The Boston CYO Music Circuit - the 40s.

St Ambrose of Dorchester Field Band 1942

The 1940s start with an expanded field of 49 units. Based on the corps names, it appears as if 1940 was the first year that drum and bugle corps were finally sorted out from fife drum and bugle corps. This is also the first year that drum and trumpet corps got their own division. Again, like fiield bands,  I can find no reference to trumpet and drum corps on the Internet. Did they consist of only  drums and trumpets, or were they brass bands with no woodwinds?

1941 was another big year, with 13 bands in three classes, two field bands, five drum and trumpet corps, 9 fife drum and bugle corps in two classes, and 20 drum and bugle corps. The following year was the first war year, Perhaps because of that, 13 few units entered the contest. This was the first year of a dedicated girl’s division, although girls would be back to competing against boys before they were put their own division again. I’ll mention here for the first time that the shows were four minutes long, with units scheduled to start every five minutes. The American Legion was still taking part in the contest, but the marching judges were officers from the military.

This is as good a place as any to mention color guards. The few photos I found in the Pilot show from no color guard at all (just out of view maybe?) to a row of five flags and two rifles. And although the flags and rifles are carried by boys in what looks like all-boy bands, a photo of St Leonard’s band of the North End of Boston seems to show a group of girl baton twirlers marching behind the single flag and rifle line. Baton twirlers were awarded prizes in at least one competition, but they are rarely mentioned otherwise. In any case, it seems as if color guards were just that - an American flag and its ‘guard.’ The day of the bit working color guard with multiple flags, rifles and sabres had not yet come.

Blessed Sacrament Cambridge, the first powerhouse CYO drill team.

The 1943 contest was held at Braves Field. For the first time, four drill teams competed in the event. Also for the first (but not the  only) time, this contest was a non-competitive exhibition. According to an article in the Pilot “We feel that this exhibition will contribute somehow towards relieving the public mind of the anxiety that is constantly present, and will help in building and maintaining morale which is so vital to the war effort.” The following year, competition returned.

In 1946, the contest moved to Manning Bowl in Lynn. Apparently, the CYO was trying to encourage growth in the activity, and took the contest on the road for four years before returning it to Alumni Field at Boston College. I’ll add here that after years of Pilot articles praising Cardinal O’Connell for his generosity in providing the cups for the winners, in 1946 the cups are now the Archbishop Cushing Trophies. As the say, The King is Dead, Long Live the King!.

Quincy Stadium was the location of the 1947 contest. Four units repeated as champions in 1947, and special notice was given to the Cardinal Cushing Cadets of Roxbury, saying that “Tremendous applause, equalling if not exceeding any of the winners, greeted…” them. This was an all-girl drum and bugle corps from a newly founded African-American parish that would go on to win the next seven straight all-girl division trophies.

For some unexplained reason, it was decided to hold a contest at Norwood Arena in 1949, with the winners playing an exhibition at Alumni Field. Even more curious than the decision to make the Alumni Field show a competition is the fact that bands did not take part in the Norwood competition, but did play at Alumni Field. I could find no explanation for this decision.

Looking at the most successful units of the 1940s, Holy Name Band of West Roxbury won four competitions in a row, followed by three in a row by St Joseph’s Band of Medford. St Rita’s Cadets of Lowell won two consecutive Drum and Trumpet Corps trophies, followed by seven straight wins by St Cecelia’s of Ashland. In the Fife Drum and Bugle Corps group St Catherine’s Norwood started the 1940s with four straight wins, with St Mary’s of Dedham following with three wins. Sacred Heart of Malden took seven consecutive Drum and Bugle Corps titles, only losing to Most Precious Blood Crusaders in a head-on-head competition in 1949. And finally, Blessed Sacrament of Cambridge won five of the first six drill team championships.

Boston CYO Music Circuit - the 1930s

An unnamed band - probably a winner from 1938

The Boston Archdiocese music circuit dates back to 1932, when 28 units performed at St John’s Seminary in Brighton. Having discussed the origin of this competition in the previous post, I’ll move on and talk about the contest itself. There were four divisions, two containing bands and two with a combination of drum and bugle corps, fife drum and bugle corps, drum corps, and even one trumpet and drum corps. I couldn’t make any sense of the different divisions - other than the band/drum corps split - until I found a listing of all of the units competing. While the drum corps divisions don’t tell us anything, the band divisions do. After each band’s name, its time since founding is listed. And lucky for us, the First Division consists of bands two and three years old, and the Second Division from three months to one year. So now we know - the band divisions,, and probably the drum corps divisions as well, are split into  Senior and Junior groups based on experience.

A few notes of interest to those baby boomers like me who remember the units of the 1960s. Both St William’s Dorchester and St Thomas Aquinas of Jamaica Plain had bands competing that day. In fact, St Thomas entered  a drum and bugle corps as well. St Joseph’s of Wakefield and St Ann’s Neponset,  which would both later sponsor  bands, had  drum and bugle corps entered. And parishes sponsoring drum and bugle corps in 1932 that  would return years later were St Vincent’s South Boston, Immaculate Conception Revere, Our Lady of Lourdes of Jamaica Plain, and Immaculate Conception of Marlboro.

The first contest held was planned as the first of an annual series. The prizes for each division were cups, provided by  Cardinal O’Connell. Cups were kept for one year, and units that won three years in a row would ‘retire’ and keep the cup. The first to do so was the Division 3 St Ambrose Fife Drum and Bugle Corps of Dorchester in 1934. The initial contest was held on the grounds of St John’s Seminary in Brighton. Judges and dignitaries sat in a reviewing stands, and the units marched and played in front of them. The judges included both directors of the Boston Public Schools music department and - surprise! - Arthur Fiedler. It’s not clear, but I suspect that members of the American Legion were also involved in judging and coordinating the contest. The Legion definitely was involved for many years.

Over the first four years, the contests held at St John’s Seminary were not open to the general public. When the event was moved to Alumni Field at Boston College in 1936, the public was invited for the first time, with no admission being charged. At the time, Alumni Field was just that - an open field on campus with stands. The following year, a fifth division was added, probably to acommodate the 18 units competing in the fife/drum and bugle corps that year.

I should note here that in the 1930s, all girl units competed against boys - there was no all-girl division yet. In 1938, St Mary’s Girl’s Band of Cambridge, St Mary’s Girl’s Drum and Bugle Corps of Cambridge, St Catherine’s Drum and Bugle Corps of Norwood and the Mt Carmel Girl’s Fife Drum and Bugle Corps of East Boston all competed against the boys. And St Catherine’s won in the fourth division.

It was in 1938 that the Catholic Youth Organization was founded, and the following year was the first in which the annual Archdiocese contest was sponsored by the CYO. Throughout the 1930s, I can find no evidence that the units that marched in the annual contest competed in any other events. The competitions were all held in June, probably capping the end of the school year. The basic division was between bands and groups with bugles (including fifes), and as yet there were no drill teams. Age out was at high school graduation or on the 19th birthday.

I’ll end with the 1939 competition. There were now six competitive divisions. The first and third Divisions consisted of   bands.  I can’t sort them out, so I’ll assume that they were Senior and Junior groups. The second Division consisted of Field Bands. Field bands were defined as “‘any drum corps using instruments containing more than one valve.’ I haven’t been able to find any reference to this use for the term ‘field band’ on the Internet, so I can only speculate as to what it means. There is a photograph of St Ambrose’s field band of Dorchester whose only visible instrument is a Sousaphone. This could mean that either a) a field band combined bugles with standard brass instruments, or b) a field band might have been a drum and brass corps, with standard band brasswinds replacing bugles. In 1939 there were six field bands, but by the following year there would only be two, and field bands never returned to 1939"s numbers after that.

Boston CYO Music Circuit - Origins

Out of curiousity, I recently did an Internet search for any information regarding the history of the old Boston CYO music and marching circuit. Sadly, there is nothing available online, so I decided to do some research myself, resulting in the Music Festival results I’ve made available on this blog. While  assembling the championship results, I’ve also come up with sufficient information to write a bare-bones history of the music circuit over the years.

The first natural question is How did the CYO circuit start? As shown on the Results page, the first competition of Boston Archdiocese bands and drum corps was in 1932 under Cardinal O’Connell. This first competition was among what seem to have been school groups, although there may have been some general parish units as well.  But where did they get the idea to hold their first competition? I speculate that the answer can be found in a Boston Globe article from May 22, 1930.

As described in the article, a Music Festival was held on Boston Common by the Boston Publc Schools in honor of Boston’s Tercentenary. . Three thousand children from 61 schools took part in bands, fife drum and bugle corps and  drum corps. Please note that this was two years before the first Catholic school contest. I suspect that the Boston public school contest was discussed over the next year, and then the preparations were made to hold a similar contest the following Spring.

At this point, the Catholic Youth Organization did not exist yet. In its parochial school system, the American Catholic church was offering an alternative to the public schools in an effort to keep Catholic children lifelong Catholics, and so it makes sense to me that they would want to keep up with the public schools and offer similar activities to the public schools. Later, with the founding of the CYO, there would be sports teams, bowling, debating teams, and other activities to keep Catholic youth busy and under the influence of the church. The timing is too good for me not to believe that music festival held to honor Boston’s three hundred year anniversary was the inspiration for the later contest of Catholic school groups at St John’s Seminary.

If I haven’t convinced you yet that the 1930 Boston Common Music Festival was the inspiration for the first Boston Archdiocese band and drum corps contest, I’ll now share the evidence that convinced me. Among the leaders of the Boston Public School music system were director John O’Shea and his assistant Fortunato Sordillo. Both men participated in the event, conducting massed band performances. In the caption under the photograph in the Boston Globe article reporting on the 1932 parochial school contest, two judges are named - John O’Shea and Fortunato Sordillo. In fact, both men continued as music judges in the Archdiocese contests through the 1930s. I'd say that locks up the connection between the two events.

Competition Lists - All Units

I have some schedules and entry lists taken from the Pilot in the week previous to the CYO Festival, so I thought I'd share them as well. Easier to upload a file then to copy it out in text. I'm also adding Music Circuit results where available. In these lists we get all the units competing, not just the winners.

                                                            1932

                                                        1937

                                                        1938

                                                           1941

                                                       1942

                                                  1943

                                                    

                                                     1944

                                                      1947

                                                        1948

                                                       1950

                                                        1951

                                                       1961

                                                       1963

                                                         1964

                                                         1965

                                                         1970

Boston CYO Champions Over The Years

1954 Champions






1932 - June 11. At St John’s Seminary, Brighton

Division 1

St Mary’s Senior Band Cambridge

Honorable Mention: St Mary’s Girl’s Band Cambridge

Division 2

St William’s School Band, Dorchester

Honorable Mention: Mission Church Band, Roxbury

Division 3

St Ambrose’s Fife Drum and Bugle Corps

Honorable Mention: Knights of the Sacred Heart, Somerville

Division 4

St Theresa’s school Fife Drum and Bugle Corps, Somerville

Honorable Mention: Immaculate Conception Drum and Bugle Corps, Marlboro


1933 June 10 St John's Seminary Brighton

Division 1
Junior Holy Name Band of St Catherine's Church Somerville,
Honorable Mention: St Mary's Senior Band Cambridge
Division 2
St Mary's Band Brookline
Honorable Mention: St Mary's Junior Band Cambridge
Division 3
St Ambrose Fife Drum and Bugle Corps Dorchester
Honorable Mention: St Anne's Fife Drum and Bugle Corps Dorchester
Division 4

St Francis de Sales Fife Drum and Bugle Corps Charlestown
Honorable Mention: St Mary's Bugle and Drum Corps Brookline


1934 June 16 St John's Seminary

Division 1
St Catherine's Junior Holy Name Band Somerville
Division 2
St William's Band Dorchester
Division 3
St Ambrose Fife Drum and Bugle Corps Dorchester
Division 4

St Mary's of the Assumption Girl's Drum and Bugle Corps Brookline

1935 June 8 St John's Seminary Brighton

Division 1
St Mary's Senior Band Cambridge
Honorable Mention: St Joseph's Holy Name Band, Medford
Division 2
St Mary of the Assumption Brookline
Honorable Mention: Sacred Heart School Band Sharon
Division 3
Immaculate Conception Bugle and Drum Corps Marlboro
Honorable Mention: St Ann's Fife and Drum Corps Dorchester
Division 4
St Mary of the Assumption Girl's Drum and Bugle Corps Brookline
Honorable Mention: St Rita's Senior Cadets Drum Corps Lowell


1936 June 6 Alumni Field, Boston College

Division 1
St Mary's Girl's Band Cambridge
Division 2
St Mary's Boy's Band Brookline
Division 3
St Rita's Cadets Lowell
Division 4
St Mary's Bugle and Drum Corps Brookline

1937  June 12 Alumni Field Boston College

Division 1

St Mary’s Band Brookline, Sacred Heart College Band, Sharon

Division 2

St Leonard’s Band, Boston

Division 3

St Rita’s Senior Cadets Lowell, St Mary’s Drum and Bugle Corps, Brookline

Division 4

St Catherine’s Fife Drum and Bugle Corps Norwood, St Rita’s Cadets (Jrs) Lowell

Division 5

St Leonard’s Fife Drum and Bugle Corps, Sacred Heart Drum and Bugle Corps, Boston

1938  June 18, Boston College Athletic Field

Division 1

St Mary’s Band Brookline

Division 2

St Leonard’s Band, North End

Division 3

Sacred Heart Drum and Bugle Corps Malden

Division 4

St Catherine’s Drum and Bugle Corps Norwood

Division 5

Mt Carmel Drum and Bugle Corps East Boston

1939

Division 1

St Mary’s Cambridge

Division 2

St Rita’s Field Band (girls) Lowell

Division 3

Mt Carmel Band (boys and girls) East Boston

Division 4

Sacred Heart Drum and Bugle Corps Malden

Division 5

St Catherine’s Fife Drum and Bugle Corps, Norwood

Division 6

Mt Carmel Drum and Bugle Corps (seniors) East Boston

1940

Division 1

Class I - St Leonard’s Boston

Class II - Holy Name West Roxbury

Class III - Mt Carmel East Boston

Division 2

St Ambrose Field Band, Dorchester

Division 3 (Drum and Trumpet Corps)

St Rita’s Senior Cadets Lowell

Division 4

Class i - St Catherine’s Senior Fife Drum and Bugle Corps

Class II - St Mary’s Fife Drum and Bugle Corps Ayer

Division 5

Class I - St Ann’s Crusaders Junior Drum Corps Lawrence

Class II - St Ann’s Junior Drum Corps Lawrence

Class III - Sacred Heart Junior Corps Malden

1941

Division I - Bands

Class I - Holy Name West Roxbury

Class II - Sacred Heart Weymouth

Class III - Sacred Heart Sharon

Division 2 - Field Bands

St Ambrose Dorchester

Division 3 - Drum and Trumpet Corps

St Rita’s Senior Cadets Lowell

Division 4 - Fife Drum and Bugle Corps

Class I - Sacred Heart Senior Malden

Class II - Sacred Heart Junior Malden

Class III - St Catherine’s Girls Norwood

1942

Division 1 - Bands

Class I - Holy Name, West Roxbury

Class II - St Brendan’s Dorchester

Class III - St Ann’s Neponset

Division 2 - Field Bands

St Ambrose Dorchester

Division 3 - Drum and Trumpet Corps

St Cecilia’s Drum and Trumpet Corps

Division 4 - Fife Drum and Bugle Corps

Class I - St Catherine’s Fife Drum and Bugle Corps

Class II - St Catherine’s Cadets Norwood

Division 5 - Drum and Bugle Corps

Class I - Sacred Heart Senior Drum and Bugle Corps Malden

Class II - Immaculate Conception Malden

Class III - St Agatha’s Milton

Division 6 - Drum and Bugle Corps (Girls)

St Catherine’s Drum and Bugle Corps Norwood

1943 Braves Field, Boston June 14
(Thanks to Jamo Burke for these results)

Division 1 - Bands
Class I - Holy Name Senior Band West Roxbury
Class II - St Ann's Band Neponset
Class III - Holy Name Junior Band
Division 2 - Field Bands
St Ambrose's Field Band Dorchester
Division 3 - St Cecelia's Drum and Trumpet Corps Ashland
Division 4 - Fife Drum and Bugle Corps
Class I - St Catherine's Senior Boys Norwood
Class II - St Mary's Fife and Drum Corps Dedham
Division 5 - Drum and Bugle Corps
Class I - Knights of the Sacred Heart Woburn
Class II - St Columbkille's Drum and Bugle Corps Brighton
Class III - Sacred Heart Junior Drum Corps Malden
Division 6 - Drum and Bugle Corps (girls)
St Catherine’s Drum and Bugle Corps Norwood
Division 7 - Drill Teams
Sacred Heart Malden

1944

Class I

Drum and Bugle Corps - Sacred Heart Malden

Bands - Holy Name West Roxbury

Drill Teams - Blessed Sacrament Cambridge

Fife Drum and Bugle Corps - St Catherine’s Senior Boy’s Norwood

Class II

Drum and Bugle Corps - Most Precious Blood Hyde Park

Bands - St Joseph’s Medford

Fife Drum and Bugle Corps - St Mary’s Dedham

Field Band - St Ambrose’s Field Band

Drum and Trumpet Corps - St Cecilia’s Band Ashland

All Girl’s Units - St Mary’s Fife Drum and Bugle Corps, Brookline

1945  June 23  Alumni Field

Class I

Drum and Bugle Corps - Sacred Heart Crusaders

Bands - Holy Name West Roxbury

Fife Drum and Bugle Corps - St Catherine’s Senior Boys

All Girls - Sacred Heart Flute Corps - Boston

Drill Team - Blessed Sacrament Cambridge

Drum and Trumpet Corps - St Cecilia’s Ashland

Class II

Drum and Bugle Corps - St Columbkile’s Brighton

Bands - St Patrick’s Watertown

1946 June 9 Manning Bowl, Lynn

Class 1

Sacred Heart Drum and Bugle Corps, Malden

St Joseph’s Band, Medford

Sacred Heart Girl’s Drill Team, Malden

St Cecelia’s Girl’s Band, Ashland

St Mary of the Assumption All-Girl’s Drum and Bugle Corps, Brookline

St Mary’s Fife, Drum and Bugle Corps, Dedham

Class 2

Sacred Heart Drum and Bugle Corps, Malden

MIssion HIgh School Boy’s Band, Roxbury

Sacred Heart Fife, Drum and Bugle Corps, Boston

1947  June 15  Quincy Municipal Stadium

Class I

Drum and Bugle Corps - Sacred Heart Crusaders, Malden

Bands - St Joseph’s Medford

Drill Teams - Blessed Sacrament Cambridge

Fife Drum and Bugle Corps - St Mary’s Dedham

All Girls - St Mary’s Brookline

Drum and Trumpet Corps - St Cecilia’s Ashland

Class II

Drum and Bugle Corps - Our Lady of Perpetual Help Roxbury

Bands - St Brendan’s Dorchester

Fife Drum and Bugle Corps - St Leonard’s Boston

1948

Class I

Drum and Bugle Corps - Sacred Heart, Malden

Bands - St Joseph’s Medford

Drill Teams - Blessed Sacrament Cambridge

All Girl’s Corps - Archbishop Cushing Roxbury

Fife Drum and Bugle Corps - St Mary’s Dedham

Drum and Trumpet Corps - St Cecilia’s Ashland

Class II

Drum and Bugle Corps - Most Precious Blood Hyde Park

Bands - St Jerome’s Weymouth

Drill Teams - St Joseph’s Somerville

Fife Drum and Bugle Corps - St  Leonard’s North End, Boston
Class III
Drum and Bugle Corps - St Jean Baptiste, Lynn
Bands - Sacred Heart Roslindale
Drill Teams - St Columbkille, Brighton
Fife Drum and Bugle Corps - St Ambrose Dorchester

1949 Norwood Stadium/Alumni Field Boston College

This year was (still is) a puzzle to sort out. A contest was held in Norwood, with the winners going on to put on an exhibition at the annual Music Festival. However, while there were no bands at Norwood, there were bands at the Festival exhibition. The best I can do is list the winners of the Norwood competition, and the bands that performed at the Festival.

Norwood winners

St Cecilia's Ashland Drum and Trumpet Corps
St Catherine's of Norwood Senior Fife Drum and Bugle Corps
St Joseph's of Somerville Fife and Drum Corps
Most Precious Blood Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps Hyde Park
Archbishop Cushing Cadets Roxbury
Blessed Sacrament Senior Girl's Drill Team

and listed in the schedule for the Festival at Alumni Field:

St Ambrose's Field Band, Dorchester
St Theresa's Band West Roxbury
St Brendan's Band Dorchester
St Patrick's Band Watertown
Sacred Heart Band Roslindale
St Ann's Band Neponset
St Joseph's Senior Band Medford

also listed in the Festival schedule with 'concert' in parentheses:
St Jerome's Band Weymouth
Holy Name Band West Roxbury

1950 June 4 Alumni Field Boston College

Class I

Drum and Bugle Corps - Most Precious Blood Crusaders

Bands - St Joseph’s Medford

No drill teams listed

All Girl Corps - Archbishop Cushing, Roxbury

Fife Drum and Bugle Corps - Fr MacAleer Drum Corps, Norwood

Class II

Drum and Bugle Corps - St Mary’s Beverly

Bands St Theresa’s West Roxbury

Fife Drum and Bugle Corps - St Mary’s Ayer

1951 Alumni Stadium

Class I

Drum and Bugle Corps - Most Precious Blood Hyde Park

Bands - St Brendan’s

All Girl’s Corps - Archbishop Cushing Roxbury

Fife Drum and Bugle Corps - St Mary’s Ayer

Class II

Drum and Bugle Corps - St Patrick’s Stoneham

Bands - St Theresa’s West Roxbury

1952 June 15, Alumni Field, Boston College

Class I

Drum and Bugle Corps  - Most Precious Blood ‘Crusaders Hyde Park

Bands - St Joseph’s Medford

Drill Teams - Immaculate Conception Winchester, St Patrick’s Stoneham

All Girls Corps - Archbishop Cushing Roxbury

Fife Drum and Bugle Corps - St Mary’s Ayer

Fife and Drum Corps - St Joseph’s School Somerville

Class II

Drum and Bugle Corps - St Thomas More Braintree

Bands - St Ann’s Gloucester

Drill Teams - St Joseph’s Quincy

1953 June 7th Alumni Field, Boston College

Class I

Drum and Bugle Corps - Most Precious Blood Crusaders, Hyde Park, St Thomas More, Braintree

Bands - St Joseph’s Medford

Drill Teams - St Joseph’s Quincy

Class II

Drum and Bugle Corps - Holy Trinity Cadets, Boston

Bands - St William’s Dorchester

Drill Teams - Belles of St Catherine of Genoa

Class III

Drum and Bugle Corps - Little Flower Cadets, Hyde Park

Bands - Holy Name, West Roxbury

Drill Teams - St Joseph’s Somerville

All Girl Corps - Archbishop Cushing Cadets, Boston (champions since division founded 1948), St Catherine’s Fife Drum and Bugle Corps, Norwood

1954 June 6th, Alumni Field

Drum and Bugle Corps (marching and maneuvering) Most Precious Blood Crusaders, Hyde Park, St Thomas More, Braintree

All Girl Corps - Archbishop Cushing Cadets

Class I

Drum and Bugle Corps - St Kevin’s Dorchester

Bands - St Joseph’s Medford

Drill Teams - St Anthony’s Allston

Class II

Drum and Bugle Corps - Immaculate Conception, Salem

Bands - Holy Name, West Roxbury

Drill Teams - St Mary’s Cambridge

Class III

Drum and Bugle Corps - Little Flower Cadets, Hyde Park

Bands - Mission Church, Roxbury

1955  June 5  Alumni Field

Class I

Drum and Bugle Corps  Marching and Maneuvering - St Thomas More

Drum and Bugle Corps  Straight Marching - St Joseph’s Amesbury

Bands - Holy Name West Roxbury, St William’s Dorchester, St Joseph’s Medford

Drill Teams - St Anthony’s Allston

All Girls Corps - Archbishop Cushing Roxbury

Class II

Drum and Bugle Corps  Marching and Maneuvering - Immaculate Conception Salem

Drum and Bugle Corps  Straight Marching - St Mary’s Cambridge

Bands - St Ann Neponset

Drill Teams - St Joseph’s Holbrook

All Girl’s Corps - Holy Trinity Boston

1956 Alumni Field Boston College

Class I

Drum and Bugle Corps  Marching and Maneuvering - St Thomas More Braintree

Drum and Bugle Corps  Straight Marching - St Mary’s Cambridge

Bands - St William’s Dorchester

Drill Teams - St Patrick’s Stoneham

All Girl’s Corps - Archbishop Cushing, Roxbury

Class II

Drum and Bugle Corps  Marching and Maneuvering - St Kevin’s Dorchester

Drum and Bugle Corps  Straight Marching - St Rose’s Chelsea

Bands - Holy Name West Roxbury

Drill Teams - Immaculate Conception Everett

All Girls Corps - St Jean’s Lynn

1957 September 8 White Stadium Boston

Class I

Drum and Bugle Corps - St Kevin’s Dorchester

Bands - St William’s Dorchester

Drill Teams - St Anthony’s Allston

All Girl’s Corps Class I - St Jean’s Lynn

Class II

Drum and Bugle Corps - St Rose’s Chelsea

Bands - St Peter’s South Boston

Drill Teams - Immaculate Conception Weymouth

All Girls Corps - Immaculate Conception Salem

Class III

Drum and Bugle Corps - St Kevin’s Dorchester

Bands - St Joseph’s Medford

Drill Teams - Our Lady of Assumption East Boston

Class IV

Drum and Bugle Corps - St Mary’s Beverly

1958  September 12th, White Stadium Boston

Class I

Drum and Bugle Corps - St Kevin’s Dorchester (defending), St Thomas More Braintree

Bands - St William’s Dorchester (third straight), Holy Name West Roxbury

Drill Teams - St Anthony’s Allston (fourth in five years)

All Girl Corps - Immaculate Conception Salem, St Jean’s Lynn

Class II

Drum and Bugle Corps - St Mary’s Charlestown, Most Precious Blood, Hyde Park

All Girls - St Catherine’s Norwood, Holy Trinity Boston

Bands - St Agnes Arlington, St Joseph’s Medford

Drill Teams - Assumption of East Boston, St Mary’s Hull

1959 September 6th Alumni Field

Class I

Drum and Bugle Corps - St Kevin’s Dorchester, St Mary’s Beverly, Holy Trinity Boston

Bands - St William’s Dorchester, St Agnes Arlington, St Peter’s South Boston

Drill Teams - St Anthony’s Allston, St Patrick’s Stoneham, Immaculate Conception, Everett

Class II

Drum and Bugle Corps - St Kevin’s Dorchester, Immaculate Conception Revere, St Jeanne D’Arc Lowell

All Girls Drum and Bugle Corps - St Catherine’s Norwood, St Jean’s Lynn, Holy Trinity Boston

Bands - Sacred Heart Roslindale, Holy Name West Roxbury, St Ann’s Neponset

Drill Teams - St Mary’s Hull, Holy Family Rockland, Immaculate Conception Everett

1960 September 11 White Stadium Boston

Class I

Drum and Bugle Corps - St Mary’s Beverly, St Mary’s Charlestown, St Kevin’s Dorchester

Bands - St William’s Dorchester, St Agnes Arlington, Holy Name West Roxbury

Drill Teams - St Anthony’s Allston, St Patrick’s Stoneham, St Mary’s Hull

Class II

Drum and Bugle Corps - St Kevin’s Dorchester, St Catherine's Norwood, Our Lady of Lourdes, Jamaica Plain

Bands - St Ann’s Neponset, Holy Name, West Roxbury, St Joseph's Medford

Drill Teams - St John’s Winthrop, St Anthony's Everett, Immaculate Conception, Everett

1961 September 10 White Stadium Boston

Senior Division

Drum and Bugle Corps - St Kevin’s Dorchester, St Mary’s Charlestown, Immaculate Conception Revere

Bands - St William’s Dorchester, St Agnes Arlington, St Peter’s South Boston

Drill Teams - St Patrick’s Stoneham, St Mary’s Hull and St John’s Winthrop (tie for first place)

Prep Division

Drum and Bugle Corps - St Catherine’s Norwood, Holy Family Rockland, Our Lady of Lourdes, Jamaica Plain

Bands - St Agnes Arlington, St Ann’s Neponset, St Bartholmew Needham

Drill Teams - St Anthony’s Everett I. C. Everett, Sacred Heart Roslindale

1962  September 9, White Stadium Boston

Drum and Bugle Corps - St Kevin’s Dorchester, St Mary’s Beverly, Majestic Knights of Columbus

Bands - St William’s Dorchester, St Agnes Arlington, St Peter’s South Boston

Drill Teams - St Patrick’s Stoneham, St Anthony’s Allston, St Anthony’s Everett

Prep Division

Drum and Bugle Corps - Holy Family Rockland

Bands - St Agnes Arlington

Drill Teams - Sacred Heart Roslindale

1963  September 8  White Stadium Boston

Senior Division

Drum and Bugle Corps - St Kevin’s Dorchester

Bands - St William’s Dorchester

Drill Teams - St Patrick’s Stoneham

Prep Division

Drum and Bugle Corps - St John’s Winthrop, St Francis Weymouth, St Anthony’s Allston

Bands - St Agnes Arlington, St William’s Dorchester

Drill Teams - St Joseph’s Amesbury, St Joseph’s Somerville, St Peter’s Dorchester

1964  September 13 White Stadium Boston

Drum and Bugle Corps  Group A - St Kevin’s Dorchester, St Mary’s Beverly, Immaculate Conception Revere

Drum and Bugle Corps Group B - St John’s Winthrop, St Francais Weymouth, Assumption East Boston

Bands - St William’s Dorchester, St Agnes Arlington, St Ann’s Gloucester

Drill Teams - St Anthony’s Allston, St John’s Winthrop, Sacred Heart Roslindale

Prep

Drum and Bugle Corps - St Mary’s Cambridge

Bands - St Agnes Arlington

Drill Teams - St Joseph’s Wakefield

1965 September 12 White Stadium

Drum and Bugle Corps Group A - St Mary’s Beverly, St Kevin’s Dorchester, I.C. Revere

Drum and Bugle Corps Group B - St Francis Weymouth, St Mary’s Cambridge, St Anthony’s Allston

Bands - St William’s Dorchester, St Agnes, Arlington, St Ann’s Gloucester

Drill Teams - St Joseph’s Wakefield, St Anthony’s Everett, Sacred Heart Roslindale
Prep

Drum and Bugle Corps - St Jean’s Lynn

Bands - Group A St Agnes Arlington Group B St Anthony’s Revere

Drill Teams - St Therese Everett

1966  September 11  White Stadium Boston

Drum and Bugle Corps  Group A - St Kevin’s Dorchester, St Mary’s Beverly, Immaculate Conception Revere

Drum and Bugle Corps Group B - Sir Thomas More Braintree, Immaculate Conception Salem, St Jean’s Lynn

Bands  Group A - St William’s Dorchester, St Agnes Arlington, St Thomas Aquinas, Jamaica Plain

Bands  Group B - Sacred Heart Roslindale, St Theresa’s West Roxbury, Immaculate Conception Everett

Drill Teams - St Patrick’s Stoneham, St Joseph’s Wakefield, St Therese Everett and St John’s Cambridge, (tie)

Prep

Drum and Bugle Corps - St Kevin’s Dorchester

Bands - Group A St Joseph’s Medway  Group B - St Ann’s Neponset

Drill Teams - Sacred Heart Weymouth

1967  September 25 White Stadium Boston

Drum and Bugle Corps Group A - St Kevin’s Dorchester, St Mary’s Beverly, Immaculate Conception Revere

Drum and Bugle Corps Group B - Sacred Heart Middleboro, Holy Family Rockland, Immaculate Conception Salem

Bands Group A - St William’s Dorchester, St Thomas, Jamaica Plain, St Agnes Arlington

Bands Group B - St Joseph’s Medway, St Theresa’s West Roxbury, Immaculate Conception Everett

Drill Teams - St Anthony’s Allston, St John’s Winthrop, St Joseph’s Somerville

1968  September 9 White Stadium Boston

Drum and Bugle Corps Group A - St Mary’s Beverly, St Kevin’s Dorchester, Majestic Knights Charlestown, St Francis’ Weymouth

Drum and Bugle Corps Group B - Immaculate Conception Marlboro, Holy Trinity Lawrence, Immaculate Conception Salem, St Joseph’s Lynn, Holy Family Rockland

Bands  Group A - St Thomas Jamaica Plain, St William’s Dorchester, St Agnes Arlington, St Ann’s Gloucester, St Joseph’s Medway

Bands  Group B - St Anthony’s Revere, Immaculate Conception Everett, St Theresa’s West Roxbury, Sacred Heart Roslindale

Drill Teams - ?

1969 - Dilboy Field Somerville

Senior

Drum and Bugle Corps  Group A - St Francis Weymouth, Immaculate Conception Marlboro, St Kevin’s Dorchester

Drum and Bugle Corps  Group B - Jean-ettes Lynn, Immaculate Conception Stoneham, Holy Family Rockland

Bands, Group A - St William’s Dorchester, St Thomas Aquinas Jamaica Plain, St Agnes Arlington

Bands, Group B - Hudson CYO, Immaculate Conception Everett, St Ann’s Neponset

Drill Teams - St Patrick’s Stoneham, St Anthony’s Everett, 35th Regimentals Weymouth

Prep

Drum and Bugle Corps - Immaculate Conception Revere, St Therese Everett, Annunciation, Somerville

Bands Group A - St William’s Dorchester, Sacred Heart Roslindale, St Mary’s Marlboro and St Joseph’s Medway (tie)

Bands Group B - St Thomas Aquinas Jamaica Plain,

Drill Teams - St John’s Cambridge, St Francis Weymouth, St Joseph’s Wakefield

1970  September 13  Dilboy Field Somerville

Drum and Bugle Corps - Spartans of Nashua, Immaculate Conception Marlboro, St Francis Weymouth

Bands - St William’s Dorchester, Hudson CYO, St Joseph’s Medway

Drill Teams - St Patrick’s Stoneham, St Anthony’s Everett, St Therese Everett

1971  September 12 Dilboy Field Somerville

Drum and Bugle Corps - St Francis Weymouth, Immaculate Conception Revere, Spartans of Nashua, Immaculate Conception Marlboro, Norwood Debonnaires, Immaculate Conception Stoughton, St Joseph, Woonsocket

Bands  Group A - St William’s Dorchester, Hudson CYO, St Joseph’s Medway, St Ann’s Neponset, Sacred Heart Roslindale

Bands Group B - St Anthony’s Revere, St Camillus Arlington, Immaculate Conception Everett

Drill Teams - St Patrick’s Stoneham, St Anthony’s Everett, St Therese Everett, 35th Regimentals, St Anthony’s Allston, St Francis Weymouth

1972  September 10 Dilboy Field Somerville

Drum and Bugle Corps - St Francis Weymouth, Immaculate Conception Revere, Immaculate Conception Marlboro, Norwood Debonnaires and St Joseph’s Woonsocket (tie), Immaculate Conception Stoughton, Sir Thomas More

Bands - St William’s Dorchester, Hudson CYO, St Anthony’s Revere, St Ann’s Neponset, St Joseph’s Medway, Sacred Heart Roslindale, St Camillus Arlington

Drill Teams - St Therese Everett, St Patrick Stoneham, St Anthony’s Everett, 35th Regimentals Weymouth, St Francis Weymouth, St John’s Cambridge

Prep

Drum and Bugle Corps - Holy Family Rockland

Bands Group A - St Theresa West Roxbury

Bands Group B - St Joseph’s Wakefield

Drill Teams - Medallions of Amesbury

1973  September 9  Dilboy Field Somerville

Drum and Bugle Corps - St Francis Weymouth, Immaculate Conception Revere, St Joseph’s Woonsocket, Norwood Debonnaires, Immaculate Conception Stoughton

Bands - St William’s Dorchester, Hudson CYO, St Anthony’s Revere, St Agnes Arlington, St Ann’s Neponset, St Joseph’s Medway, St Theresa’s West Roxbury, Sacred Heart Roslindale

Drill Teams - St Therese Everett, St Patrick’s Stoneham, St Anthony’s Everett, 35th Regimentals Weymouth, Amesbury Medallions

1974  September 16 Dilboy Field

Drum and Bugle Corps - St Francis Weymouth, Holy Family Rockland, Jeanettes of Lynn, Debonnaires of Norwood

Bands - Hudson CYO, St Agnes Arlington, St Anthony’s Revere, St Joseph’s Wakefield, St Ann’s Neponset, St Theresa’s West Roxbury, St Joseph’s Medway

Drill Teams - St Anthony’s Everett, St Patrick’s Stoneham, St Therese Everett, St Francis Weymouth, 35th Regimentals Weymouth

1975  August 30

Drum and Bugle Corps - St Francis of Weymouth

Bands - Hudson CYO

Drill Teams - St Anthony’s Everett

1976 August 28

Drum and Bugle Corps - Boston Crusaders

Bands - Hudson CYO

Drill Teams - St Anthony’s Everett

1977  

Bands - St Agnes Arlington

1978

1979

1980

Drum and Bugle Corps - Holy Family Rockland

Bands - St Ann

Drill Teams - St Patrick’s Stoneham, St Therese Everett (tie)

1981

1982

Drum and Bugle Corps - Alliance

Bands - St Joseph’s Wakefield, Hudson CYO,