Students Pay Tribute to Former AHS Band Director
The Angleton High School Alumni Band is proud to announce the induction of former AHS band director Don Hood into the Phi Beta Mu Texas Bandmasters Hall of Fame. Hood will be honored at an induction ceremony at the Texas Bandmasters Convention in San Antonio on Tuesday, July 29. The ceremony is at 3:30 p.m. in the Mezzanine Salons at the Marriott River Walk, and former students and friends are welcome to attend at no charge.
Also, the AHS Alumni Band along with Angleton ISD and the Angleton Chamber of Commerce will pay tribute to Hood at a special local celebration on August 14.
“Those of us fortunate enough to know Hood are well aware of the honor and pride that Angleton has received through his direction of the AHS Band,” AHS Alumni Band member Stanley Montgomery said. “We want to share our pride with everyone.”
The community, former students and friends are urged to join the celebration, which will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the AHS commons and will include a meal accompanied by video recordings of the AHS Band during Hood’s tenure. Following the meal and program, guests will have a chance to browse through memorabilia and visit with friends from the past.
Individuals wanting to attend need to RSVP no later than August 7. RSVPs can be made on the Angleton Chamber of Commerce website www.angletonchamber.org. Tickets are $10 a person, and checks should be made to and mailed to AHS Alumni Band, P.O. Box 2484 Angleton, TX 77516-2484. Please include the names of individuals who will be attending.
For further questions or information, contact Stanley Montgomery at 979-345-3213 or stanleym@embarqmail.com Clyde Neal at 979-849-5779 or click on the Chamber of Commerce website at www.angletonchamber.org
The photos below are of Mr. Hood receiving The Jacob L. and Sophia Meyer Farb School Bell Award from the Houston Symphony on Feb 17,2009 from Aubrey Farb. We wish to thank John Everett, the symphony photographer, for the use of his photographs honoring Mr. Hood.
Letter from Don West!
The show and the preparation for the show was an enjoyable experience for me. As always, it's great to see ex students anytime. For those of you who couldn't make it this year we had approximately 120 people on the field plus drum majors, flags, and banners. We had a good time and the performance was well received by the fans.
If you were unable to attend the roast (more like cremation) of me then you really missed out. I had to rub down with Aloe vera before crawling into bed. I still can't wear tight jeans. Saggy jeans with suspenders will be the attire until the bleeding stops and my scorched rear dries up.
Now on a more serious note, Fine Arts programs across the US in high schools are taking a beating. With the focus in Texas on testing, some districts have forgotten or set aside something we were taught in college education classes. That something is: " Educating the Whole Child". Some Texas school districts have found ways to maintain their Fine Arts program and balance that with academics. Brazoswood HS and Pearland HS here in Brazoria County are good examples. One of these districts had less than outstanding test scores last year, but did not sacrifice other programs as their solution.
This is where you come in! Those of you who still live in the area must collectively work to make sure that the Fine Arts programs are well supported. We must encourage the school board and administration to strive for a balance between academics and Fine Arts. Not every child that graduates will go to college or become rocket scientists. Yes, we do want every child to have the background to succeed but, when was success as a musician, actor/actress, artist, or dancer not acceptable? I urge you to seize every opportunity to promote Fine Arts in our schools.
The effort and accomplishments by the Alumni Band organization in support of the AISD band organization is a prime example of what fine arts programs can mean to a community. Success breeds success!!!!!
Don West
Texas Bandmasters Association
Don Hood was inducted into the Texas Bandmasters Hall of Fame during the 2008 TBA convention in San Antonio Texas. Several attended the ceremony in support of Mr. Hood and some even stayed around for this picture following the ceremony.
Celebration For Don Hood
Dear Angleton Alumni Band Members,
The event honoring me this past Thursday evening was far beyond anything I could have imagined, and it was beautifully implemented. It was a wonderful evening that my family and I will remember forever.
The Texas Band Masters Hall of Fame award was especially meaningful to me since it was you ex students who made the nomination, and again, it was you ex students who planned and orchestrated the Thursday event. At the events, I was honored to have so many of you there.
I know that the research that had to be done for the nomination, plus all the planning that was necessary for the events, took a tremendous amount of time and effort from many people. There is no way to thank you enough.
Additionally, Lola Kay and I thank all of you for all the flowers, cards and notes we have received. They were all beautiful and greatly appreciated.
All of you have so enriched my life, a life which has been, and continues to be, so blessed.
Thank you again,
Don Hood