On Nov. 21, 1963, I was band director of Irma Marsh Junior High in River Oaks. My friend and co-worker was Castleberry High School band director Layton Keith.
We received a telephone call at home from Superintendent Irma Marsh informing us that President Kennedy and his entourage would drive through our district along River Oaks Boulevard the next morning to board Air Force One at Carswell Air Force Base for the flight to Dallas and festivities there. We were told to have our bands march to River Oaks Boulevard, where our entire student bodies and faculties would line the motorcade route and our bands would musically salute our president.The high school band would play full military honors of ruffles and flourishes and Hail to the Chief. When I asked what my band should play, she replied, "Something appropriate."In position, we saw the motorcade approaching and played for them. They looked quite surprised and pleased. JFK stood in the convertible and tapped the driver's shoulder, apparently wanting to stop. The driver refused. We've wondered what a stop might have done to the Dallas schedule and what the outcome might have been.A note of irony: The music we selected to play for the president and his young wife was Everything's Coming Up Roses.-- Charles Mitchell, ArlingtonHave more to add? News tip? Tell us
