36 Units Set For CYO Competition At Arena Sunday-This Day in Norwood History-June 2, 1949

Three Norwood Corps Will Vie For Honors

With the cooperation of the weatherman the only undetermined factor, extensive preparations were completed today for the 18th renewal of the Fife, Drum and Bugle Corps competition of the Catholic Youth Organizations that will bring 36 participating units from the Archdiocese of Boston and some 20,000 spectators to the spacious Norwood Arena on Route One next Sunday afternoon.

While the boys and girls In virtually every parish were putting on the finishing touches to many hours of practice and drill, extra effort was being made by the three participating units that will represent St. Catherine’s Parish of Norwood to assure their best possible performance since they will be hosts for the occasion and will be more than anxious to set the pace on home grounds.

Competition, which will get underway at 2 p.m.. will take place in six divisions — Drum and Bugle Corps. Fife, Drum and Bugle Corps: Fife and Drum Corps: Drum and Bugle Corps: All Girls Corps, and Girls’ Drill Team.

Three units from Norwood will take the field. Rev Richard F. Walsh, director, announced yesterday. These will be the Senior Boys, Senior Gills, and Junior Boys.

The Junior Boys, m brand new outfit, is a fife, bugle. and drum unit comprised of more than 80 boys ranging from the 4th to the 9th grades. They made their first public appearance in Memorial Day parade here on Monday attired in their natty uniforms consisting of Shako hat, blue satin shirt, gold tie, blue and gold sash, and white pants. With Ronald Meuhlberger as drum major, these boys are scheduled to go on at 3 p.m.

The Senior Girls, a bugle and drum corps, is comprised of 25 girls ranging from 9th grade age through high school. This, too, Is a new group of girls, but they’ll be wearing the familiar blue and gold uniforms which have brought recognition to St. Catherine’s parish in the past. Drum Majorette Margaret Frates will lead, this, group onto the field about 3:50 p.m. Sunday afternoon.

The Senior Boys Corps of St. Catherine’s, also a fife, drum, and bugle outfit, will be comprised of those members of the crack Fr. MacAIeer Corps who are under 19 years of age, the limit set for this competition. Numbering 25 boys and with “Deacon” Lynch as drum major, the Senior Boys are scheduled to parade at 4:27 p.m.

The winner of each division will be Awarded an Archbishop Cushing Trophy, and will be invited to perform in a special exhibition the CYO Music Festival to be held at Boston College Alumni Field the following Sunday afternoon.

This year for the first time the musical events, by CYO bands and choral groups, will „ be separated from the drill competition.

The Diocesan Competition comes to Norwood for the first time this year. Previously the colorful spectacles of marching and music have been held at St. John’s Seminary, Brighton; Boston College; Manning Bowl, Lynn and Quincy Stadium, Quincy.

The public is invited to attend the Norwood Competition and the Music Festival. Admission will be sixty cents for the Competition. Children under 12 will be admitted free.

In the event of inclement weather, the Norwood event will be postponed until Sunday, June 12, and the C.Y.O. Music Festival at Boston College will then be postponed until June 19.

Special bus service has been arranged for the Competition. Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway buses will run every 20 minutes from Forest Hill to Norwood, connecting with the Norwood Motor Tours buses there for the Norwood Arena.

(All articles were originally published in the Norwood Messenger unless otherwise noted)