AMES TO HAVE A BAND OF ITS OWN - Ames is to have a band - a real band, supported as one of the activities of the Ames Commercial club.  This was decided upon yesterday morning at a meeting between the members of the band committee of the Commercial club and the musicians who form a nucleus of the Ames band.  For the first time band men of this city were assured of support which would enable them to go ahead and develop a real band.  Promptly they reorganized and started preparations to take advantage of the Commercial club's generous offer.

B.J. Sheldon was elected manager for the Ames band at its meeting.  Monte Dressler was selected as secretary and librarian and L.H. Doggett was named custodian.

It was found that 14 or 15 skilled musicians could be counted on as a nucleus for a real institution here.  Men will be secured to swell the ranks until a strong band is developed.  Under the Commercial club plan there will be weekly rehearsals on Tuesdays and weekly concerts during the summer season on Thursday evenings in the city park.

Temporarily Jean Chenette, a brother of Ed Chenette, former leader of the Ames band and the Iowa State, will be director of the organization.  Later the club will seek to cooperate with the college in securing an able director for both college and city bands, to be paid a salary sufficient to attract a thoro and experienced musician.

This image, circa 1920, courtesy of Ralph Cue

The Ames band leads the parade and is ready to turn from the east end of Main Street onto Duff Avenue.

THE "TOWN BAND" SOME FACTS ABOUT THE AMES BAND - Since the appearance of an editorial in your Tribune Wednesday night calling attention the the need for a "Town Band" and asking the question "Who's for a Town Band?" considerable interest has been manifested.  Readers read with interest the communication in last night's Tribune from Mrs. L.D. Schmidt.  Tonight your Tribune presents a communication from a gentleman who pleases to sign himself "An Ex-Bandman."  This is a presentation of the subject from another angle and, the Tribune believes, is presented by "An Ex-Bandman" with the sole purpose of endeavoring to stimulate interest in a real town band.  Communications on this subject are welcomed if you have something to say, but please bear in mind the fact that if you write under some assigned name that it is imperative that your Tribune know your name.  Do not submit communications unless you at least make known your identity to the office.  Below is "Ex-Bandman's" communication.

"The Town Band - Some facts about the Ames City Band.
A committee of the band called upon the City Council to make an appropriation for the band.  It was refused.  No money in the general fund was the first reason given; and no way to make a payment out of the park fund unless for services actually rendered in the park.  This was last winter.  Then the band started giving concerts in the park this spring (which concerts were enthusiastically received by a large crowed) so as to come under the hand of the Council's suggestion of "services actually rendered in the park."  And the matter was again brought before the Council, and again turned down without coming to a vote owing to another excuse of some sort.  Mayor Graves, Councilman Allen, and Clerk Maxwell were heartily in favor of some support being given.  We would say that the too stringent interpretation, by Attorney Luke, of the law relating to the disposition of park funds and the spilling of several buckets of ice water on the proposal by Councilman Cupps were the main hindrances.

The matter of support of the band by the Commercial Club has been taken up several times by Secretary Jack Dodds of the Commercial Club, and with no success.  During the last year neither the city authorities, nor the Commercial Club as bodies, have made a donation of a cent to the band, in this instance, it might be added, that the band accompanied the good roads meeting on six trips last spring and received five dollars for the entire band for the six trips.  (This amount may have been $20.00 instead of $5.00 but even at that it should have been $20.00 per man instead of a paltry $20.00 for the whole band.)

Not a club, sect, fraternal order, or other group has given one cent ot the support of the band.  How is the band supported?  It isn't supported, that's all, when you speak of SUPPORT.  A group of loyal, far thinking merchants pay a certain amount of money each month, ranging from 50 cents to $2.00 each, to a collector whom the band sends around.  In this manner a sum of about $55.00 per month is now being raised.  And these generous merchants should not have to contribute alone to the band.  It should be an affair of everyone's.  The concerts should be given in the parks where they could be heard.  Every dweller of the city should pay towards the support of a CITY BAND.  There should be a tax levied for the maintenance of a band.  It is being done everywhere, why not in Ames?  The amount needed is about $3,000.00 per year.  That would mean a two mill tax.  Who's in favor of its being put thru?

And aside from the financial support the band needs the moral support of the city.  We saw a notice in the Tribune not long ago asking that all boys, men, women, and others interested in the band should come to the Tuesday evening meetings in the city hall.  Rehearsals, it was stated, would be free.  We suppose these were paid for out of the $55.00 before mentioned.  And as we understand it, the band has a director whom even the famous Pat Conway recognizes as a musician of such judgment as to use this man's endorsement of Conway's band.  Well, why let this golden opportunity of getting started right under such a man slip by?  There are surely dozens of boys in town who would join a real band.

Let's appoint a meeting of all interested.  What about calling a meeting some night in the city hall and all of us turn out and see what can be done?  Who's for it?"

Ames Daily Tribune, August 10, 1949

GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY - L.H. Doggett, 227 South Kellogg, (left) who will be presented a gold medal Thursday in recognition of 50 years' service with the Ames municipal band, looks at the one given to A.D. Cramblitt, 132 1/2 Main, in 1935 for his service with the band.  These two bandmen began the idea for a band shell in 1911.  their dream finally came true in 1935 when the present band shell was constructed in city park.

DOGGETT TO RECEIVE MEDAL FOR 50 YEARS' BAND WORK - The Ames municipal band concert Thursday at 8 p.m. commemorates the 50th anniversary of Lou Doggett's membership in the band.  He will be presented with an engraved gold medal in recognition of his long and valuable record of service with the band.  Owen Shadle, band president, will make the presentation.

Several of Mr. Doggett's favorite band selections will be played on this program, and in his honor, a number of band directors will take part in the concert.  These guest directors are: Alonzo Leach, prominent Des Moines musician; Frank Piersol, director of the Iowa State college band; Harold C. Hines, director of the Drake university bands; R.N. Kjerland, 1207 Wilson, and Gustav Reickhoff of Marshalltown.

Mr. Doggett, a bass drummer, will continue playing only in case of emergence.  He was the first resident trap drummer in Ames, and one of two band members who started the idea to have a band shell in Ames.  He said that the first director he played under 50 years ago was Ed Keefe, and that they rehearsed in a blacksmith shop.