The first year I was in high School band the band director was more interested in being a state senator than being a director which he became the next year . the next year the school district hired a highly energetic director that wanted to be a director . We went from forth and firth place in competitions to first and seconds in a matter of one year . The new band director came to us from the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra . His father had been a band director in the school years before and he was following in his fathers footsteps .   We took school buses 300 miles to Dallas Texas to march in the Cotton Bowl Parade . Their was five snare drummers in the band . First chair was a female , second chair was a female , third chair was ME , forth chair was a female and firth chair was a female . The band director wrote in my year book that I was the best boy snare drummer he had .  HA HA . I just couldn’t get the sight reading down . Those blasted girl were GOOD . The director used me for VOLUME . I was known as the RINGO of my high school band . ( 1964)  When we went to the Cotton Bowl Parade all of the other instruments get a break playing because they only play two or three songs during the parade . The drums they play the songs plus they play a drum cadence in between the somgs to keep the band marching in step together . By the time I got to the end of the three mile parade I had a blister on one of hands . I know whaaaaa . After the parade we went to the Texas State Fair Grounds to the ice skateing rink . I had never been on ice skates before . I had been on roller skates but had never seen ice skates before . I put them on and all I could do was put my ankles together and stand up . One of my friends came up behind me and started to push me like I was a broken down car and I fell down on one knee and left a long blue streak in the ice with my brand spanking new pair of blue jeans . I had a huge white spot on my knee and I just new my Mama was going to kill me for messing up a brand new pair of jeans . We returned home and guess what . My Mama didn’t kill me because I’m still living . But I had to wear the blue jeans any way . I don’t remember if we made a pacing at the Cotton Bowl Parade or not I just know we had a good time .