FERRIS STATE COLLEGE
BULLDOG MARCHING BAND
1972 - 1973

"Raise your hands up to the sky ... Raise you hands up to the sky

Bulldog Band is marching by ... Bulldog Band is marching by
Swing your shoulders - Life your feet.....Swing your shoulders - Lift your feet

Ferris State College can't be beat ... Ferris State College can't be beat

AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH ! "

The Ferris State College Marching Bulldogs of Big Rapids, MI represented the State of Michigan in President Richard Nixon's second Inaugural Parade on Jan. 1973. What an honor to parade down Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, D.C.

The band, under the direction of William Root, was lodged at the National 4-H Center at Chevy Chase, Maryland where they practiced for the historic event.

Over Christmas Break in late December, the FSC band members were notified by mail that we had been selected as representatives of the State of Michigan. Only 45 marching bands in the Nation were chosen to march in the parade.

How exciting it was to pack up the instruments, uniforms and all the gear that was needed for this trip. It takes a special person to want to oversee 144 wild young adults and keep them in-line.

It must have been a monumental task.......Mr. Root....We Salute You!

U.S. President Richard Nixon

Below is the 4-H Center where the band was lodged

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Attention Ferris fellow band members:

Email me your recollections and a color pic that you took at the parade
and I will post to this webpage.

steveschmidt at hotmail.com

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Patti Critchfield leading the band

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Below, Michigan Congressman Elford Cederberg talks with the band members before the parade.

One band member forgot their instrument, but Mr. Root quickly rented one at a local music store.

Below, a parade marshall, lines up the bands and other parade units at the
Bolling Air Force Base in northwest Washington

The band marched almost two miles in 35 degree weather.

Below is the reviewing stand as the Ferris band marches by

Everyone that marched in the parade was presented with a medal as a momento

On Sunday the band toured the gravesites at Arlington Cemetery,
part of the Smithsonian Institute, the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument.

Below, the band heads home after a tiring three days. This shot is in the "People Carrier"
at Dulles Airport. No security checks in those days.

According to a Pioneer newspaper article of Jan. 23, 1973,

"...three buses rocking with laughter and post parade kidding directed at pretty Patti Critchfield, the Band's "Golden Girl" majorette, when it was found that CBS-TV had made an over-the-network reference to her "cold clavicle." And perhaps the high point, the wave that came back from President Nixon when Band Director William Root found himself unable to fight off the impulse to switch his eyes upward to the White House reviewing stand and deliver a white-gloved salute on behalf of himself and the students."

Photos on this page were from the Pioneer newspaper, the 1973 'Ferriscope' yearbook, the Root family and the Ferris Torch newspaper. If you have recollections and a good color photo of this event that you would like share, please e mail them to steveschmidt at hotmail.com

Also looking for video or audio recordings of the band at a football game or the indoor Band concert for the 1972-73 season.

I Remember.....by Tim Linehan....Trombone

Oh MAN do I remember that march down Pennsylvania Avenue. H-O-L-Y-C-O-W!!! The friggin road was SOOO wide, and we were spread so much farther apart than normal, the poor guy/girl at the outside of the rank (which was sometimes ME) had to make HUGE leaping steps when making a turn.

And.. it was windy. A breeze caught the hat of one of the trombone players; he let go of his slide to save his hat, and the slide fell off, clattering to the ground. But he never stopped. One of the baritone players behind him picked up the slide and handed it forward to him.

I must have turned around for some reason, because I saw tuba player on the outside cream one of the military guys stationed along the parade route in the head. And I remember the egg tossing at the end of the parade. I thought a couple of our people got hit.

But my FAVORITE recollection from the parade was the moment when, about halfway along the route, I "checked" Uncle Bill off into the crowd along the parade route. I was the right guide for the band, so Mr. Root was marching right next to me.

We were right up against the crowd. When we got to a spot where there was a gap in the spectators I gave him a quick hip check and... he was gone. He showed up again a few hundred yards farther down the parade route when he could finally get through the crowd and catch up to us. He was in hysterics; I don't know if he realized I did it on purpose, but he seemed to have enjoyed the moment as much as I did. Which is no surprise. In some ways he was like a big kid and enjoyed (most of) the hyjinks as much as we did.

My second favorite recollection from the parade was the moment we passed in front of Nixon's reviewing stand. The band was instruments up and playing whatever number we were doing. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Uncle Bill take two steps forward, turn to the reviewing stand, and give Tricky-Dicky that swirling waist high wave we used to do in the Five-Foot-Two, Eyes-of-Blue routine (Oh, Boh Dee OH!).

I remember ALL those buses at the airbase discharging parade participants, the 1,400 voice marching choir from Virgina, each participant with their own personal back mounted sound system and the 4-H center with the sagging beds that were like sleeping in spoons.

And then there was the trip back to Grand Rapids that left several hours late. The good news was that we on a stretch jet, so there were more seats available to spread out. And the landing at Grand Rapids when the plane hit the runway, which had ice up, and slid kinda sideways for a few seconds. A memorable time...

Music... I graduated in 1975. The following year Chris Carman (also trombone section) stopped by my house and gave me a copy of the 1976 year end marching band concert. Don't know if I still have it. Will have to look. Chris might have a copy, too. I lost touch with him, but... he's a pharmacist somewhere in upper part of the lower peninsula. The recording included the drum routine ..... the one that started:

Boom. Chick.
Chick.
Boom. Chick. Boom. Chick. Boom. Chick.

And led into the fight song...

Carman Johnson (baritone) might have something (forget his wife's name; she was a flute player). He lives in Big Rapids - is director of the water treatment facility in town. He's also in contact with a few of the 1971- 1974 crowd. We swapped mail messages a few years ago. Don't know if this is still valid, but... cj0hn50n@fastmail.us

Debbie Heminger Jacks (clarinet) was working in the president's office at Ferris. She gave me a tour of all of the new buildings, etc. on the campus and brought me up to date on a few people.

Told me, sadly, that Uncle Bill had recently died. She's no longer working for the college, but, because of her involvement on staff, she might have some idea about available archives from the music department.

Anyway, enjoyed your website.

All the best,

Tim Linehan
Trombone Section
FSC 1975
linehant@yahoo.com
Glastonbury, Connecticut

I Remember......by Dave Myers

Jane and I have fond memories about our great band and band director, Bill (Root, Root) Root.
My wife, Jane (Hershberger) (we married in 1974) and I were both in the band and traveled to Washington D.C. for the inaugural parade. What a great time.

I know Ferris was not the first choice and we remember the Ohio State band pulling up in a bus next to us before the parade and some of them asking why the Michigan band was not there. I believe they had another commitment, so we were the third choice after Michigan State.

In one of the photos below, Jane is standing next to Mr. Root. Sue Gates is next to her. If anyone knows the bass drummers name, please pass along to Steve.

ane and Sue were from Coopersville, MI. I have a similar picture somewhere with Mr. Root and another person from my hometown of Hastings, MI, but am unable to find it.

Thanks,
Dave Myers - Tuba
Jane Myers - Clarinet
Jackson, MI

Watching the Obama Inaugural festivities in January of 2009, brought back many fond memories of some 36 years earlier in my life. I too, had the opportunity to march down Pennsylvania Ave. And what a thrill it was.

Quite an undertaking for Ferris State College and of course their point man, our band leader, Mr. William Root. He must have gotten alittle greyer that weekend, but he did manage to get the whole band back to Big Rapids in one piece.

Looking back now, there was alot of work putting together that trip. And what fun it was to be under the direction of Mr. Root. I am sure the band tested him alot more than he tested us in the fall of 1972. And during practice, when you made a mistake, he would always pretend to pull out a pen and notepad from his inside jacket pocket and scribble something....your name most likely. I suppose it was to help him remember the blunder and the blunderer.

Back in January of 1973, there was a large war protest going on that day in Washington. Some people even threw eggs at the President according to one website. However, I must have been oblivious to that because of all the hoopla and thousands milling around before and after the parade. I recall hundreds of policeman, all the vendors peddling there trinket souvenirs, thousands of people and all the media circus.

I think we were only allowed to play the Ferris 'Fightsong' and the 'Washington Post March' during the parade. It seems we were politely informed that if the band did not keep within so many feet of the marching unit ahead of us, we would be ushered to a side street and asked to leave. I recall Jac Russell, our fearless drum major, annoyed because the parade officials kept telling him to "Keep it moving".

After we finished the parade and without permission from our director, the band played it's theme song......Sing Sing Sing.

At football and basketball games this tune always pumped up the crowd. Even more so than the school's fightsong.

My family back in Michigan told me that they did see me on TV, as they always seem to show the drum section of a marching band. Sadly, no VCR's back in 1973. In 2015, I visited the Nixon Library and tracked down that video footage of the band in the parade.

If you know of any video of this band, lets up-load it to YouTube.

With fond memories....Steve Schmidt - Owosso, MI

Click here for Fight Song Audio

William James Root passed away on June 03, 2006 at Kentwood, Michigan.

Bill, loving husband and father, was born on August 13, 1927, in Lawton, Michigan, to Dan T. and Leona Root. An avid reader, woodworker, gardener, golfer, and camper, Mr. Root was a lifelong Detroit Tiger fan. In addition to earning the rank of Eagle Scout, William Root served his country in the U.S. Navy during World War II as a Seaman 1st Class.

Mr. Root was one of Michigan's foremost music educators, serving as band director at Grand Valley State College, Ferris State University, Grand Rapids Community College, Vicksburg Community Schools and Owendale Public Schools. In his role as Director of Bands at G.V.S.C., Mr. Root started the original Laker Marching Band, as well as conducted the Concert Band in performances at the Midwestern Music Conference. The F.S.U. Marching Band, under Mr. Root's leadership, was the only band to represent the State of Michigan in the U.S. Presidential Inaugural Parade in Washington D.C. in 1972. Mr. Root served as President of the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association and was named Teacher of the Year by the Association in 1965. He was also named Educator of the Year at Ferris State University in 1972. The founding conductor of the Grand Rapids Symphonic Band, Mr. Root served as the band's conductor from 1978 to 1987. Mr. Root conducted the All State High School Band and was administrator of the All State program at the Interlochen Center for the Arts.

A champion of music education for all students, Mr. Root founded the Ferris State College Youth Symphony Band, the Ferris State College Summer Band Camp and the G.V.S.C. Summer Band Camp. He adjudicated and guest conducted high school and college bands throughout the country. William Root was the recipient of the Red Rose Award, presented by Rotary International. William Root leaves as his legacy thousands of professional musicians, music educators and passionate music lovers who had the privilege of learning under his tutelege.

Mr. Root leaves behind his best friend and wife of 59 years, Natalie (Tarapata); his children, Patricia Root, band director at Holland Christian School, Rebecca Davis, band director at South Seneca, New York Elementary School, Dan (Teresa) Root, band director at Pentwater Schools, and Kathy (Mark) Zauss, professional singer in Orlando, Florida; grandchildren, Elizabeth Davis, Caroline Davis, William Root III, Daniel Root, Madeline Root, Betty Preston of Apache Junction, Arizona, and Marion Love of Prescott, Arizona.

A memorial service was held Wednesday, June 21st 11:00 AM at Calvary Church with Rev. Josh Mateer officiating. Inturnment was at Woodlawn Cemetery.

Today, Memorial contributions may be made to a scholarship fund for the Interlochen All-State Program in the name of William Root.

KEYWORDS

William Root was the band director at Ferris State College in Big Rapids Michigan in 1970s. The F.S.C. Marching Bulldogs of Big Rapids, MI was directed by Band director William Root. Band Director William Root led the Ferris State College March Band at the inaugural address for President Nixon in 1973. Other search terms associated with this web page include, William Root, Bill Root, Ferris State marching Band, Bulldog Marching Band, and Ferris State College Band under the direction of William Root.