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Some Stuff I Wrote (2001) H. Morris Williams

photo of his elementary class taught by Selina Terry. Your help is a great encouragement!
CLOSING JOKE ... Did you hear about the dyslexic atheist? He didn’t believe in dog!

The First CHS Band

September 6,1994

Have you ever wondered when the first Columbia High School band was organized? Read this

column and you will know the whole story, thanks to Albert E. Bonney (CHS 1940) who played in
that original band and was kind enough to tell me the story so I can tell you.

The first CHS band started in the school year of 1937-38 under band director Carl Roberts.
Up until 1937, the City of Lake City had the only band in town, a town band. The town band played

weekly concerts in the bandstand at Olustee Park and on special occasions, like parades. For some
reason, our town band disbanded in 1937, and generously turned over their instruments and uniforms

(blue uniforms and caps ) to CHS, then located on West Duval Street.
CHS was thrilled to get the uniforms and equipment and equally thrilled that they could get

a master musician like Carl Roberts to organize their school band. But, an immediate problem arose:
there was no place for the band to practice on campus that wouldn’t disturb the other students.
Thus, the young band students began an odyssey that would carry them to three different

locations before they would finally find a permanent band hall. First, they were loaned an upstairs
room in the building on North Marion Street now occupied by the Lovely Shop. But in a short time

the owner needed his space back, so the band moved to the First Presbyterian Church building on
West Nassau Street for their daily practice.

That didn’t last long either because the students needed to be located at their school so they
could be closer to their classes. So, the band moved to the old ‘Svhite brick building” on West Duval
Street and used the southwest comer room on the first floor. Some readers will remember that room

was just west of the room used by choral music teacher Ann Wilby.
You guessed it! The band practices were too loud for the other classes in the white brick

building and the old yellow wood building. So, the band parents, fed up with all the moving and

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