Back the Band

Dear Mr. Reardon:

I am writing with regard to the absence of the Harvard Bund from the Harvard. Army game on October 4th. I was present at the game and was furious that the band was not.

As an alumna of the Harvard Band and a former assistant manager, I am well aware of the hand's tremendous commitment to wards keeping the Harvard spirit alive and kicking throughout the Harvard community. Not only does the bun "drum up" financial support for the University (which in turn feeds into your athletic department), but it also sends electricity through the stands at athletic events, with its rousing choruses of "The Thousand Men of Harvard" and numerous other fight songs. I am quite certain that those sparks of electricity have a very positive effect on every Harvard achieve.

That electricity was definitely not present at West Point three weeks ago. The director of Army athletics felt justified in not inviting the lvy League bands to West point. But was it justifiable that the Army band played (and they had microphones) during every Harvard offensive play? Was it justifiable that the cheerleaders encouraged the thousands of cadets to make as much noise as possible, in an attempt to prevent the Harvard offense from hearing Don Allard's signals? Was it also justifiable that the entire Harvard Band was pelted with tennis balls thrown by cadets at last year's Army game in our own stadium?

I was terribly disappointed when the band was not invited to West point but I was insulted when the seem agreed to go without the band, The Harvard Band, the unsung heroes of the University community, has supported the football seam for 63 years, through winning and losing seasons, rains, snow, sub-freezing temperature, and enormous financial burdens, It would have been a well-deserve, gesture had the Atheistic Department refused to send the football team to Army without the band.

I will continue to be an avid supporter of Harvard athletics. I feel I owe my support to the athletic program because it is an integral part of a community that offered me so much during my four years in Cambridge. The Harvard Band, too, is an integral part of that community. I feel you owe the band a form of support which you have as yet not shown. --Alexandria Campbell '82