Behind every uniform on the wall lies a chapter of our band’s story, each thread woven with pride, sweat, and sound.
“As far as I can tell, the Marching Band dates back to 1935 and was established by the Board of School Directors to provide more school spirit for the high school,” says Skip Cassady, Stroudsburg’s Marching Band director.
Before Cassady, there were a few important figures that are staples to the band’s history. John Pyle was the director for the band when it was first established, then taking over for him was Ralph Harrison. Behind these two important figures was another named Numa Snyder. These three are considered the founders of the music program in Stroudsburg.
“I never had the pleasure of meeting John Pyle but I did know Mr. Snyder and Mr. Harrison,” says Cassady, “they were both exceptional human beings with an unwavering and unequaled passion for bringing music to Stroudsburg.”
In the late 70’s/early 80’s Bill Austell took over for Mr. Harrison. He had brought the marching band into what we know as the modern era of marching band with more effects and complex drill.
Throughout the years, the uniform has been through many tweaks and changes before the black and maroon uniform you see now. The very first uniform was used from 1935 – 1983. This uniform was used for many things, including concert band, where they just used the pants and jacket. For marching band, they added the overlay for more of an effect.
In 1984, the uniform went through a change to be more modern and entirely for just marching band.
“The ‘West Point’ motif was chosen to symbolize the discipline and tradition of the Stroudsburg High School Band,” says Cassady.
Later in 1993, it went through yet another change to accent the uniform with brighter colors and sequins for a flashy look under the stadium lights. But later in 2006, it was again changed to be more functional with fewer parts and more features like a durable sash, and removing the gauntlets around the wrists. However the initial style of the uniform never changed.
That was until 2017, when it was updated again and went from maroon and white, to the uniform we know today. These new uniforms now reincluded the Stroudsburg “S”, and removed the stripe from the pant leg. The change was meant to modernize the band further, while still continuing the elements of the traditional military look that they were originally based on.
Presently, the band attends the US Bands competition at Metlife stadium in East Rutherford, NJ, but back then they would travel even further. They had traveled all over the east coast to places such as Florida, South Carolina, Virginia, Ohio, Massachusetts, and even to Canadian cities such as Toronto and Montreal.
“One of the greatest moments that I can recall with the Marching Band is marching down Main Street USA in Disney World’s Magic Kingdom,” says Cassady. “The band had multiple opportunities to do this and each time was unique and very special for those of us who were able to participate.”
In 2004, the band got to participate in the St. Patrick’s Day parade in New York City.
“Marching through midtown Manhattan on St. Patrick’s Day with a gentle snow falling was an almost surreal experience,” says Cassady.
The band also attended multiple competitions, In 1991 and 1993 the won the group 4 Championship at what was the Giants stadium. In 2008 they also won the Overall Band Award at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore at the USBands 20th Anniversary Celebration.
As the years pass and new generations march on, the legacy of this band continues. Each performance adds another chapter to a story that began long ago. The band’s history marches forward, one beat, one season, one unforgettable note at a time.