Marching Pirates

Organization History
Other Names: College Band, ECC Marching Band, ECU Marching Pirates
Date Organized: Winter Quarter 1938
http://www.ecu.edu/band/

History: The East Carolina Teachers College Band was organized by Mr. Dean Tabor during the winter quarter of 1938. Starting with twenty members trained during the fall quarter of 1938, the Band had grown to sixty members by the end of it's first year.

The Band received purple and gold uniforms at the end of it's first year. The goal as recorded in the 1939 Tecoan was to reach a membership of 100 within the next two years.

During the 1956-57 school year the Band was reorganized and renamed the East Carolina College Marching Band. In that year it reached the 100 member mark and in 1971 it reached the 200 member mark. The band has performed at gubernatorial inaugurations of Terry Sanford and Dan Moore. In 1963 they made their national television debut during the half time show of the Washington Redskins game.

The citation for the following article is: Keutemeyer, Vernon. "The College Band," Student Activities, ECTC Bulletin, Volume 32, No. 3, August 1941.

Among the most pleasant and elevating extra-curricular activities at East Carolina Teachers College is membership in its various musical organizations. Most glamorous of these is the College Band, providing opportunity for participants to play for games and for special occasions, to parade, and to give band concerts.

One most notable feature of the set up is the system of group instruction whereby Mr. Dean C. Tabor in January, 1938, offered instruction to inexperienced players, and soon made a band of them. This same system is being continued, thus making it possible for any enrolled student with no previous musical instruction to apply for free band training.Men and women students who meet requirements may after one or two quarters' work become members of the band.

While the band is directed by a faculty instructor fully qualified through experience and training for this work, it is nevertheless self-governing, having its own president, vice-president, secretary, librarian, and sergeant at arms. These officers are chosen each year by the members of the band, and are responsible for all business the organization may have to take care of.

It is with pride the ECTC Band members don their attractive purple and gold uniforms, as they represent, first, a special opportunity to exhibit the College in a manner which demands a special skill, and second, the considerable trust placed in them by the Student Body which voluntarily contributed over a thousand dollars for the purchase of the uniforms. This act is clear evidence of the close cooperation between the Student Body and the College Band.

Officers:

1940 – Dean Tabor
1943 – A.L. Dittmer
1944 – Karl Gilbert
1945 – Charles Fisher
1946 – Mr. McDougle
1947 – Herbert Carter
1950-1962 – Herbert Carter
1963-1964 – Herbert Carter and George Knight
1965-1967 – George Knight
1970 - George Knight
1974-1979 – George Naff
1979-1990 – Tom Goolsby
1991-1992 – Tony Cox
1993-2009 – Dr. Christopher Knighten