The first band was organized by Mr. Frank Beall who came here from Glenville, W. Va. The band was not started in the high school, but in the grade school. This was in the year 1927. It was through the interest of a few of Calhoun's respected citizens that Mr. Beall came here.

Mr. Beall had all the students in the grade school who were interested in band to sign up for it. He then saw their parents to see if it was all right for these students to join the band. At this time there were 53 children in Grantsville who wanted to take up band music.

The parents of the band students organized a society, called the Grantsville Junior Band Society. Mr. J. A. Jackson was elected president of the society. The parents were to pay $3.00 a month for each student in the band, and they also had to buy all the instruments and music.

After a time, the band members graduated to high school and new members had to be sought for the grade school band. The society could not get enough new members to pay Mr. Beall's salary so he was forced to leave after being here for three years.

The next band instructor was Henry Clay Palmer, from Clarksburg, who came here with an introduction from J. A. Jackscn of Harrison county. When he arrived the Board of Education happened to be in session at the home of the late Dr. Ray C. Morford. Mr. Jackson, of Grantsville, took Mr. Palmer to this board meeting and introduced him to the members. Mr. Glenn S. Callaghan, the principal of the high school at this fime, was very much in favor of having the band introduced into the high school.

Mr. Palmer started teaching music here in the fall of 1931. During the school term 1931-32 the band went to Charleston to the meeting of all the bands of West Virginia. The Calhoun band won first place that year among the Class C bands, without uniforms. There were 33 members in the band then and they were the only band at Charleston without uniforms. However, by the end of the year dues from the band society enabled them to buy uniforms for the band members.

Mr. Palmer was with the band for three years, leaving in 1934. The next instructor was Robert Douthat, of Morgantown. He, also, was here three years, or until 1937. While Mr. Douthat was here the number of members in the band remained about the same. There were about 35 members then.

The next, and present instructor, S. Byrl Ross, came here in 1937. He was formerly band instructor at Harrisville. This year Mr. Ross worked very hard, and successfully, to obtain new uniforms for the band. These red and white West Point uniforms make Calhoun high school's band one of the finest looking bands in the state.

There are some places that the band always goes during the school year. These are: Huntington, to the Band Festival; Elkins, to the Forest Festival; to the Central West Virginia Band Contest; and to Glenville to the annual home-coming. The band also takes about 20 miscellaneous trips during the year.

Calhoun County High School Band is in Class B. The band has won twelve trophies and several cash prizes.

At the beginning of the year the band had 57 members, including two drum majors, two strutters, and two flag bearers.