Here is a picture of the marching band at Horace Mann. I am guessing it was taken in 1961.  Besides my dad -- Walter Mentze -- the only one I know in the picture is Dale Saare, the trombone player next to my dad on the left.  When I was a member it was only a concert band, and Carl Hume and then Merle Coady were the directors -- Bob Mentze ’70

I
'm trying to figure out what direction this photo is taken. Is that Andrew Jackson Elementary to the north? Where was Mr. Bergeron's shop class -- John Fry '62

Horace Mann? I went there for six months before I left for Alaska. The only thing I remember about the place was the sight of the hill out the architectural drawing class windows and buying my first 45 record when they sold the juke box collection in the cafeteria, it was Fats Domino’s "Blueberry hill" -- John Murphy ’64

I can clear up a couple of points on the marching band picture. It was most likely pre-'61 because notably absent from the picture are the band's two most famous alumni, myself and Jeff Lee, unless we both refused to wear the tie that day and were therefore not allowed in the photo. It was taken in the area between the band room and auditorium on the left, and the wood shop in the back right under the overhang. The markings on the asphalt are for the four-square games we used to have there. We also played handball against the auditorium wall. Dale Saare was such a "suck-up", always right next to the band director -- or perhaps it's because he was the tallest and the best trombone player --
Douglas Kvandal '66

My first thought was, it is facing west with the electronic shop class on the right, and the auditorium on the left --
Pat Chambers ’60

I think the picture of the Horace Mann Band was taken at the west end of the school -- auditorium on the left, shop classes on the right. We used to play four square and one-wall handball there. If I'm correct, that would be 54th Street and the stores on the corner of 54th and El Cajon Blvd. where Thrifty's, a hobby shop, donut shop and other stores were located. Notice the car going south on 54th --
Gary Crossland, HM 63, Crawford ‘66

If that shot is north, it should be Jackson, since the three schools - Jackson, Horace Mann, Crawford - stepped down from each other --
Jim Schrupp '61

The band picture was taken right outside the band room to the north of the theater at Horace Mann. That's the handball courts that they are standing on, the theater/auditorium to the left and the shop classes to the right. 54th is right behind them and the picture is facing west --
Steve Taylor ’76

I think the auditorium to the left, wood shop class room back right, and electric shop class to right. So that would be looking south. So top of the hill would be the shopping center across 54th street  I will let you know where to send the prize.  :) My answer still is 54th street shopping and not Jackson Elementary, but it is looking west, not south. You cannot see 54th street, but it is in the background.  That street runs North & South --
Rolfe Pope ’62

The photo was taken in the parking lot inside Horace Mann. Looking out beyond the band is 54th. Street. On the left is the wall of the auditorium. Lunchtime handball was often played against that wall. Hope that helps --
John McMullen ’63

the band photo was taken between the auditorium on the left and the 300 building on the right --
Lee Cook ’66

This was a few years before my time, but I recognize the lunch-time handball court area where I spent many lunch hours, northwest of the quad, looking west across 54th toward Newberry's?  --
Dan Toda '73

I am the trombone player on the right.  To my right is Lyn Upshaw ‘65.  On the front left is Dale Saare ’64 --  Kevin Carruth ’65

Mr. Mentze was the best!!  I got into orchestra in the 7th grade and stayed until we graduated from 9th grade in 1959.  He must have been a saint to take all of us beginners and teach each and every one of us how to play our instruments well.  Our gang was the only junior high school invited to the All-City orchestra concert.  We played our hearts out and made him very proud! I have thought of him very fondly over the years --  Barbara Bright Wilder ’62







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