The Cadets Drum Corps (formerly the Holy Name Cadets, Cadets of Garfield, Garfield Cadets, and Cadets of Bergen County) is a World Class competitive junior
drum and bugle corps
Drum and bugle corps is a name used to describe several related musical ensembles.
* Drum and bugle corps (modern), a musical marching unit
* Drum and bugle corps (classic), musical ensembles that descended from military bugle and drum units retu ...
. Based in
Allentown Allentown may refer to several places in the United States and topics related to them:
*Allentown, California, now called Toadtown, California
*Allentown, Georgia, a town in Wilkinson County
*Allentown, Illinois, an unincorporated community in Taze ...
,
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
, The Cadets was one of the thirteen founding corps of
Drum Corps International
Drum Corps International (DCI) is a governing body for junior drum and bugle corps responsible for developing and enforcing rules of competition, and for providing standardized adjudication at sanctioned drum and bugle corps competitions througho ...
(DCI), is a ten-time DCI World Champion, and is the oldest continuously active junior drum and bugle corps in
North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
.
History
Charles Mura, Michael Koeph, and the Rev. Edwin Garrity of the Holy Name
Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
parish
A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one o ...
in
Garfield, New Jersey founded the Holy Name Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps in 1934 as an activity for the boys in the parish. The corps quickly became one of the top competitive corps in the country. In 1937, the corps song, "O Holy Name", was written for the corps. The lyrics are taught to new members each summer and sung to the tune of "
O Tannenbaum
"" (; "O fir tree", English: O Christmas Tree) is a German Christmas song. Based on a traditional folk song which was unrelated to Christmas, it became associated with the traditional Christmas tree.
History
The modern lyrics were written in 1824 ...
".
In 1940, the Cadets won the
American Legion Junior National Championship in
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
, the first of a record nine Legion titles the corps would win between 1940 and 1964. The corps was known not only for its talent but for its traveling to compete. In 1950, the Cadets went on the road for three weeks in order to defend their Legion title in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
.
[A History of Drum & Bugle Corps Vol. 2; Steve Vickers, ed.; ''Drum Corps World'', pub.; 2003]
In 1958, the Holy Name parish declined to support the corps' travel and disbanded the corps. The members and staff, however, were not willing to cease the corps operations, and reorganized as a new organization, even though the parish kept the uniforms and instruments. The corps traveled to
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
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for Legion Nationals at the members' own expense. Marching as the Cadets of Garfield; wearing uniforms of white shorts, red golf shirts, and "Aussie" hats; and using instruments borrowed from the
Chicago Cavaliers, the corps managed to finish in second place (one spot ahead of the defending champion Cavaliers). Midway through the 1959 season, the parish allowed the corps to once more wear the uniform that remains their trademark.
In the second half of the Sixties, the Garfield Cadets became more of an also-ran than a champion. In 1969, the corps became coed. In 1971, the Cadets marched a show they called, "No More War"; at VFW Nationals in
Dallas
Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...
. They reportedly tried to convince the VFW officials that the
peace symbol
A number of peace symbols have been used many ways in various cultures and contexts. The dove and olive branch was used symbolically by early Christians and then eventually became a secular peace symbol, popularized by a ''Dove'' lithograph b ...
in their drill was actually the
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz (), commonly referred to as Mercedes and sometimes as Benz, is a German luxury and commercial vehicle automotive brand established in 1926. Mercedes-Benz AG (a Mercedes-Benz Group subsidiary established in 2019) is headquartere ...
logo. Also in 1971, the Garfield Cadets, along with the 27th Lancers,
Boston Crusaders
The Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps is a competitive junior drum and bugle corps. Based in Boston, Massachusetts, the Boston Crusaders are a charter member of Drum Corps International.
History
The Boston Crusaders were founded in 1940 a ...
, Blessed Sacrament Golden Knights, and Blue Rock, formed the United Organization of Junior Corps (also known as the "Alliance"). This action was taken in reaction to the rigid, inflexible rules of the American Legion and VFW (the primary rule makers and sponsors of both corps and shows) and the low or nonexistent performance fees paid for appearing in the various competitions. The corps felt that not only were they having their creative potential as artistic performing groups stifled, but they were being financially starved. (A similar group of Midwestern corps, the Midwest Combine, was formed by the
Blue Stars,
Cavaliers,
Madison Scouts,
Santa Clara Vanguard, and the
Troopers.) The Alliance members felt that the corps should be making their own rules, operating their own competitions and championships, and keeping the bulk of the monies those shows earned. For the 1971 season, the corps stuck together, offering show promoters the five corps as a package. Despite pressure on show sponsors, judges, and other drum corps, the corps were booked into a number of shows together.
In 1972, the Garfield Cadets, along with the nine other corps from the Alliance and the Midwest Combine, plus the
Anaheim Kingsmen
The Anaheim Kingsmen Drum and Bugle Corps, commonly referred to as the Anaheim Kingsmen, were a competitive junior drum and bugle corps. Based in Anaheim, California, the corps was a charter member corps of Drum Corps International (DCI) and th ...
,
Argonne Rebels, and De La Salle Oaklands were founding members of Drum Corps International, which remains as the sanctioning body for junior corps in North America. At the first DCI World Championships in
Whitewater, Wisconsin
Whitewater is a city located in Walworth and Jefferson counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located near the southern portion of the Kettle Moraine State Forest, Whitewater is the home of the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater. As of the ...
, the Cadets just missed making Finals and finished in thirteenth place in a competition that featured thirty-nine corps from the East, the South, the West Coast, the Midwest and Great Plains, and Canada. The corps would fail to make DCI Finals for the first three years they were held and for six of DCI's first eight seasons. After their third Finals appearance in 1980, the Cadets quickly regained the corps' former championship form. In 1983–85, the Garfield Cadets became the first DCI corps to earn a
three-peat
In North American sports, a three-peat is winning three consecutive championships. The term, a portmanteau of the words ''three'' and ''repeat'', originated with the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association, during their unsuccess ...
—three consecutive DCI titles. On July 4, 1986 the Cadets performed as a part of the
Liberty Weekend
Liberty Weekend was a four-day celebration held to celebrate the 1984 restoration and the centenary of the Statue of Liberty (''Liberty Enlightening the World'') in New York City. It began on July 3, 1986 and ended on July 6.
July 3, 1986: open ...
celebrating both the hundredth anniversary and the restoration of the
Statue of Liberty. In 1987, the corps won its fourth DCI crown in five years.
The Garfield Cadets relocated outside Garfield to Hackensack and became the Cadets of Bergen County in 1989. The Cadets of Bergen County won DCI Championships in 1990, '93, '98, and 2000. In 1996, sponsorship of the corps was passed to Youth Education in the Arts (YEA), an umbrella organization sponsoring several youth and musical activities. Also in '96, the Cadets performed at the
Summer Olympics in
Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
. In 1998, the corps rebranded once again, dropping any reference to locale from its name and becoming simply The Cadets. In 2003, Yea! moved its base of operations to
Allentown, Pennsylvania and The Cadets relocated along with it. In January 2009, The Cadets marched in President
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the ...
's Inaugural Parade in
Washington, D.C.
)
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, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
The Cadets won additional DCI championships in 2005 and 2011, the corps' ninth and tenth in forty seasons.
To honor their 75th anniversary, the corps was called the Holy Name Cadets for the 2009 season. The only junior drum and bugle corps older than The Cadets is the
Racine Scouts, which was founded in 1927. The Scouts, however, have not competed on the field since 2015, making The Cadets the oldest continuously active junior corps. The
Govenaires, an all-age/senior corps founded in 1927, retain the title of oldest continuously active corps.
2018 sexual misconduct allegations
On April 5, 2018, allegations were made in published reports that the longstanding corps director, George Hopkins, sexually harassed or abused multiple members of the corps and staff over a period of years. Later that day, Hopkins stepped down as director of The Cadets and YEA! CEO while denying the allegations. Sean King was named as interim CEO for YEA! On April 11, the Board of Directors tendered its resignation and a new Board and officers immediately took over operations of the organization. Claiming to have received no
letter of resignation
A letter of resignation is written to announce the author's intent to leave a position currently held, such as an office, employment or commission.
Historical
A formal letter with minimal expression of courtesy is then-President Richard Nixon' ...
, the new board terminated Hopkins for cause. In his federal lawsuit seeking severance pay and other monies, Hopkins asserts that he resigned from the organization by letter on April 5, and that his departure was "mutually agreed"-upon.
The organization also hired a Chicago labor and employment law firm, Franczek Radelet, to investigate the accusations against Hopkins as well as YEA!’s policies and procedures for providing a safe environment for youth members, employees, and volunteers. In addition, YEA! established a hotline for calls to report concerns or complaints.
The YEA! organization was immediately put on a probationary status by DCI with the statement that, "The terms of the probation include multiple steps for YEA! to take in order for its drum corps to participate in the upcoming 2018 DCI Summer Tour." As a part of the terms of probation, the corps' reassessed their planned travel to the West Coast to open the season, and instead decided to proceed with a schedule redrawn for East Coast shows. The corps' compliance with the terms of probation was sufficient for DCI to allow the corps to compete in 2018, and the probation was lifted in May 2019.
On November 13, Hopkins was indicted in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania for sexual assault, based on accusations of two women who are former employees of YEA. The charges are second-degree felonies. Hopkins surrendered to authorities, was arraigned, and was released on $50,000 bail with a preliminary hearing scheduled for December 4.
On September 22, 2020, Hopkins pleaded no contest to indecent assault and was sentenced to two years probation and fined $5,000.
In response to Hopkins suing YEA! for more than $650,000 in severance and back pay, the organization filed a counter-suit against the former director for $1.5 million in losses which it alleges to have lost due to the sexual misconduct scandal. This amount of the lawsuit included recovery for lost sponsorships and pledged donations to The Cadets and YEA!, a major loss of participants in the US Bands program, as well as legal fees incurred due to the scandal. Hopkins and YEA! reached a settlement in January 2019.
Organizational ties
The Cadets was formerly part of Youth Education in the Arts (YEA!), a nonprofit
501(c)(3) organization. In addition to The Cadets, YEA! also sponsored the recently inactive 2016 DCA Champion Cadets2 Drum Corps, 2014 WGI Independent Open Champion Cadets Winter Percussion, and Cadets Winter Guard; USBands (formerly
United States Scholastic Band Association
United may refer to:
Places
* United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community
* United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community
Arts and entertainment Films
* ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film
* ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two f ...
); the Urban Arts Center of the Lehigh Valley, which included the Xcape Dance Studio.
The Cadets began operating independently of YEA! as of March 31, 2020. On May 1, 2020, The Cadets announced the creation of a new 501(c)3 non-profit organization: Cadets Arts & Entertainment, Inc. (CAE).
A new Board of Directors was established, led by former CEO and Cadets Director Denise Bonfiglio.
"For 86 years, The Cadets have been leaders and innovators in performing arts education," Bonfiglio said. "We are now opening a new chapter in the storied history of The Cadets by creating a 501(c)(3) nonprofit entity guided by the following founding principles: To educate youth from around the globe on the value of teamwork, inclusiveness, kindness, self-expression, and open communication; To create a safe and inclusive environment for all participants; and To enrich lives by teaching critical development skills required for the pursuit of personal excellence."
With no 2020 drum corps season, Cadets Arts & Entertainment focused its attention on establishing clear policies, strict safeguards and strategic committees that meet regularly to help guide The Cadets forward. Committees were created in the areas of Health and Wellness, Equality and Inclusion, Performing Arts Education, Governance, and Finance.
Show summary (1972–2022)
''Source:''
Caption awards
At the annual World Championship Finals, Drum Corps International (DCI) presents awards to the corps with the high average scores from prelims, semifinals, and finals in five captions. The Cadets have won these caption awards:
Don Angelica Best General Effect Award
* 2000, 2005, 2011
John Brazale Best Visual Performance Award
* 2005, 2011
George Zingali Best Color Guard Performance Award
* 2005
Jim Ott Best Brass Performance Award
* 2000, 2005, 2015
Fred Sanford Best Percussion Performance Award
* 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2013
Prior to 2000 and the adoption of the current scoring format, the Cadets won these captions:
High General Effect Award
* 1983, 1984, 1985, 1990 (tie), 1992, 1993, 1997, 1998
High Visual Award
* 1983, 1984 (tie), 1987 (tie), 1990 (tie), 1993, 1998
High Color Guard Award
* 1989, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1996
High Brass Award
* 1983, 1984 (3-way tie), 1985 (tie), 1987 (tie), 1995 (3-way tie)
High Percussion Award
* 1987, 1990
References
External links
Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps, The
Culture of Allentown, Pennsylvania
Drum Corps International World Class corps
Musical groups established in 1934
1934 establishments in Pennsylvania