Heard this weekend that Harvey Durham, head director of the Longview Mean Green Marching Machine, has resigned/retired. I missed the big write-up in the Longview paper. Is this true?

Who is going to be brave enough - or possibly stupid enough - to take on this job?

My first thought would be Scott Williams of Lufkin.

Anybody else have a comment or thought?

Richard Lovelace of New Boston used to be the director at Longview, i'm not saying he would take the job, but he seems like a strong candidate being a familiar face and all...

As reported in the LNJ, Mr. Robinett will be taking over the reins from Mr. Durham.

Actually, the LNJ reported that Mr. Robinett would take over for Mr. Durham only through the end of the school year, then the district would "re-evaluate the band department" (whatever that means). Mr. Robinett has been assistant director for a number of years and I would hope he would be named director if he wants the position. Mr. Lovelace is a fine director and a fine person, as well.

Thank you to Mr. Durham for his leadership since 1994. I wish him the very best in his future endeavors. The Longview High School Band is one of the finest high school bands in Texas ... and that incredible streak of 59 consecutive first-division UIL marching ratings remains intact!

If what I heard yesterday is true, the news of Mr. Durham's resignation may be really bad news for those of us who love military bands. "Re-evaluating the band department" probably means that the superintendent wants to go to CORPS!

CORPS!?!

This is like losing a really good friend.... How sad it will be not to see the military precision of the Lobo Band.... And, how long will it take for other military schools to follow suit?

I sincerely hope that "Re-evaluating the band department" does not mean that the Lobo Band will be going "corps". If the Longview super wants that then, they should take the fastest means of transportation out of town!! Surely they have better sense than to mess with a tradition as what the Lobo band has by marching "military".

Not to mention losing 59 consecutive UIL sweepstake awards... if they are going corps there is no way a band that has been marching military that long is going to go corps and actually make all ones. If you disagree feel free to jump in any time.

I wholeheartedly agree. Besides the year or two (or more) that it will take to change the attitudes of those students who are die-hard military marchers AND the change to corps marching style ... imagine the cost. New uniforms and all the auxiliary uniforms and props .... Say good-bye to all those fabulous woodwinds playing a million notes during their halftime shows - most of those ladies will move to auxiliaries.

What a mess....

I don't think that cost will be that big of an issue, because if Longview were to go to a corps style of marching, ther might not be any students (or a very few left) to buy new uniforms for! Would'nt that be a guidance counselors nightmare!

What a mess then!!

You're probably right about the band members, but corps auxiliaries seem to attract the majority of females - so ... what Longview could end up with is a mass exodus of males to the athletic program - an increase of females who want to wear those sequined suits, capes, leotards, etc., carrying flags, rifles, streamers, etc. - and recorded music blaring through the stadium!

Is this superintendent for real? Is this really his "vision" for the Lobo band and its rich tradition of precision, military marching? I don't know about anyone else, but when I think of East Texas miliary bands, I think of the Longview band first.

Geez....

I thought that longview already had the Viewettes? do they want another drill team or what?

PLEASE, people! Far as I know, nobody at LISD is talking about switching from military to corps. The current director is leaving. Another director will be appointed. We appreciate and will miss Mr. Durham. Longview fans love their military band. I have no doubt the Lobo Band will be military next fall for for many falls thereafter. The only thing that's changing is the director.

If I were an interested Longview band member, booster, or fan, I'd keep my ears open. I've heard the same thing. There's more to this than just a band director resigning/retiring. If Lobo fans want their band to remain military, you better make your voice heard.

I agree with you that folks should "keep my ears open." The Longview band has a long history of outstanding performances. What I don't understand is: "I've heard the same thing." What are you talking about?

I don't think there is more to this than "just a band director resigning/retiring." Mr. Durham has had a long and very successful career and it may be time form him to do just what he says he is going to do...(see Longview News-Journal).

I would be willing to bet $$$ that the Supt. of Schools is WELL aware of the fact that LHS Band is successful and to quote an old saying, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Good luck to Mr. Durham, Mr. Robbinett, and Mr. Woodson this spring as you prepare the band for UIL Concert/ Sight-Reading.

When a post begins with "If what I heard yesterday is true....." it should be deleted. Unless that person is going to cite their source - he/she should not spread rumors. While a director change in such a storied program is unsettling with the future in mind, the Lobo Band will not turn corps. No need to be fearful and waste a bunch of time and words on nonsense - all stemming from a person making a staement beginning with "If what I heard yesterday is true...."

In the band director world, we protect our sources. Mine is a credible source. I will not be baited into giving it away. I said "IF" facetiously. Changing to corps would not happen over night. It will sneak in little by little. I hope the Sup realizes what a mistake it would be and stays on a military course, but it's going to be interesting to watch what happens. Nobody needs to be fearful - how stupid that would be; they just need to keep their ears and eyes open for these possible changes.

Congratulations on a job well done and Best Wishes to Mr. Durham on his future endeavors. When Longview hosted marching contest a few years back, he and his staff went out of their way to make sure that all of the bands were well taken care of and that the kids would have the best experience possible.

On the marching style issue......You-Know-Where would freeze over before Longview went corps. There is too much tradition in that Band to do anything else but Military. Over the years Neil Grant, Pete Kunkel, Jimmy Yancey, Bobby Richardson and Harvey Durham, to name a few, have set the standard for what the rest of us would want our marching programs to be. I pity the administration that would allow a change like this to occur. To everyone outside of Longview, The Mean Green Marching Machine IS Longview.

I dunno who you are but I guarantee my source is a heck of lot closer than yours and Longview going corps is not gonna happen. Always a good idea to stay alert in changing times but I still don't think it's a wise idea to even raise the question. Let it go.

LOL! I played the game of "my daddy is bigger than your daddy" in elementary school. Glad to see it's still around. You keep your source; I'll keep mine. I don't know who your source is; you don't know who mine is; therefore, no one knows who's right. I just know mine is a man "in the know," as apparently yours is. People make enough fuss, and the sup won't even whisper that he thought about this change. I will gladly accept being called a liar if this change doesn't take place. All I've written is that people need to keep their ears and eyes open. What's wrong with that?

Hee...hee...hee... "your source is a heck of a lot closer than" mine!!!!!

This is stupid. I know all of the directors on staff at LHS and they are not changing their style.

The "Re-evaluation of the program" is a formality to make it sound as if the job is not already promised to anyone.

LV78 also says,
In the band director world, we protect our sources. Mine is a credible source. I will not be baited into giving it away. I said "IF" facetiously. Changing to corps would not happen over night. It will sneak in little by little. I hope the Sup realizes what a mistake it would be and stays on a military course, but it's going to be interesting to watch what happens. Nobody needs to be fearful - how stupid that would be; they just need to keep their ears and eyes open for these possible changes.


I say:
All you are doing is shooting off your mouth, without your brain being loaded. A friend of mine once told me, "tis better to keep your mouth shut, and thought of as a fool, than to open your mouth and remove ALL doubt." Maybe you should take my friend's advice.

Wow, aren't you being defensive? If you only knew the man you just called a fool. I have the utmost respect for the man. And, if I didn't know what I know, I wouldn't have posted anything. Didn't your momma ever teach you if you couldn't say something nice, don't say anything at all????? LOL! You guys are hilarious!

Give it up. You don't intimidate me. I'm gone. Have a great weekend!

I wish I knew how to create a poll, which would ask, "Who wants to see LV78 get deleted?" I am very interested in knowing this person's identity. She seems to think she knows more than she does. Her responses are rather juvenile and defensive. Whatever. After teaching as long as I have been, one learns you cannot fix ignorance.

I know he will be missed. I like how the band performed/acted at the State Championship game in Waco when the Lake Travis players were on the field. The band marched directly through the football team....Classic moment.

Longview has always been a class act. I love watching them line up on the crosswalk behind the end zone at NAMMB when held at SFA. They stand at parade rest and never move - never make a sound. It exemplifies what a disciplined military band should be.

It sounds as if the band director world may be on a big carousel ride this year - could be lots of changes. Some good - some not so good - but always very interesting.

When was the last time Longview marched at NAMMB? I have been going since 1992 and have not seen them.

Longview marched at NAMMB through 2000.

You have any idea why they stopped? Would like to see them march. last year Vidor was the ONLY 4A band there.

They were not happy with the judging.

What's ironic is that there was much gnashing of teeth when changes in NAMMB occurred. The argument from those who wanted to change the qualifications (used to be a band couldn't go to NAMMB unless it had made a 1st division at UIL marching contest) and judging was that more bands would participate. 20-20 hindsight tells us how successful these changes have been.

I think it's been several years since my husband's band has gone to NAMMB, too - for the same reasons.

My point EXACTLY!