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Mr. Shawn Brehm - Director of Bands |
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THE PHS Band - A History*** UNDER CONSTRUCTION ***
This page is intended to serve as a way of exploring the extensive history of this organization, from it's earliest days to the present day. This is going to be a pretty big project, but I think an interesting one once completed. I also am looking to profile all of our directors and hit the highlights of history in the development of THE Portsmouth Band Program.
*** ACKNOWLEDGMENT ***
I would like to personally thank Mr. William E. Daehler for his work, A History of Instrumental Music at Portsmouth High School, which has provided much of the background for the information presented below, without the research that he handed us, the job compiling this information would have been a long tedious task. Thank You Mr. Daehler!!!
The first mention of any instrumental music played at PHS was from a 1879 commencement program that listed six instrumental solos on the program. From that time, the Portsmouth High School Instrumental Music Department has enjoyed an eventful history lasting now for over 130 years. We have seen literally thousands of students pass through the halls of several different "Portsmouth High" Schools from the earliest days until today.
This in no way is a complete history of this organization, but does give you a little glimpse into the past of our program, from its simplest beginnings as a collection of solo instrumentalists, to a school "orchestra" to the first official "Portsmouth High School Band" in 1923, to the "Band of Tomorrow" established in 1979, to the current band of today which alternately is known as either "The Pride of Portsmouth High," or "Scioto County's Most Dangerous Dance Band," the band has evolved to suit the times and needs of our school and community. In our history, such names as Schnabl, McCoy and Watson are as legendary in our program as Woody Hayes or Earle Bruce is to the football program at Ohio State. This is our story, and from where we trace our musical roots, they are our heroes, our examples and our tradition, one that we as the staff and members of this organization add to today, so that hopefully when the bands of the PHS Class of 2139 will look back on us in another 130 years, they connect with the traditions we left behind, as we connect with those that have been handed to us. Enjoy the history you have been handed, and resolve to make your own mark on it!
 KNOWN DIRECTORS OF INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC ENSEMBLES AT PHS
1879 - 1917 Unknown
1918 - 1919 Miss Dorothy Kinsey (Knost) - Student
1919 - 1920 Ms. Harriet Scarff - 1st Official Professional Director (Orchestra)
1920 - 1921 Ms. F. W. Schusted
1921 - 1923 Unknown (1923 was the first appearance of a Band at PHS)
1924 - 1925 Mrs. Ester Severinghaus
1925 - 1926 Ms. Irma Lindenmyer
1926 - 1927 Mr. Elmer Ende
1928 - 1936 Mr. Henri Schnabl
1937 - 1938 Mr. Richard Farmer
1938 - 1941 Mr. Henri Schnabl
1942 - 1943 Mr. Kenneth Anderson
1944 - 1945 Mr. Joe Blankenship (called to service during the course of the year)
Mrs. Tulsa Bassler Fish
1945 - 1946 Mr. W. O. Aleshire
1946 - 1947 Mr. Harrison Elliott
1947 - 1963 Mr. Einar Helstrom
(Mr. Richard Sunderland takes over the marching band - 1950)
1963 - 1966 Mr. Robert McCoy
1966 - 1991 Mr. Billy Watson
1991 - 2003 Mr. Jeffrey Freytag
2003 - Present Mr. Shawn L. Brehm
I would like to say a huge thank you to William Daehler and his History of Instrumental Music at Portsmouth High School (2007,) It was a huge help to the development of this section of the site!
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