Grasshopper No. 2 spent 4 years at UW-Madison. The years were 1980-1984. I had attended "prissy" Marquette and was buried in the "backwater" community of Sheboygan. I had no idea what the UW Marching Band was. Turns out the Band was the focal point of a sad football program and people actually went to see the football games because the Band did a continual performance before, during and after each game.
Grasshopper No. 2 became one of the first female trombone players in the Band. In fact, she blazed an early trail for women that aspire to play in the band. The Band provided her with "instant" involvement in the University in a meaningful way. Not to mention boys. Lots of boys!
Of course being proud parents, we traveled regularly to Madison on Saturdays to see the Band (and the football team). We brought guests. Nana. Grandpa. Our younger and older Grasshoppers. Friends. It became a social event.
Madison has always had a reputation of being a "party school". Hey, we live in Wisconsin and I think hold the title of "beer capital of the world". There was always a hint of wild parties attended by Band members. Of course, Grasshopper No. 2 was above all of that and there was never a possibility that she might be living the wild life.
It is now over 20 years since the "early days". The UW Band has just been reprimanded for bad behavior. Drinking, oh, my! Hazing; say it isn't true! Sexual encounters, oh no! Incidents involving masochism! This has overtones of the Playboy Mansion West!
The UW Band has been put on probation until further notice. The Band Director has been verbally reprimanded. The Band is going to have to alter their behavior. Yeah, right!
I can't help but wonder about the conditions that existed back in the early 1980's. The Band that I held in such high esteeem has had it's Crest tarnished. I paid for Grasshopper No. 2 to go to UW-Madison. What did I do? What did I do?
Alas, the Band will go on!. They will be a fun group. They will do things that are "edgy" within their own party groups. They just won't get caught a second time! Eventually the cloud of probation will disappear.
The Band does need to clean up their act!
What is the lesson Grasshoppers? Don't let you parents find out what you really did in school!
Love,
Dad