Subject: RE: Questions
Date: Wed, 24 Jul 2002 09:15:41 -0500
From: "Byrkit, David -FWDC.CON" [David.Byrkit@itt.com]
To: "'Susie Hampy" ALL

Susie:

I don't have the book with me (I'm in Fort Wayne, Ind), but as I remember Plowe formed the orchestra at the request of Bradley University's president in either 1897 or 1898 (1897 being the creation year for BU). He directed the orchestra into the 1930s or possibly the 1940s. He died in the 40s (I believe) in California where his descendents live.

Towards the later years of his tenure with the orchestra he had illness issues that often kept him from conducting and several people got involved (both local and one or two people from Chicago). Fred Huber (later on he was Dr. Fred Huber of Manual's band) was the assistant conductor for years. Elmer conducted the orchestra (I think) for the year 1947.

I believe Spezessy (I'll use your spelling) and Huber (by extension, your father) were quite a bit younger than Plowe.

Does your husband (Brad) have a brother named Bob (Woodruff, class of 1961 and school president in 1961)? I knew Bob as one of the best drummers in the (then) Midstate Eight and as a leader of the youth group at Glen Oak Christian Church (I was involved in the youth group at First Christian Church).

With my interest in Peoria history I've got to join the alumni association. I am terrible at mailing things in.

Thanks for all the info below. I'm keeping quite a folder of all these correspondences. We'll have to consider downloading this stuff to Todd Marshall's web site and putting a search engine on it.


David C. Byrkit MCSE + I, MCT
ph. (260) 451-6219/(309) 637-1283
cell (309) 453-4663
e-mail david.byrkit@itt.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Susie.Lentz@t-online.de [mailto:Susie.Lentz@t-online.de]
Sent: Wednesday, July 24, 2002 2:33 AM
To: Byrkit, David -FWDC.CON; '


David,

I'm questionning your dates for Plowe to direct the orchestra 1897-98, when in the next sentence you make a comment on a possible hometown director (Huber and Spezessy). My guess is that Huber and Szepessy were born somewhere around my parents' birth year -- 1912. Both men were family friends and musicians with my father, Herman Hampy, who died far too early in 1953. And for those of you wondering if Elmer Szepessy is still kicking, there was a short write up on him in our last Lions' Pride PHS Alumni Assn. May 2002 newsletter (for those of you who haven't yet joined the Alumni Assn., I would encourage you to join).

J. Elmer Szepessy, former orchestra instructor at PHS and music coordinator for District 150, was inducted into the Eureka College of Fine and Performing Arts Hall of Fame. Mr. Szepessy taught music in District 150 from 1938-1977. He was a member of the Peoria Symphony for 24 years and founded the Central Illinois Youth Symphony. He now enjoys skeet shooting and hunting quail.

To those organizing the reunion, perhaps an idea is to invite several of the teachers we knew to join us at the reunion, including Mr. Szepessy, if any of them are still around.

Yes, I agree that we grew up in an easier, more simplified time than now -- but perhaps every generation says that.


Cheers, Susie Hampy Lentz