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Honor Students in the Joliet High School and Leading Musicians in Its Band
1 -Glen Henderson.
2—Robert Harris.
3—Leonard Bradley.
4—Harold Emily.
5 — Edwin Porter.
6—Kay Fremelling.
7—George Switzer
Players Win School Honors
OLIET, Illinois, once known far and wide
as the site of a famous prison, now is
proud of a distinction that has replaced
its old doubtful honor—its high school
band has won the national championship three
years a-running.
And behind Joliet's success is a music dealer,
George Wiswell, who sold the idea of music
to Joliet.
The Joliet High School Band has made mu-
sical history for the city of Joliet in being
acclaimed champions for the third successive
year in the National Champion High School
Band Contest and permanently winning the
$1,000 trophy awarded by the National Bureau
for the Advancement of Music.
Joliet is not only proud of its band, but is
actively interested in promoting its musical
achievements. The band has attained this suc-
cess through the whole-hearted support of the
city of Joliet, the excellent direction of A. R.
McAllister, the earnest. endeavor of the stu-
dents, and last but perhaps the most important
factor, the work of the local music dealer,
George B. Wiswell, head of the Wiswell
Music Co.
One naturally, and correctly, places much of
the credit for the success of such a band upon
its director. Mr. McAllister has done excellent
work in training the band to win not only the
slate contests but excelling in competition in
three national contests.
' There is, however, another interesting story
connected with the progress of the Joliet band
in which George Wiswell played an important
part.
The band had its beginning with twelve
freshman high school boys, down among the
J
Dealers who have trouble sell-
ing bands to the local schools,
listen to this: George Wiswell,
of Joliet, 111., eight years ago
asked his Rotary Club to work
for a school band. He was told
it would interfere with studies.
Now eight years later Joliet
has a band, three times na-
tional champion, and its nine
best solo players are all honor
students in their school
By E. J. NEALY
shavings of the manual training room, playing
a bunch of second-hand instruments directed by
an instructor in manual training as well as mu-
sical training, A. R. McAllister.
It was a humble start with rehearsals after
school in the manual training room with first
individual instruction, then sectional, and final
ly the entire band with the addition of two
drums.
The band progressed with persistent, con-
scientious effort and played at various local
events, but its first real public performance
was made possible by George Wiswell, who
was president of the Joliet Rotary Club in 1920,
Mr. Wiswell proposed that this organization
send the band to the Rotary annual convention
at Atlantic City that year.
That was the start of selling the city of
Joliet on the Joliet Band. Mr. Wiswell took
it upon himself to raise the money for the
trip and secured a fund of $6,000 to pay the
expenses at Atlantic City, Washington and
other Eastern points where the band played.
Excellent publicity resulted from that trip
and the name of the Joliet Band became better
known. The city of Joliet was further stimu-
lated to help the organization along, and since
that time the band has been taken to four
international Rotary conventions with George
Wiswell assuming the promotional work of
arranging contests, raising money and many
other duties.
By winning the Illinois State Championship
three times in succession in the years 1924,
1925 and 1926, the band was urged to enter
the first national contest in 1926 at Fostoria,
Ohio. Again the problem of getting the per-
mission of the principal of the school to allow
the boys to go to Fostoria prior to the close
of school work was presented, and Mr. Wiswell
made the plea which made it possible for Joliet
to enter the event and take first honors in the
national championship. The second contest
held at Council Bluffs was also won and the
band showed its musical and marching ability
at the third contest at its home town in sur-
passing past efforts.
In performing the tasks of musical promo-
fional work in his vicinity Mr. Wiswell has
demonstrated that the dealer can do much to,
further music and his own business.
(Continued on page 11)