Part 2 of two parts.  You can read part 1 here

Saturday, Jan. 20 – Inauguration Day

The weather was cold and windy in the morning, with a forecasted high of 48 degrees, and wind gusts up to 25 miles per hour. But the air of excitement and anticipation filled the Quality Inn as students began to awaken. They realized they had a once-in-a-lifetime day filled with activities ahead of them.

The chaperones’ and students’ booklets outlined the itinerary, along with instructions for everyone participating in the parade and for the remainder of the group.

Saturday, January 20, 1973

The Following Itinerary Is For Parade Participants Only 

  7:30 a.m. EST: Rise n’ shine – Dress in full uniform

  9:00 a.m. EST:  Breakfast – Quality Inn Motel Restaurant – group meal

  9:50 a.m. EST:  Load buses – See special bus list for INAUGURAL PARADE ONLY

                          (Check uniform parts: Plume, hat, and citation cord especially)

10:30 a.m. EST: Depart Quality Motel for parade assembly area

11:00 a.m. EST: Arrive Bolling Air Force Base

                            LUNCH: Box lunches furnished by Quality Motel

                                          Depart Bolling Air Force Base as instructed

                                         Parade line up as instructed.

  1:15 p.m. EST: INAUGURAL PARADE BEGINS

  3:30 p.m. EST: Estimated time of completion of parade for Woodway band

  3:45 p.m. EST: Depart parade termination site

 5:00 p.m. EST: Arrive Quality Motel –KEEP UNIFORMS ON

 

************************Following itinerary is for everyone*******************

 

   6:00 p.m. EST: Dinnner – Group Meal Kentucky Fried Chicken

   7:00 p.m. EST: Depart Quality Motel: Regular bus list

   7:45 p.m. EST: Arrive University of Maryland campus, College Park, Maryland

   8:15 p.m. EST: Seattle Sonics – Baltimore Bullets NBA Game

10:15 p.m. EST: Depart, University of Maryland Campus

10:45 p.m. EST: Arrive, Quality Motel

11:30 p.m. EST: Lights Out

Author’s Note: Due to the lack of uniforms, not everyone was able to march in the inaugural parade. Those who weren’t able to participate were able to march in the Disney World parade later in the week. Woodway Vice Principal Maurice Stoffer, who handled financial matters during the trip, purchased general admission tickets for the non-participants so that everyone could watch the parade along Pennsylvania Avenue.

Upon arriving at Bolling Air Force Base, the participants received a box lunch while they waited for instructions from the parade organizers. Once they took their place in the procession, according to several band members, it seemed like they waited forever for the parade to begin.

“I remember assembling for the parade among all the other parade participants on that cold, grey Jan. 20 morning,” Karl Kaiser recalls. “I was filled with excitement about what we were about to do, but also had trepidation over being a part of something much grander than ourselves.”

Then the procession began to move, and all of sudden the pace quickened. The band had to virtually run for the first block to keep pace, while they continued to perform. According to Band Director Bruce Caldwell, President Nixon’s motorcade quickened its pace for a short time, and everything sped up for a block before the pace returned to normal. Caldwell recounted that the wind had also increased at the point, and the sousaphone players had difficulty handling their instruments as the wind buffeted them.

From that point onward, the parade proceeded as planned, and the band members recalled that it was a wonderful experience with the crowds shouting encouragement and applauding along the entire parade route. The band played four different numbers during the parade. Two were marches — Glory of the Gridiron and Men of Ohio. The other two were rock selections — Get It On and The Horse.

At the end of the parade, there were a few minor disruptions from the Vietnam War protesters outside of the parade area, but that didn’t dampen the spirit of the band members as they knew they had proudly represented the State of Washington.

Upon returning to the bus area, the band members loaded up and were taken back to the Quality Inn for a quick dinner of Kentucky Fried Chicken. Then it was off to the University of Maryland campus, where the entire group attended the Sonics–Bullets game, and the band performed at halftime.  The Bullets won the game, 126-106.

After the game, it was back to the Quality Inn for a well-deserved night of rest for the students. The chaperones, however, still had work to do. They met with Vice Principal Stoffer and received the next day’s food allowance for each of their students. That process was repeated each evening based upon the next day’s agenda. If there wasn’t a planned group meal, the students received $1 for breakfast, $1-$1.50 for lunch and $2 for dinner. In those days you could purchase a burger, fries and a drink for a dollar, and have change left over.

Sunday, Jan. 21

The agenda for the day called for “breakfast on your own.” Students were allowed to walk only as far as the Hot Shoppe, which was a couple of blocks away, and they had to go in groups with not less than four members for safety reasons.

After breakfast, three buses were scheduled to take them to the Smithsonian for the day. In an effort to make sure that not everyone arrived at the entrances at the same time, the bus departures were staggered, with the departure times being scheduled 45 minutes apart. Once at the Smithsonian, the chaperones set a time and place for all of their students to meet and eat lunch together.

At the end of the day, the buses returned on a staggered schedule as well. That ensured that each person had nine hours at the Smithsonian inclusive of travel time.

The Smithsonian’s various museums and zoo made a large impression on many of the students.

“One of my vivid memories of the band trip was getting to go to the National Zoo to see the pandas that were relatively recent arrivals from China,” recalled Greg Anderson. “I even brought a stuffed panda back for a friend of mine. More recently, for the first time since our trip, we went to the zoo again with our 2-year-old grandson to see the pandas, before they were returned to China in October. They were still very cute and adorable.”

Laurie (Westby) Cannon recalled “ On Sunday, the 21st we spent all day at the Smithsonian Institution, where I learned it wasn’t one building, but rather a collection of several museums, galleries and other sites. It’s kind of a blur, but I remember enjoying the Museum of Natural History. Another thing I learned is that it’s impossible to see everything at the Smithsonian in one day.” 

James Glasgow remembered: “One of the highlights for me was visiting the Smithsonian Institute Museums. Where else would you see George Washington’s false teeth, or a collection of 18th century toothpick holders?”

Monday, Jan. 22

The schedule called for an early breakfast and then a trip to Walter Johnson High School in Bethesda, Maryland, where the band was to put on a concert. Unfortunately, an apparent flu bug had stricken four or five of the band members overnight. Erring on the side of caution, Caldwell decided to cancel the concert. Luckily, no one else came down with the flu, and those who were afflicted recovered quickly.

With the concert being canceled, the planned afternoon guided tours of Washington, D.C. sights started in mid-morning instead. The busloads of students, chaperones and guests were taken to the National Mall, where they offloaded. Chaperones again coordinated with the students regarding times and places to reconvene. Students were again instructed to stay in small groups of no less than four, not to get into a car or cab without permission directly from Caldwell and to take full advantage of the sightseeing opportunities.

During the day, students were able to visit Arlington National Cemetery and see the Tomb Of The Unknown Soldier and President John F. Kennedy’s gravesite. They were also able to visit the Washington Monument and the Jefferson and Lincoln memorials.

Numerous students recounted their amazement at the size and scope of the area. Many had been raised in Edmonds, and Seattle represented the “big city” to them. Whether it was from the air as they approached Washington, D.C. earlier in the week, or walking from area to area, they were awed by the magnitude and scope of their surroundings.

While sightseeing, there was still time for fun and camaraderie. Regarding the Washington Monument, Laurie (Westby) Cannon recalled, “At that time, the “up stairway” in the 555-foot-tall building had been closed since 1971, but the “down stairway” was open. As our group approached the entrance to the elevator to take us to the top of the monument, a group of our classmates had just come down the stairs from the top.  They told us to be sure to take the stairs on the way down instead of the elevator because it was ‘real fun.’ After we enjoyed the view from the top and took photos for a while, we headed to the stairway. We realized about halfway down that it was really terrible. The stairway was narrow, steep, very monotonous and our knees were aching by the time we got back to ground level. We had been tricked!”

After a full day of sightseeing, the entire group had dinner together at the Halloween House, then loaded back on the buses for further sightseeing at night. Then it was back to the hotel where uniforms, instruments and other items were packed up for transport to the airport, for the flight to Florida and Disney World the next day.

Lights out was at 9:45 p.m., as there was a very early call scheduled for the next morning.

Tuesday, Jan. 23

The day’s schedule was packed with events.  It included a trip to the White House in the early morning, then a trip back to the motel to check baggage onto the buses for the trip to Florida that afternoon. After that was a trip to the Capitol Building for a tour and meeting with Washington state representatives in the late morning. After lunch at the Capitol, it was off to the airport, with a departure time of 3:30 p.m. Following dinner on the plane and a three-hour flight, it was a bus trip to the motel and check-in, with lights out at 11 p.m.

Although the day’s schedule was hectic, the visits to the White House and Capitol Building left lasting impressions on many. One of the students recalled that “we had the opportunity to get a glimpse of the Oval Office, and walk the halls of the White House. When reflecting on the fact that the current and former U.S. presidents had walked and worked there, it was brain numbing to some degree.”

Bob Griffith also recalled, “We were told our White House tour would be a special extended one. One of the chaperones commented after the tour that ours was the same as the one they had been on several years before. When we arrived at our hotel in Florida that evening, we learned our special tour had been shortened due to a news conference with the President. He announced that the United States was pulling out of Vietnam. That was welcome news to my fellow seniors and me, since the possibility of being drafted was very real.”

On the Capitol Building tour, student Carl Kaiser recalled: “I’ll never forget the personal meeting our band had with our state’s Senator, Henry (Scoop) Jackson.”

Wednesday, Jan. 24

An early morning breakfast was served at the motel, and the buses departed for the Kennedy Center facilities at 8 a.m. The tour of the Space Center began at 10 a.m., when the students learned about various missions and space exploration. Lunch was available at the Space Center, and then the tour continued until 4 p.m.

Students recounted that the entire space program and the facilities were amazing and eye opening. “We  had no idea what the male and female candidates had to know, and go through, before they could become an astronaut,” one said.

Back at the Quality Inn, the group enjoyed an outdoor-patio barbecue at 6 p.m. Soon after dinner, the students boarded buses to Osceola High School to rehearse for the next day’s parade and stand-up concert.

Rehearsal was completed at 9:30 p.m., and the band members returned to the motel with a midnight lights out.

Thursday, Jan. 25

After an early morning group breakfast at the motel, the students in their band uniforms loaded the buses to Disney World at 9 a.m. The students were also instructed to take a change of clothes with them.

Upon arriving at Disney World, the band had about a hour to get a first glimpse around. At 11:30 a.m., they picked up their instruments and then assembled per the Disney World management’s instructions. The parade began at 12:30 p.m. and lasted a half-hour. After the parade ended, the band continued to play for another half hour, entertaining the audience with a stand-up concert.

After their performances, the students were able to change their clothes and take advantage of the free tickets they were given for the various rides at Disney World.

At 7 p.m. everyone climbed aboard the buses for a trip back to the motel, where the stage band gave a poolside concert. Later, uniforms and instruments were checked in for transport home the next day, and everybody had free time to enjoy themselves around the pool.

Students recalled that this was a “special fun day” for them. The audience during the parade was loud and enthusiastic about their performance, and that carried over to the stand-up concert as well.  The students, of course, enjoyed the free time to be together and explore the new theme park.

Friday, Jan 26

The next day provided a couple of options for the students and their chaperones. Some chose to stay at the motel and enjoy the sun at poolside. Others chose to take one of the shuttle buses back to Disney World to enjoy a few more rides. Amazingly, through all the events and various locations the students visited during the week, no one got lost or was late arriving at their chaperone’s designated locations.

In the late afternoon, the buses and the Atlas Van Line truck transported everything to McCoy Air Force Base where United Charter Flight #5295 departed at 8 p.m. EST, heading for SeaTac airport. Dinner was served on the flight, and as Bob Griffith recalled, “Several band members became impromptu flight attendants on the trip back. Was it an easy or a difficult flight for the pilot or crew? Only the airline folks could answer that.”

The flight landed safely shortly before 11 p.m. PST. Once luggage had been collected, school buses shuttled the students back to the Woodway High School parking lot, where they were met by family members in the early-morning darkness of Jan. 27.

Acclaim and thank you

In the following weeks and months, Bruce Caldwell and the Woodway Marching Band received huge acclaim for their performances at both the Presidential Inaugural Parade and at Disney World. Family, friends and the community at large expressed their appreciation. People stated that they could clearly see the band marching in the parade on their televisions, and that they were tremendously proud of them.

In January, Caldwell received a thank you letter and certificate of appreciation from Disney World, along with an open invitation to return. In April, an additional letter and certificate arrived from the White House expressing their appreciation and admiration for the band’s performance.

A band reunion 50 years later:  On Aug. 12, 2023, a total of 55 people — including 34 original band members — gathered at Bruce and Jo Caldwell’s home in Edmonds to commemorate their participation in the 1973 parade. Sadly, 14 members of the band had passed away but they were fondly remembered. There were a lot of fun remembrances and shared stories at the gathering, including former students admitting that they thought “Bruce was an old man” when he took them on the trip.

For most of the band members, the initial flight was the first time they had ever been on an airplane, and many had never traveled without their parents, so the trip was a learning experience in many ways.

Author’s final notes:  When I talked to, and corresponded with, band members and cheerleaders around the country, it was very apparent of how appreciative they were of what Bruce had done for them.

Bob Griffith and Susan (Stoffer) Siler epitomized many of their thoughts. Bob wrote: “Our “Ultimate Field Trip” wouldn’t have been possible if not for the support of so many people. Top of the list would be Bruce Caldwell, our band director. If not for his vision of what could be, DC in ’73 would not have happened. That trip was several years in the planning. Sure, we had to have a marching band first. He nurtured us as a band, and taught us how to march in a parade. That was all him, and we would have followed him anywhere. Only Bruce’s vision of the big picture could have coordinated the many parent chaperones that joined in the trip, and the behind-the-scenes volunteers back in Edmonds who supported us. Countless businesses contributed to our trip as well. Mr. Caldwell, WHS Band and cheerleaders, chaperones and Edmonds volunteers all contributed to Bruce’s vision to take the Woodway Senior High School Marching Band to the Presidential Inaugural Parade on that chilly January day in 1973.”

Susan added: “During the recent ’73 reunion, I listened in amazement to Bruce Caldwell as he shared his memories of the process involved in earning our invitation to the inaugural parade. I never fully appreciated the complexity of this project until now! He made this happen while committed to his ‘day job” as a music teacher. Did I say day job? There were band practices, football and half-time shows, concerts, school musical productions and Band Booster meetings, etc. His wife, Jo, an amazing woman, NEVER missed a concert or production, and always supported us! I am deeply grateful to both of them!!

“I have many memories of this trip, but I think the one that stays with me, is the feeling of being a part of something special. How lucky I am to have grown up in Edmonds.”

After learning about Bruce’s storied career in the Edmonds School District (1964–1995) as both a teacher and music director, I was curious as to what his recollections of the 1973 trip were. “It was the experience of a lifetime,” he said with a sly smile. “It was the highlight of my career.”

This article was researched and written by Byron Wilkes. Thanks go to the Sno-Isle Genealogical Society for access to their 1972 and 1973 newspapers. To Mark Press, who first informed me of the band’s undertaking, for introducing me to Bruce and Jo Caldwell, as well as his contributions to this article. Also to Robert Griffith, Karl Kaiser, Susan (Stoffer) Siler,Greg Anderson, James Glasgow and Laurie (Westby) Cannon for their recollections and insights. In addition, thanks to Laurie for also sharing her scrapbook and clippings from the event with me.

Finally special thanks go to Bruce and Jo Caldwell, for sharing their story and memories. Their willingness to share everything they had — from the trip’s conception, through the planning, and the trip itself — was invaluable. They also showed extreme patience and understanding as I continued to bombard them with questions, asking for verifications and clarifications as I researched this article. Lastly thanks for their editing assistance, as I worked through initial drafts of the article. Your help was greatly appreciated.