• M A R C H 2 0 1 0 •S e r v i n g t h e G r e a t e r H o b o P o p u l a t i o n S i n c e 1 9 4 6

Reprinted from a previous issue

The Beginnings

IN MAY OF 1937 THE GLASSBORO FOREST #2 ofthe Tall Cedars of Lebanon came to PitmanHigh School to ask the band to

play for their convention paradein Atlantic City. The band accept-ed, and performed in the parade.The following year (1938) theywere again asked to perform,and again, accepted.

As the band was assembling atthe start of the parade, one of themembers exclaimed, “Look, herecome the Cedar Chips.” Thename stuck.

The majority of the band members graduatedfrom Pitman High School that year. T h e ydecided they would stay together as a musicalorganization and play for the Tall Cedars.

Thursday became the designated rehearsalnight. Membership grew with the band’s repu-tation, and soon most of South Jersey wasr e p r e s e n t e d .

The First Uniform

The band became well estab-lished, but as yet hadn’t adopteda uniform. This was discussedwith the Tall Cedars administra-tion, who then decided to fund thecost of outfitting the band. Theband membership decided whatthey wanted, and the Tall Cedarsorganization saw that they wereprovided. The band used thefunds from jobs to pay for the uni-

forms, and later to establish a bank account.The organization was solvent.

Continued on page 3

3/4/10 5:15 PMHobo Band Printable Schedule of Events

Page 1 of 1http://www.originalhoboband.org/schedule_printable.htm

New concert and parade dates are posted as they are contracted.

Date/Time Location Event DetailsTuesday,

March 9, 2010Time: 7:30-8:30pm

Haddonfield Asst. Living Care Facility Concert Location: 132 Warwick Road, Haddonfield, NJ Refreshments served at conclusion

Friday, March 26, 2010Downbeat: 8pm

Excelsior Consistory (Masonic) Concert (Scottish Rite Auditorium)

Location: 315 White Horse Pike, Collingswood, NJ

Duration: 1 hour concert for approx 200 after-dinner guests (either in ballroom or main theater)

Saturday,April 10, 2010

Step Off: 9:30amNo Rain Date

South Harrison Twp Little League Parade &Opening Ceremony

Start: S. Harrison Twp Elem. School, 909 MullicaHill Road, S. Harrison Twp, NJ

End: Stewart Memorial Park, Ferrell Road, S.Harrison Twp, NJ - Distance: Approx 1 mile

Saturday, April 17, 2010No Rain Date

Step Off: 12 Noon

Ocean City Doo-Dah Parade

Start: 6th & Asbury Avenue, Ocean City, NJ.Ends: Music Pier (Boardwalk)

Distance: Approx 1.5 milesT-shirts and Hot Dogs and the end of parade

Saturday, May 22, 2010No Rain Date

Step Off: 10am

Pennsville VFW Parade

Starting Location: Route 49 (Broadway) - AcmeShopping Center, Pennsville, NJ

Ends: Pennsville High School. Distance:Approx 1.8 miles

Refreshments at VFW at end of parade - acrossfrom High School

Saturday, June 26, 2010No Rain Date

Downbeat: 1pm

Egg Harbor Twp 300th Anniversary (Stroll)Location: Slaybaugh School, 13 Swift Drive, Egg

Harbor Twp, NJ

Duration: Strolling band performance for approx1.5 hours

Monday, July 5, 2010

Rain Date: Saturday,July 10

Step Off: 8:45am

Wenonah Independance Day ParadeLocation: Wenonah, NJ

Lineup: Mantua & Marion Avenues,Wenonah, NJ

Distance: 1.5 mi approx.

s

ORIGINAL HOBO BAND NEWSLETTER PAGE THREEMARCH 2010

Continued from page 1

Musicus Interruptus

World War II had broken out, and by 1942 manyof the band members had entered military ser-vice. The band could no longer sustain itself.The Tall Cedars again stepped into the picture,storing uniforms and music and taking custody ofbank account funds.

New Beginnings

After the war, four former mem-bers got together and talkedabout starting up the bandagain. Bob McLeish, GeorgeVolk, John Pedicord and RalphMiller all lived and worked inPitman. They saw each otherfrequently and met at the homeof George Volk to discuss howto notify the former members ofthe reorganization plans. T h e ymade a list of all known playersand divided it up among thefour to contact and recruit. T h etime and place for meeting wasagain decided to be T h u r s d a ynight. They would call themselves the “PitmanCommunity Band”. Rehearsals would be held inthe Pitman Boro Jail.

I n d e p e n d e n c e

At this time the Tall Cedars still had custody of uni-forms, music and funds. Ralph Miller was appoint-ed to go to them and explain that they wanted tobecome independent of their organization, to be ontheir own as a community band. Not only did theTall Cedars return all the band property, but theydonated a bass horn, bass drum, cymbals anddrums to the new organization.

As the band membership grew, so did the needfor a larger rehearsal space. They moved from thejail to the Council Chambers, to the #1 Fire

Company Hall, the Highland Fire Company, andeventually to the Legion Hall. The members soonrealized they would need a place of their own.

The Uniform of To d a y, and the New Name

The old uniforms no longer fit the members, andcould not be used. As an upcoming Halloweenparade was imminent, they decided to use old

ragged garments. An onlook-er at the parade made a state-ment to the effect of “Herecomes a bunch of bums.”Bass player Clint Carter heardthis comment and brought it tothe attention of the band at thenext rehearsal. No one likedbeing called “a bunch ofbums”. Clint suggested sub-stituting the term Hobos forBums. The suggestion satis-fied everyone, and the namebecame the “Pitman HoboBand”. This of course waslater modified to “The OriginalHobo Band from Pitman, NewJ e r s e y ” .

The Advent of Hobo Hall (Peach Pit Concerts)

The 1950s turned the band’s focus to finding aplace of their own to rehearse. A committee wasformed with Ralph Miller as chairman. GeorgeVolk drew the plans and made a model out ofcardboard. Since nothing suitable seemed to beavailable, Ralph decided to speak to Wilmer Zeeabout purchasing a portion of his peach orchardas a place to build a rehearsal hall. Wilmeragreed and sold the ground along Lambs Roadto the band for $1000.00. For two years, theband members picked peaches and sold them atCow Town to make enough money to start con-struction. The band played while the peacheswere being sold.

Continued on next page

The building was started in 1954 as the membersthemselves pulled out the peach trees (with thehelp of Wilmer Zee) and dug the footings. T h emembers built the entire building with the excep-tion of the four outside walls and flo o r. The rooftrusses were assembled and pulled into placewith block and tackle, and “Matty” Mattson wasriding the ridge beam and nailing them into place.In 1955 the first sign was put up: “Future Homeof the Original Hobo Band”.

A Football Band?

The band as kept busy withjobs like playing at Eagles andBaltimore Colts footballgames, the Elks convention inAsbury Park, and entertainingthe Pennsylvania BandMasters with a parade. In1958 a concert series wasbegun. The location? SunsetAuditorium in Pitman.

Fame and Fortune (?)

The 1960s began in a big way. The PennsylvaniaBandmasters held their annual convention inPitman. In 1963 the first Youth Band Clinic wasstarted, performing their concert in Camp Meetingin the Pitman Grove. A year later the band playedfor the Stone Harbor Golden A n n i v e r s a r y, theNew York Jets football game in New York City,and several times for patients at the PhiladelphiaNaval Hospital.

The Seventies — The 25th A n n i v e r s a r y !And Internatonal Tr i p s !

The 1970s were highlighted with an internation-al trip to Kirkride, Holland. The band membersstayed at the Quellenhof Hotel and performed atband competitions. The band was given specialpermission to play its own music, and the crowd

was thrilled — they stood and applauded duringthe playing of “Stars and Stripes Forever”.

The band’s 25th anniversary was celebrated in1971 with a week-long series of concerts featur-ing a different program every evening and a bigparade on the following Saturday.

In 1974 the band made a second trip to Europe,touring five countries and playing concerts ineach city that was visited. Some of the stops

were band competitions. Theband took one first place andone third place award.Members were put up in thehomes of the local residents,which proved to establishmany enduring internationalfriendships. Throughout the1970s the band continued toperform in parades and con-certs.

Eighties and Nineties — the40th and 50th A n n i v e r s a r i e s

The 1980s provided much of the same. Paradesand concerts were performed throughout NewJersey and Pennsylvania. In 1986 the band cele-brated its 40th anniversary.

The 1990s brought trips to Buckhannon, WestVirginia (1991 and 1993) for the StrawberryFestivals in May. In 1993 the band performed atthe Fall Forest Festival in Elkins, West Virginia.1995 was the year that Alcyon lake wasreopened, and the band played for that cele-bration. Tragedy was to befall that year as well— the original director of the band, RobertMacLeish, Sr., passed away.

1996 brought the band’s 50th Anniversary.

— TO BE CONTINUED —(he promised...)

ORIGINAL HOBO BAND NEWSLETTERPAGE FOUR MARCH 2010

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ORIGINAL HOBO BAND NEWSLETTER PAGE FIVEMARCH 2010

ORIGINAL HOBO BAND NEWSLETTERPAGE SIX MARCH 2010

ORIGINAL HOBO BAND NEWSLETTER PAGE SEVEN MARCH 2010

3/3/10 10:05 PMThe Original Hobo Band

http://www.originalhoboband.org/index.htm

SAD NEWSThe last of the founding members of the Original Hobo Band, Ralph Miller,

passed away on January 29, 2010.

Approximately 38 members played at the cemetery. Family members came over to the band after theinterment and shook hands with each band member individually (see photos below).

Family has requested that donations be made to Ralph Miller Memorial Scholarship Fund.

Double Take SUNDAY. MARCH 21, 2010, 3:00 PM

An exciting afternoon of music in Salem, NJ Beginning at

BROADWAY U.M. CHURCH

115 W. Broadway and continuing at

First Baptist Church 130 W. Broadway

Free Admission

Sponsored by the Salem County Board of Chosen Freeholders Salem County Cultural & Heritage Commission Department of Public Information & Tourism

Salem County Arts Alliance

presents

SALEM COUNTY BRASS SOCIETY and

JOANNE K. OWEN, ORGANIST

in

SINCE 1946CONCERTS • DEDICATIONS • PARADES

P.O. BOX 31, PITMAN, NJ 08071(856-589-0506)

http://www.originalhoboband.org

STAMPHERE

ADDRESS LABELHERE

CALLING ALL WIND PLAYERS / DRUMMERS

The Original Hobo Band rehearses

every Thursday evening at 8 p.m. at

Hobo Hall, Lambs Rd. & Holly Ave.

(next to Carolina Blue Restaurant).

Come on over and sit in.

ORIGINAL HOBO BAND NEWSLETTER PAGE TENMARCH 2010

FOLD HERE

President: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ed Kille

Vice President: . . . . . . . . . . . .Eric Barbye

Treasurer: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Henry Ryder

Recording Secretary: . . . . . . .Bev Williams

Corresponding Secretary: . . . .Nate Gable

Director: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sig Johnson

1st Assistant Director: . . . . . .Phil Blackman

2nd Assistant Director: . . . . . .Nate Gable

Business Manager: . . . . . . . . .Alan Weinstein

Assistant Business Manager: .Bev Williams

Librarian: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Leah Cole

1st Assistant Librarian: . . . . . .Bob Hitman

2nd Assistant Librarian: . . . . .Ed Kille

Parade Director: . . . . . . . . . . .Bud HumphrevilleMusic Committee Members at Large:

Frank Cole,Kelly Nelson, Derek Bartleson

Trustees: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Larry Moore, Pete White, Ken Urion, Gerry Ghidiu

March BirthdaysTrechock, Jack . . . . . . . . .March 1

Johnson, Sig . . . . . . . . . . .March 3

Schultz, Bob . . . . . . . . . . .March 5

Hickman, Fred . . . . . . . . . .March 15

Young, George . . . . . . . . . .March 15

Nelson, Mike . . . . . . . . . . .March 17

Hitman, Bob . . . . . . . . . . . .March 27