn to play.  Mr. Dumas Left us about 6 months before school term was over and the Commander sent another Sergeant out.  His name was Bivins.  He was also will find musician and a very good teacher.  He was with the band until the band broke up. We finally got uniforms about one and one quarter years after we were out of school, but we played for many things that were going on at that time and gave a concert over in the Grove at Beulah Park about every Sunday until so many dropped out that we had to disband.

During all that time we were playing for some recognition or giving concerts on the street or over at Beulah Park Grove on Sundays; G.C.H.S.  was the only organization that ever ordered any of our endeavors, all of which started the hard way. The band gave a concert in honor of the first G.C.H.S.Band on the football field in front of the bleachers.  There were only three living at that time and one couldn’t make it so that left Frank Weygandt and myself to represent the first High School Band.  In front of the bleachers and were introduced to the crowd as two of the three men living that help build and play in the G.C.H.S. Band.  We received a fine welcome from the crowd and felt very proud for such a fine honor from one of the finest bands in the state of Ohio.

Signed

Grover C. Davis
O
hio Masonic Home
P.O. Box 120
Springfield, Ohio 45501

Grover Davis died on December 22, 1982.