".....a SOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUNNNNNND TRADITION!!!!!!!"

My brother-in-law, Frank Shaffer, was the announcer for the Andalusia High School Marching Band, "A Sound Tradition," for many years.  He and his wife, Jeremie--my baby sister if you didn't already know--had two kids come up through the band.  Lorren played trumpet, and Riley played drums and then mellophone.  Riley now plays guitar for me at LBW.  Frank and Jeremie have "retired" from band boosters, and all that goes with that.  They will be missed.  

But the band will go on, just as it has gone on through Lacey Powell, Jim Nettles, Jeff Hudson, Tommy Grimes, Dr. Ward Miller, and Bennie Shellhouse.  I have no idea who was the director before Lacey Powell, by the way...if you do, please comment below!

The moniker "A Sound Tradition" was coined when Tommy Grimes was the director.  I can't remember if I was still in the band or not, but it was in the early to mid-1990s.  Back then the band only had about 90 members.  Today, we're sitting around 185.  I would say half the band participates in at least one, if not two, other activities, to include softball, baseball, basketball, cheer, volleyball, and a host of other things.  In schools the size of Andalusia, all the groups compete for the same kids...that's just how it is, and I commend Bennie Shellhouse's willingness to make band possible for kids who do other things.  

There's something special about Andalusia.  If you were reared here (Joe Wingard would be proud of my correct use of reared, not "raised"), you know what I'm talking about.  Things are just different here.  First of all, Old Main....

That's not your typical, modern school design.  That has character!  When the new junior high was built, the architects did a great job of copying the design so it would look the same.  

In 2016, Southwind Drum and Bugle Corps rehearsed at AHS for 5 days during the summer.  The entire corps, and the staff and volunteers went on and on and on and on about how beautiful the place was...and the trumpet section from that year still remembers that oak tree in the right-hand side of the picture above...we rehearsed for hours under it.  

But it's not just the architecture that makes Andalusia different.  It's the people.  A friend of mine was recently telling me about some kids who will be 5th generation graduates of AHS next May.  I'm a second gen, and my kids will be third gen, but FIFTH??  Amazing.  Andalusia is the kind of place people just feel lucky to be able to come back home to.  It's not tiny, but it's by no means large.  We're off the beaten path, and while I often gripe about how I wish an interstate ran right by us, like Evergreen, I'm really glad one doesn't--it's already busy enough here during spring break season...

This morning, while delivering some forms to the junior high (that is still weird to me to say, since I taught at Andalusia MIDDLE School for five years), I saw Mrs. Addie Simpson.  I commented to her about how Jack, just this morning, asked me about a piece of pottery I made in her 7th grade class. We caught up for a minute, and I asked her about Alphonso's kids.  I left there thinking about how glad I am that quality teachers like her will be teaching my son.  And the school system is full of quality teachers like her!  

I know I am risking sounding xenophobic, but I don't mean to.  Truth is, there is quality and pride and tradition at every school.  And we should celebrate that! Especially tradition!  Tradition is a link to our past, and really, our past is all we have.  The future isn't guaranteed, and when the future does come, it comes as the present, and instantly passes into the past.  (Are you lost? lol) 

Traditions always involve symbols.  School colors.  Mascots.  Even the "Old Main"...they represent a commonality that we all share..."Andalusia, our dear mother...."  Black, white, band, football, nerd, jock, beauty queen, wallflower, artist, entrepreneur....we are all Andalusia.  

About a year or so ago, someone started #That'sWhy.  I like that idea.  "That," and it could be literally  anything, is why we're Bulldogs. And why we will always be Bulldogs.  In a few short weeks, the senior football players, cheerleaders, and band members will line the sideline, and sing these words....

"Andalusia, our dear mother, 'tis to thee we sing.

Our true love and fond allegiance, ever we shall bring.

Through the years, dear Alma Mater, this shall be our aim:

Always, ever to endeavor to honor thy fair name."

And it will be, once again, great to be an Andalusia Bulldog....