MHSBAND : Gallery of Uniform Violations

Uniform Violations

In the history of the Model High School Band, or, for that matter, ANY high school band, there have always been, and always will be, some student who forgets some aspect of their performance uniform. On the one hand, these are, after all, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, who cannot possibly be expected to remember EVERYTHING! On the other hand, how can they forget these things when the rules are explictly spelled out for them, in a letter usually sent home to the parents:

Performance Uniform

And yet, there will be a situation at some point or another, when the student will forget their hat, or vest, or, in one semi-memorable instance, their pants. In a marching or concert performance, the incident is usually forgotten after the event (although it is usually not forgotten when it comes time for grading). However, when this occurs at yearbook photo time, then the violation is captured on film and preserved forever.

The most common violation: improper shoes. Take, for example, these front row offenders: Jimmy Kwak (from 1983-84, otherwise ruining what would have been a perfect group picture, as far as everyone wearing what they were supposed to be wearing) and Willie Gump (from 1986-87).

Shoes Shoes Again

And then there's the 1984-85 group photo, containing an abundance of nitpicky and not-so-picky violations:

Shoes and Shirts

In general, note how at least half of the band members are not wearing the requisite bowties! Then there's (1) Josh Meckler with the shoes violation, (2) Sarah Warner with the no-socks violation, (3) Pam Turner with the non-white socks violation, (4) Pat Holloway and (5) Joe Ballew with the non-white shirt violation, and (6) Keith Hartman, who does not appear to be wearing a shirt at all underneath the vest. Honorable mention for (7) Greg Francis who, aside from not even being a member of the band, is only wearing the uniform jacket (over regular clothing, thankfully).

The take-home message for all the current and forthcoming high school band members? Make sure that you wear your complete uniform on yearbook photo day, because you never know when one of your anal-retentive bandmates will, twenty years later, make fun of you in a semi-public forum.