The band uniforms have arrived
and now there is just 1 1/2 days to get them sorted out, hemmed
up, cataloged and distributed.
Jim Gerrish pins up cuffs. Craig
Jarrett and Rasheem Franklin supervise in the background. Photo
by Elijah Goode
Step number 1 is to find a pair
of jump-suit trousers that fit, and then jump up on a table to
have the length adjusted so hems can be sewn.
Photo of Elijah Goode by Ms. Saez.
Then students locate a top that fits and try it
on for size. When students have both tops and bottoms, they head
over to Ms. Saez who writes a number on the label to identify the
uniform and who the new caretaker is.
Photo of Ms Saez by Elijah Goode
Ms Saez not only gets to carefully catalog and
record each uniform, but also has to maintain order in all this
chaos, because it seems the entire school wants to get a peek at
the new uniforms.
As the day goes on, many band parents begin to
drop by and are immediately put to work. There is plenty of work
to do to make sure that each band member gets a uniform that is a
good fit.
Then the real work begins. Each uniform has two
legs and both legs have to be hemmed. The brand new sewing
machines in the costume department are a disaster because they
can't sew hems on trouser legs and they operate at a dangerously
high speed that does more damage than good. Jim Gerrish goes home
and gets his 30 year old sewing machine to work with, but others,
like Ms Saez shown above, just begin to sew the hems by hand.
Ms Cuffe (far right) shows Darian Bravo (far
left) the way out from under foot.
Section Leaders Darian Bravo and Denzel Thompson
drop by to show off the new hats they have discovered in boxes,
but we are all far too busy to admire them right at the moment.
Ms Cuffe acting out.
As the day wears on, some Band Parents begin to
suffer from Sewing Syndrome and feel a need to "act
out."
Others stay hard at work and gradually every
uniform gets hemmed and catalogs and hung back up on the rack for
distribution to students and a final check... but that part will
have to wait until tomorrow.
We want to thank everyone who participated in
this challenging situation to make it possible for all of our
marching band students to have a uniform to wear on Thanksgiving
Day at the big parade and game with Barringer. Students have been
asked to report at 7:00 AM on Thursday so they can get dressed,
tuned up and be ready to start the parade to Campus High School
by 9:00 AM. Then they march down to Paul Robeson Stadium where
the football game kicks off at 11:00 AM.
Text and photography by Jim Gerrish. Some
Photos by Elijah Goode, and others as labeled.
