'Zoobies' march into the Sullivan Museum

After nearly two centuries of chest thumping cadences echoing across the Upper Parade Ground, the nation's oldest collegiate band, affectionately referred to as the "Zoobies," is now the topic of an exhibit in the Sullivan Museum opening this October, according to Dr. Marilyn C. Solvay, museum director

"Captain Partridge loved music and it has been such an important part of our university's history," said Solvay. "Music was so special to him that he allowed students to pay their tuition by playing their instruments."

The exhibit, designed to highlight the history of the Norwich University Regimental Band, will feature 25 instruments from the band's history, some that were played by former presidents or alumni.

"Some of these instruments have been here a really long time, we had them sitting here for over a hundred years," Solvay said.

"An example is Truman Ransom, and how he was able to attend the university."

Ransom was from the Burlington area, and had apprenticed with a chair maker. He wrote a letter to President Alden Partridge, and was allowed to attend the university.

"We don't have Lt. Col. Ransom's fife, but we are loaning one from the same time period," said Solvay. "It's stories like this that make the traditions we celebrate here."

Lt. Col. Ransom was unable to pay tuition; he played the fife in the regimental band instead. After graduating in 1825, Ransom served in the Army and was the second president of Norwich from 1845 until he died while leading the assault on Chapultepec during the Mexican-American War in 1847.

"One thing we thought that might interest (the students) is, do we make them look like new instruments, or do we keep them old?

The first thought was to keep them old, but as I talked to the band directors (from years past), we realized that people don't play instruments that have patina, dirt marks and fingerprints."

According to Solvay, the instruments have been serviced and are now in "stable" condition, as they were polished to look clean, while still showing their age.

"We even have a trumpet made out of wood," Solvay said. "At first we didn't know how it might be played, but we later found out it was made as a joke for one of our early band directors, so we also have some unofficial instruments as well."

The exhibit will feature other multimedia. "We got some old recordings and you can play some music throughout the exhibit," Solvay said "We're going to have some blown-up pictures of the band throughout the years as well, we just love old pictures."

The process for collecting the instruments has been a long and painstaking one, according to Solvay, as some alumni are unwilling to part with the items that bring back  all of those cherished memories.

"Band history is hard to pull together because we teach history with objects here in the museum," Solvay said. "After talking to band (directors of Norwich past) and alumni we realized that music is something that you hold more in your heart."

This ideology has been passed down through the centuries, and is still very much part of today's Band Company in the corps of cadets.

"The things I took away from (Band Company) were a sense of teamwork and togetherness," said Commander Robert G. Walker of the U.S. Navy, NU class of ‘91 and professor of naval science. "Everybody trusts each other to play their part, to be there on time, hit the right notes and make the company look good."

The opening ceremony for the exhibit will be headlined by 30 alumni, who will be coming back to play.

"Many (of these alumni) have not played in a long time," Solvay said. "They will all be playing together with the current members in a giant regimental band, at the opening ceremony on Oct. 2."

The band will be conducted by the current band director and provisional battalion assistant commandant Lt. Col.Todd Edwards, according to Solvay.

"I'm excited to be able to work with them and hear their stories, it's just like with any other alumni, you want to know what it was like back then," said Dennis Ortiz, a 20-year-old junior mechanical engineering major from Union City, N.J. Ortiz is the platoon sergeant for Band Company.

One of the main purposes of this exhibit was to share some of the greatest stories of Norwich's past, according Solvay.   

"Every Friday at the noon formation, we would play Hogan's Heroes before lunch and that would motivate the whole corps because they knew the weekend was here," said Walker.

During his time here, Walker served as a regimental bugler, and was cadre for Band Company freshmen in his junior year.

"We went to President Bush's inauguration parade in ‘89 and we represented the whole university," said Walker. "When people go home, or special units travel, they represent the university in small groups, and when band goes to parades and concerts we take the whole company."

This sense of solidarity is shared with the current members of the company: "No matter what the situation, no matter how bad, we make sure to help out each other," said Ortiz. "We don't leave anyone behind; no one does it like band!"

According to Walker, that sense of camaraderie is what made the company the best on the hill, and perennial winners of the white cup, and other awards that distinguished the company.

"My band rook buddies, there's no comparison to that bond," said Walker. "We are each other's godparents for children, best men, and brides of honor at weddings. Yes, you see it in other companies, but I always felt it was a stronger bond in band."

These bonds start from the beginning according to Ortiz, which is why the training program for band freshmen includes the history of the company.

"I'm teaching the freshmen about our history, as a company, as a school, and this is only going to help make us a stronger unit," Ortiz said. "I want them to see how it was back in the day, and I want our traditions to keep going."

When asked what a Zoobie is, and where the term came from, Walker said, "There are different versions of where the story came from, you have to ask a Zoobie to find out!"