I was 13 years old, big for my age, blew a trumpet and marched in the Hamlin High School Pied Piper band. Remembering again because my email said today’s word is ‘pied.’
For you etymological ( look that word up in your Funk and Wagnall ) readers, my ‘word of the day’ reads “pihyd, an adjective, origin Latin and Middle English, 14th century.”
And you get an example of usage: “The pied scarf contained all the colors of the rainbow.”
Our colors were green and white and the small school was in West Texas. And you have heard the children’s tale told about the Pied Piper of Hamlin. What better name could you find for a band in Hamlin? Words for the school song began, “Pied Pipers calling you and me…”
Most memorable, the band and many other high school bands were invited to fill vacant end-zone seats at the first Cotton Bowl game staged in Dallas. The Clemson football team and I went, but Mother insisted that Red drive me there. She probably didn’t want to expose Dickie to the raucous high-school band members and the naughty songs they sang on the bus.
You probably know ‘pied’ has another meaning. And our band conductor sometimes fortified himself for marches, and occasional out-of-town appearances. World War Two was underway, and Hamlin was a last teaching stop for my old band teacher.
The GI’s at the USO often sang our marching song: “Roll out the barrel. We’ve got the blues on the run.” Our conductor also rolled a bit as we marched.
