A perspective on the OSU Marching Band

It’s always a bit dangerous to offer a personal perspective of a current event that is controversial, but since there are some personal and professional ties, I will give it a (hopefully) unbiased attempt.  Many people have come up to me since the announcement by The Ohio State University President Dr. Michael V. Drake that OSU Marching Band Director Jonathan Waters would be dismissed.  It was just last year that Van Wert was abuzz that the OSU Marching Band would perform at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center.  Add to that the fact that my son has just completed five years as a member of the band, and I suppose people feel I have some insight or at least an opinion.

In case you haven’t heard, Jon Waters was fired last week by the university because of a parent of one of the female band members complained there was an atmosphere of sexualization in the OSU Marching Band.  Feeling that the university needed to take action, perhaps for fear of a lawsuit, or maybe just out of a sense of dignity, the three-week-old university president made a bold move and fired Waters, who had been at the helm for two years.

In a 23-page investigative report released to The (Columbus) Dispatch, the public became privy to a culture in the band that has existed for over 100 years.  On the outset of reading the report, many would find the “activities” disgusting, juvenile and just wrong.  I admit I had a sense of that feeling as I read through the report.  After fully digesting the report and taking it all in perspective, I want to raise a few thoughts for consideration.

Anyone who has been to college and experienced any kind of organization, whether it be a team sport, a fraternity, sorority, or band, knows that when two or more are gathered, there is bound to be some tomfoolery.  To understand the culture of the Ohio State University Marching Band, one needs to understand the roots of the organization. The OSU band was established in 1878 as a military drum corps that provided music for military exercises. It wasn’t until 1973 that women were admitted into the band because of the passage of Title IX legislation.  Ironically, it is because of this that they now are without a leader. On the field, and while in uniform, this band displays the discipline of a well-oiled military machine; more so than any university band I have ever seen. As in the military, there are certain “things” that make it the “Pride of the Buckeyes” that it truly is.

When my son made the band (and a few others in our area who were fortunate enough to make this organization would agree with me), I was surprised at how much respect was shown by the general public to band members wearing the uniform. It was almost reverent. Not only was my son proud to wear the uniform, but we, his parents, were proud to walk along beside him. “The few, the proud, TBDBITL!” was an appropriate statement.  I soon found out how hard these “kids” worked to, first of all make the band, then to keep their spot in the band.

As with any organization where determination and discipline are a requirement, there seems to be a time when they “let their hair down” and enjoy the fruits of their labor.  Now, I realize that “letting your hair down” can be quite different for many people.  For those of you who ever belonged to an all-male organization and especially mostly adolescents, you have a little idea of what kind of tomfoolery goes on that I referenced earlier.  My son witnessed many things he did not partake in, and did not feel pressured into doing them. Many other proud Buckeye band members are now coming forth to defend the culture of the OSU Marching Band.  Many of them are females who either understood what they were getting into — a male dominated organization with military roots — or just knew and accepted that some of what they had to go through was making them a stronger member of the organization.

From the perspective of Mr. Jon Waters, he had two years to undo a culture that had existed for 136 years. As I have read and been told by band members, he made strides to correct injustices and to right the ship in a decent manner, given the politically correct culture in which we all live.  But two years is not enough to change a entire culture developed over 136 years. Could a statement have been made by University President Drake that they were going to work toward improving the culture by providing the needed resources? A staff of three directors and a couple graduate assistants were in charge of 225 band members.  How many coaches does the university provide for the Buckeye football team of approximately 100 members?

Well, I am certainly not going to influence anyone of their decision at Ohio State.  And I certainly do not agree with, nor condone, all the activities some in the band have been guilty of.  But there is one thing I don’t want anyone to forget, the Ohio State University Marching Band is still TBDBITL; fortunately or unfortunately, for many of the accused reasons. Let’s just hope that political correctness doesn’t destroy another proud institution and its onetime leader, who was making progress while swimming upstream!

FINÉ.