Su-Valley Band Marched in the Capitol 50 Years Ago

Last weekend, the Nation celebrated its 250th Birthday by hosting parades across the country.  But some  Su-Valley alumni remember marching in a different parade, 50 years ago, during America’s Bicentennial year.  KTNA’s Colleen Love has more.

In 1976, the United States of America celebrated its 200th year of being a new country.  There had also been a recent Presidential election and in January of that year, a parade was held for the inauguration of new President, Jimmy Carter.

Susitna Valley High School is a small school, even by Alaska’s standards.  But during the 1970’s, the school had a vibrant music program.  And in 1976, Su-Valley’s marching band was selected to represent Alaska during the inaugural parade. 

Su-Valley Alumni, Sarah Birdsall, remembers what it was like to hear that they had been selected for the parade.

“Well the whole thing was a little intimidating for a small group of kids from Talkeetna, Alaska and the surrounding area.  It was pretty amazing we were picked, but we were good.  We had a great band teacher.  There was lots of music at Su-Valley when I went to school there.  There was band and choir and I did both.”  

Birdsall describes the experience of going from a quiet Alaskan town to a place like the nation’s capitol.

“I had never been to Washington DC.  I was instantly amazed by all the museums that we could go to, and we did spend our days there when we weren’t practicing and getting ready for the parade.  We would go on tours of the museums.”  

According to Birdsall, there was an advantage to being from a community in the far north.

“All the other bands were much bigger than ours.  The advantage we had was that we were used to playing in the cold and it was really, really cold that day.  And so, as a result, the reports we got back was how good we sounded, cause we knew how to play in the cold.”  

The feeling of playing the flute and marching for the President of the United States, despite being 50 years ago, is still fresh in Birdsall’s mind.

“My clearest memory of being in that parade, is taking a side glance and looking up at where the President and his wife were standing, Jimmy and Rosalynn, and seeing them behind the glass and waving at everybody.”  

The future of the music program at Su-Valley High School is uncertain. State and Borough budget pressures have looked to art and music genres as the more expendable programs. But 50 years ago, songs that Su-Valley played, rang out loud and on pitch, in the streets of our nation’s capitol.  For KTNA, I’m Colleen Love