Goodbye to John Root

First let me say to Thelma Thank you for sharing John with all us “kids”  We probably did not show it but we loved him.  And David thank you sharing your Dad!  He helped make us all into to who we are today.

I put off putting together this presentation for as long as I could because I knew that once it was done that would truly end the era that brought so much joy and friendship in my life.  John was the last living director of the Barons.  Once this is presented we will have closed the door on the Barons of Steuben for good.  It will only live on in our memories.  I have so many memories of the times that I was in the Barons and leading the corps. 

The era began somewhere in the early 60’s around 1962 with 5 men conspiring to form a drum and bugle corps  that would accept girls and have its own transportation.  The Moose in Corning sponsored the Crystal Raiders.  Girls were not allowed and parents were responsible for transporting the boys to the appearances. John, Ben, Dick, Eldee and Frank Smith brought in instructors and allowed girls to join in 1961.  The Moose said no and so these 5 guys each threw in some of their own cash and formed the Barons of Steuben.  I was 9 years old and had no idea the life style that was ahead for me. 

John was the corps money guy.  If it was to be sold we sold it….lightbulbs, socks, tooth brushes and of course Mason’s Candy.  $1 a box.  We sold it out of the back of John’s Red Chevy Pickup.  This from Tom De Wolf While selling Candy when we were reluctant to get out of the car he would exclaim " well the candy ain't gonna sell itself hit the road.  And we all had a turn driving John’s truck .  Pete Childs remembers driving John’s truck at the race track.  Speakiing of the Race track…..we ran two concessions at the racetrack and picked the garbage up after the races.  Slave labor we called it.  We also delivered the shopper all over Corning until someone threw their delivery in the road drain.  This from Tom Dewolf Tom De Wolf I can remember John throwing his hands in the air and trying to convince the rest of the directors that we could make 4 parades in a day cuz we needed the money. A couple of times he won out and we made some awesome bucks.  Christmas trees at the Tastee Freeze parking lot….the shout of Tree when we went to cut all the trees and then riding in the  back of the trucks in the trees.  The smell of coffee and cigarettes in the Christmas tree selling shed.

John was always there to watch out for the members…Steve Dunn When we were marching in STAR [the alumni reunion corps], John was right there, still checking to make sure I was OK as we neared the end of the parade.... I'll miss his caring and concern for all of us..    Beth Kane Vine The Barons of Steuben will be one of my best memories instilled as a child and bystander with my dad and mom. Thank you to the legacy that John, Ben, Dick, Frank, Eldee, Leo and Bill began and that I was able to be a part of after them. Hollie M Ruocco My thoughts and prayers are with everyone. It has been a long time since I last saw John but the days with the Barons are times that I remember well. The directors were like our fathers and their wives were the best  Gail Harrington Wilson John was always kind, hung in the background as far as the Color Guard was concerned. He stuck up for me many times and gave me info to help me bb a better captain.  Two memories from Les Hampton: When we were doing the STAR reunion corps Root offered the “shop” for whatever we needed, storage, equipment repair.  The memories of the Barons came flooding back.  I believe we could smell the sawdust and glue used by Ben and Dick.  When STAR did it’s first parade in Painted Post…there was John walking in front of the corps.  If only for that brief moment, we were kids again.  Story number 2.  It was during X-mas season and we were selling Christmas trees.  John figured we could save money if we cut the trees ourselves.  I just remember that on the way home I bummed a cigarette from John to use as a handwarmer.  My first and last cigarette.Jerold Beecher John was one of the five original directors of the Barons. Each of the directors gave their talents, time, and financial support to insure that The Barons of Steuben was a successful Drum Corps. But most importantly, they created an atmosphere of training young people to grow up into successful men and women. They have all passed on now but will never be forgotten!! RIP John.

The last thing that John said to me was just a year or so ago. He was checking on Les Hampton and his progress on an apartment that Les was redoing. I was there helping (I guess) and John said to me "You'll never be the Carpenter that your Dad was". That might sound cruel but what he really did was compliment my Dad. . We will never know all the things that he did for the corps only that how somehow we traveled, we learned and we grew up. The things we learned have carried many of us to greatness, to jobs and families. The values and morals that these 5 guys(and later a couple more) instilled in us have lasted over the years. John, Ben, Dick, Frank, Eldee, Leo and Bill Thank you for that part of my life. I look back with great fondness and longing on those years. RIP John...now all five of you are back together....I will be ready to join the corps in heaven you have started. Before I close the Door on the Barons and all those memories let me say that I plan to leave it ajar so that as we grow old we will be able to peak in and remember and cherish those memories and the guys like John Root that made them all possible.

 Pause to reflect


I want you to think about the last time one of your parents did something that embarrassed you, How did you feel, what did you say to them, and how did you treat them.

Now think back over your life and think about all the times you did something to embarrass your parents. So many times..right? Did they shun you, did they stay away from you, did they act like they were ashamed of you, did they leave you out of things. I highly doubt it..... They still loved you and took you in and did not shame you. They may have corrected you for it but never did they stop loving you and ignored you.

The next time take a moment to think about this and remember all the times they covered for you

How to foster that sense of family

So directors……does your performing group have a pre-performance ritual?  Perhaps a song sung together or a chant?  I ask this because I feel that such a thing is of the utmost importance for your group.  I have coached several groups and each has had its own ritual. 

First group stood in a circle and sung a song that was from a Broadway musical that instilled the sense of family in the whole group.  This song was even performed at our home shows when the show was over as the crowd was leaving.  Members, parents and supporters were include in the circle and this formed a bond throughout the community that is still talked about today.

The second group stood in a very close circle and repeated a chant that was begun very early in the guard's history and was carried on throughout the history of the group.  This was done through the changes in personnel and staff.

Both groups stood in circles.  This is done to make sure that every member can see each and everyone of the group.  This magnifies the sense of ONE….one family, one guard, one performance…..each depending on the other and fostering a real sense of love and understanding and dependence on each other.

The use of a common song or chant throughout the years in each group helps to foster that feeling of history….how the members before them put their time and efforts and love of the group into making the group become who it had become.

Long after the feelings for the show, the feelings of success, and the fun times have faded……….the rememberance of that preshow ritual will live on in their memories.  When they look back on their time with the group that ritual will spark memories of love, family and friendship and in the end isn't that what we want them to remember?