Racine Kilties
Racine, Wisconsin
Milwaukee VFW Nationals 1953
Corps History
Here they come". A thrill of pride was experienced by the mothers of the Kiwanis-Kilties Drum and Bugle Corps of the YMCA on July 4th, 1936, as they watched their boys marching down the street on their intial public appearance in Racine as a unit. They made a picturesque group in their colorful plaid kilts and tartans. Proudly erect, with drums beating and bugles flashing, they were led by the dashing drum-major, Harold Kahlert, resplendent in all the regalia of the Scottish Highlander on parade. It marked the fulfillment of a vision, conceived in 1931 by a group of three well-known Racine men, Mr. Ray Vance, Mr. Scott McCreedie, and Mr. Bob Aspen. Back then they marched with an assortment of drums, pipes, wood flutes, harmonicas and other wind and percussion instruments. Althrough the original idea of a Kiltie drum corps is credited to these three, lack of funds prevented its immediate realization. During the 1930's the D piston was added to the G bugle which is ancestral to the straight Army-type bugle used by the first American Legion Corps in the post-WWI era. This made it feasible to play simple melodies and harmony.
In 1933 at Camp Anakigig in Plymonth, Wisconsin, a group of about twenty boys banded together to form the nucleus of the corps. While the bugles were under the direction of Chester Nelson, Al Asplund was in charge of the drummers. Both men had many years of intensive traning as members of the famous "Boys of 76". By the fall of 1934, drilling was well under way and other prominent Racine men had became interested in the development of the organization. By the fall of 1935 the membership had increased to seventy boys.
Now that the organization was well under way, the question of uniforms arose, and the mothers of the boys decided to take a hand in providing them. To help raise a considerable sum of money, the mothers banded together to form the Kiltie Mother's Club in May, 1935. Various ways of raising money were discussed and that year the mothers worked hard at many projects. Despite the mothers' successful effort, by the spring of 1936 a large sum of money was still needed to accomplish their goal. At this point the Kiwanis Club agreed to sponsor the Corps, two hundred dollars was authorized to complete the outfitting of the Corps. About this time a Dad's Club was also formed to assist the mothers in their work. In 1943, the fathers voted to affiliate with the Kiltie Mother's Club and the parents worked harmoniously together for the Corps.
During the summer of 1936, the corps made several appearances dressed in striking kilts of Stewart Plaid. Now they were established and the following years were filled with engagements. In 1938 they added to the colorful spectacle of the Chicago Music Festival and were warmly applauded as they marched around the stadium. In 1939 it was necessary to replace the original bugles and twenty-four bugles were purchased. The most outstanding appearance in 1939 was as part of the escort for the crown prince and princess of Norway on the occasion of their visit to Heg Memorial Park. In October, 1939 the corps changed its name to the YMCA Kilties Drum and Bugle Corps.
In 1949 the plaid of the MacLeod Clan replaced the Royal Stewart. New Bugles were needed and thirty-two were purchased. The intervening years had been very eventful with the Kilties winning many friends and admirers in the Mid-West.
Through out the years the Kilties had traveled far and wide. In 1954 the Kilties, then wearing the MacLeod Plaid, traveled to Bayonne, New Jersey and to Washington, D.C. In Bayonne at the Dream Contest the Corps took fourth place. In Washington the Colour Guard won the VFW National Championship. A few years later the uniform was changed to the beautiful blue of the Anderson Clan. They then became known as "The Mad Plaid".
In the mid 50's President Dwight Eisenhower named the City of Racine "Drum Corps Capital of the World" with the Kilties leading the way. For decades the Kilties, comprised of 100 young men, ages 14-21, have been one of the most unusual drum corps in the United States. The Mad Plaid's fame soon spread to every corner of North America. Hundreds of thousands of drum corps fans have watched, listened and cheered as these talented musicians from Southeastern Wisconsin presented heir unique show: . . . "the best horn line in the nation . . . . a super percussion section . . . fantastic rifle work . . . a color guard that adds a special touch to their majestic field show. . ."
The YMCA Kiltie Kadets were organized in the fall of 1958. Its purpose was to provide a training ground for youngerboys on their way to becoming a Kiltie. 1959 and 1960 were formation years and in 1961 the Corps began to shape-up as an individual and entertaining unit as well as a fine feeder corps of the Kilties. 1962 was an enterprising year for the Kiltie Kadets. The Kadets entered the Badgerland's small and compact competitions for the first time during the early 1962 season and did well against all age groups. They took eight first places in both standstill and M&M in their own classifications.
The summer season of 1962 proved to be a terrific year for the Kadets, not only the large number of parades and competitions, but for the number of "firsts" in many of their competitions. In addition the Corps was in great demand as an entertaining unit at many functions held locally. The 1963 season proved even more successful than the year before with the Kadets placing first 12 times, second 2 times, third 2 times and forth 2 times. This fine season reflected the talents of 17 Kadets who advanced to the Great Kilts, their big brothers.
In 1964 the Kilties made an extensive trip throughout the East Coast. That year they returned with the coveted VFW National Championship. At the World Open that year in Bridgeport, Connecticut they came in seventh place. In 1965 the Corps travelled to Chicago for the VFW Championships and placed third. In 1966 the Corps placed eighth in the Championship held in New Jersey. In 1967 they placed fifth in New Orleans, LA. In June 1967 and again in 1968 the Kilties had the privilege of going to Toronto, Ontario to compete in the Shriner International Contest. The Kilties and their innovative staff have found no substitute for talent, reinforced by dedication and hard work in the presentation of a show that is always exciting to spectators and highly competitive.
Major titles won by the Kilties during their history have included: the VFW Nationals in 1964, 1968 and 1969; the US Open in 1969, the Shriner International Champions in 1969 and 1970, the World Open in 1972, and Drum Corps International finalists from 1972 through 1975 and again in 1977 and 1978.
At the beginning of the 1978 season, the Racine Kilties Parents Club Inc. and the corps Board of Directors proposed that the corps utilize the talent of the female sector. This brought major changes to the Corps while it tried to find ways to keep up with the changes happening to drum corps as a whole. Drum corps was moving away from the regiment and military style of the early VFW and American Legion days and was beginning to develop into the big show productions, as viewed at any DCI show of today. The 1981 season brought around more changes with the dis-banding of the Kilts feeder corps, the "Kiltie Kadets", which was the "life line" for new talents. The Kilts faded into history after 1982 due to lack of support, but have successfully returned after two alumni exhibitions in 1986 and 1992, the Kilties Drum and Bugle Corps reformed in 1993 as an all-male senior/alumni/parade/exhibition corps