I.O.O.F Boys Orphanage Band, Sunbury

In 1906, the children  at the I.O.O.F Orphanage in Sunbury performed plays and musical performances, to help raise money towards the new building program.  

An official orphanage band was not formed until 1914.

More about the orphanage here:

https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2021/04/the-ioof-orphanage-in-sunbury-pa.html

"At the July meeting in 1914 it was resolved to have a Band  composed of the requisite number of our Home boys. Brother W. H. Calhoun was chosen Instructor.  The cost of instruments uniforms, music and instruction amounted to $1,584. "

 

1917 "The Band and the Orchestra were kept busy filling engagements throughout the State. The receipts from these trips amounted to $2,559.79 during the year. A letter was  written from Gordon, Pa., by Brother A. J. Moyer after the Band had visited that town and a little part of a paragraph is quoted to show the  effect on many of our people: 

"I have never heard nor seen the Orphanage Band before, owing to press of business, but when I heard and saw those boys, a strange feeling crept into my heart — a feeling that is not common to the hearts of old bachelors like myself; those boys, how can I describe them — mannerly little gentlemen of the old school. It does not take the eye of an expert to see that the morale of the Home must be 

simply perfect." 

 Mr. Calhoun, the Band Master and Teacher, was paid $75 per month, and he agreed to pay his own traveling expenses, " and give us all the time we required, and in addition to looking after the interests of the Band, he agreed to instruct a girls' orchestra. "

 On June 10 1925,  the Orchestra broadcasted a  mixed program from Station WHBG, Harrisburg. "The Band had 26 pieces and was doing remarkably good work."

Girls Orchestra, 1918

Recently  I was given access to a collection of old band photos.  Rather than stick them in a folder for later, I'm going to put them all online quickly, and then I can come back and fill in the histories at a later date.

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Find the Index Of Band Photos Here

https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2019/11/bands-in-susquehanna-valley.html