Final Word on School Song, Vol. I

KXRA talking host Patty Wicken (above) stirred controversy some time ago about the origins of the Alexandria Fight Song (Cheer Oh Cheer For Alex, Shout 'til the Rafters Ring, remember?). It is a raging controversy that our John Herdan rightly will not allow to rest. Here is new info on the school song summarized by our class music archivist and rushed to grateful readers here.

Dear Stan,
Here is some definitive information on the Jefferson Senior High School school song.

A copy of the piano/conductor's score was forwarded to me by Larry Clark of Carl Fischer, Inc. music publishers in New York. Larry is redoing all of the original Bennett Band Book music and recently finished Volume One. "College Boy", the Alexandria school song will be re-released in Volume Two some time next year. This is a copy of the score as it was originally released. It is a two line condensed version with only a few words identifying instrumentation. Only the trio of the march is used for the school song. It clearly identifies the "Rah, rah, rah" part which was to be shouted.

According to information on the first page it was published in 1926 and lists Harold Bennett as the composer. Other information on the page identifies it as being published by "The Fillmore Bros. Co. of Cincinnati, Ohio." Harold Bennett was a pseudonym used by Henry Fillmore on the whole Bennett Book series which Fillmore wrote. James Henry Fillmore, Jr. lived from 1881 to 1956. After graduating from the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music in 1901 he gained fame as a circus bandmaster. He returned to Cincinnati to direct The Shriners Temple Band. He is known as the "Father Of The Trombone Smear." In 1938 he retired to Florida but remained active in band music. The rehearsal hall at the University of Miami in known as "The Henry Fillmore Band Hall."

This conductor's score may be used as a piano part. If anyone needs a copy for a class reunion or for their own entertainment they can send a request for my e-mail to Stan.

That should just about cover it until Volume Two is published.

John

Trailboss sez: You can click on the music sample --above, right-- to enlarge it enough to play for all your friends on your home upright Steinway. To immerse yourself in the history of this controversy further, you're invited to use the Roundup search feature, above. Type in "College Boy" -- be sure to use the quotes. You'll come up with this:

September 29, 2006

Tom Obert started it.

He writes: Big controversy today on KXRA's "Open Line" over who wrote the school song and when (it is unique, most high schools just adopt the tune of a major college). There's was one who said it was Bill Anderson in 1933 - another said it was another chap in the early 40's. Anyone else care to hazard a guess?

Does anybody know the actual words?

John Herdan writes:

Stan,

Sorry, but the school song is not an original. The music to the school song is actually an old march called "College Boy." I believe it came from the "Bennett Band Book" series which means it was actually written by Henry Fillmore. When the words were added, I don't know. But.... most of them go like this:

(1st verse)

Cheer oh Cheer for Alex

Shout till the rafters ring

We're gonna yell oh yell for our team

Alexandria, rah, rah, rah!

(These two lines of the first verse is what I have trouble remembering. Any help here????)

Always looking onward

Doing the best we can

(2nd verse)

We can beat old Glenwood,

As we've done before

And we can help our team by yelling

Alexandria, rah, rah, rah!

Never give up hope, boys

And we'll win this game

And we will carry on forever

Dear old Alex' name.

I'll try and pin a date on it when I get back to the school music library. Further research has proved that it was indeed written by Harold Bennett (Henry Fillmore) and published by Carl Fischer, LLC. However, it is permanently out of print and no further information is available..... so far!I will continue to search.

John

Trailboss sez:

Actually, John, they don't seem to sing "boys" anymore. According to the official notes provided by the cub reporter it is now "team." Readers should note that Alexandria's Fillmore Avenue was not named after the musician, but it now appears that it should have been.

Millard Fillmore was the thirteenth president of the United States. He is most noted for signing the Fugitive Slave Act into law. This made it legal for southerners to retrieve slaves fleeing north.

Alexandria named a street in his honor.

Perhaps, since Millard Fillmore did much less for Alexandria than Henry Fillmore, who wrote the Cardinal Rouser, the city should consider renaming the street after Henry.
Trailboss