A few posts regarding a discussion of CORPS CAMPS also included some stories about INITIATIONS:

Bob Shreffler:
Those spring camps usually included initiations. Don't remember doing camps - or initiations - in 78 or 79. I think most corps had gotten rid of those rites by then (except the Cavaliers, which continue, but NOTHING like the old days, or they would be sued and/or not be able to field a corps).

Donna Larsen Gatlin:
In 1972 was my initiation. I think the camp was at a High School in Kewanee. Tom Kass had to drive me home on Saturday night, since I was being confirmed on Sunday morning. I had so much vasoline in my hair, it looked like a greaser from the 60's.

John Anderson:
I don't remember going through an initiation in 1962 and don't remember anything occurring at winter or spring camp until 1966. I think that may have been the result of a lot of kids joining from other corps. Evidently it became a tradition after 1966.

Bob Shreffler:
I was also initiated in 72, and Kewanee sounds right.

Speaking of initiations - was it common occurrence to be initiated before your first season of marching? I know that's how Norwood did it, and most others that I've heard of. But in the Cavaliers, we were initiated AFTER the first season. What do you remember other corps doing?

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I (like John) don't remember any initiations being done (at least not formally) while I was a member. (I DO seem to remember that the girls in the guard did some initiations of their new members though).

This seems to have started later (maybe 1966 or later). Perhaps, as Bob suggested, it became more common since a lot of kids from other corps began joining the Imperials.

What initiation stories do you want to share?

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-63

My guess is that in the time (1957? and 1962) Dave and I joined or moved up to the Imperials the older members (Sam Tessitore, Frank Grana, Ron Biver, Denny Shannon, Roman Blenski, Steve Pawela et al) weren't into initiations. Also, at that time the majority of the new members were kids who moved up from the Cadets and were technically already members of the corps.

I do recollect seeing what the Cavaliers did to some of their rookies in 1962 (we shared accomodations with them in Springfield) and figured that the senior Norwood guys had too much class to do that to their rookies.

I can't speak to why initiations started in 1966. I was actually kind of surprised when it occurred.

Initiations were always fun. I remember being blinfolded and carried up the tower at Heaven City ('64 winter camp) and being dumped over the rail into waiting arms. What great mental anguish as you seemed to be going higher and higher up the stairs. You just knew you were at the top - and when they dropped you - well it might have been 3'. They were only marking time to make you think you were going up.

Or how about doing push-ups in the snow? Remember your nose has to touch the ground. Hey that's the snow stupid - the ground is underneath. Start burrowing.

It was all good fun.

What did you do in the Corps? drum

What years were you a Corps member? 61-69

John, I remember going to winter camp in early 1967. You had to charge Jim Montgomery and try to knock him down. If you could not do it,( nobody really could), you were put in a bass drum case and rolled down the hill. Remember people tobaganing at 2:00 a.m. That also was the camp of Reverend Spade. Boy was he ever glad when we left.

What did you do in the Corps? Drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1966-1971

In 1972, we had to reach into a toilet to touch a banana. (we were blind folded). We had to carry a tooth brush in our pockets during practice, and when asked by non rookies we had to brush our teeth. This happened at least 10 time an hour. It was hard to brush with the handle. Us rookies were not able to smoke cigarettes. Vicky Osborn and I snuck out to have a cig, and we heard someone coming and threw it under the equipment truck. Tom Kass walked up, and he thought it was something else, but when found out he told us to continue, while he smoked his cigarette.

We also had vasoine applied to our hair during the hot practice. Thanks for making my hair so thick.

I remember mostly vaseline and molasses - a big mess, but nothing much else. We were scared going in, because we didn't really know what to expect, but it turned out to be pretty tame. Cavaliers initiations, on the other hand, were absolutely brutal. Why ANYONE stayed in that corps after that (including me) is a mystery. Maybe that's why they wait until AFTER you march a year - you're less likely to leave, I guess. But it works for them. I don't know if they still wait, because so many people only march one year now.

What did you do in the Corps? Snare, Drum Major, Drum Instructor/Arranger

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73; 78-79

The stuff I saw the Cavaliers do during 1962 would probably result in a lawsuit today.

Denny - I remember that '67 initiation well. Remember when you were put into the bass drum case you were told not to say anything - no matter what? Chuckie Hilgers' bass drum case got lost in the field when we sent him down the hill. Do you remember how long we looked for him and told him to say something so we could find him? He never did say a word - but he should have.

Donna - the bannana trick is a great one. When I experienced it, the banana was covered in crunchy peanut butter and placed in a bucket next to the toilet. Of course your arm had to hit the porcelin on the way into the bucket. Of course having to lick your fingers after squeezing the banana was the highlight.

What did you do in the Corps? drum

What years were you a Corps member? 61-69

When I went to Nationals in '57,held in Miami,there
were still some people giving out initiations,and
it just so happened,they decided to initiate me.

Just to name a few,Arnie Eichorst,Wayne Zielinski,
Bart Blume.And it just so happened,they decided to
initiate me,of course I didn't have much to say
about it.What fun that was.
I was covered from head to foot with just about
every creme,powder,jell,lotion and what ever else
they could find at that time.Luckily there was a
shower close by.

When you go through something like this no matter
how long ago it was you can always remember every
detail of what happened.

Its all part of the experience of being in the
wonderful world of Drum Corps.

What did you do in the Corps? French Horn

What years were you a Corps member? 1957 thru 1963