News & announcements
Saving your history
Early accounts
Maps
Nearby towns
People
Churches
Schools
Municipal
Organizations
Businesses
The mines
Transportation
Streets
Buildings
Entertainment
Celebrations
Sports
Ethnic groups
Freeland High School Band
What's on this page:
- FHS Band photos
- FHS Band Leaders photos
FHS Band
1938-1939, from Mary Cooper, daughter of Martha Gabuzda Cooper and niece of Marion Gabuzda Boyle Denion:
Group shot of the Freeland High School Band at Cranberry Park in West Hazleton on 15 Oct. 1938.
Mary added: "Marion also sent mom a DVD of Freeland History from the Freeland Historical Society. It is a “black and white video filmed in the late 1930s in and around the town.” In the middle is Freeland High School with the band (Martha in the lead) marching around the front of campus. The football team is also showing off for the camera. Thank you for including this aspect of Freeland history. Enjoy!"
1940-1942, from Judy Domchick Hall, daughter of FHS band leader Harold Domchick:
Judy Domchick Hall sent these photos of the FHS Band. She wrote: "I don't have any notes on these other than they were in Dad's album and I assume they are in the '41-'42 time frame."
A group of FHS saxophone students, year about 1940 -1942.
A group of FHS drum students, year about 1940 -1942.
About this next group photo, Judy wrote: "This Freeland High School Band @1941 or '42. My dad went into Navy just after I was born in '43. The only one I know in the picture is Jeannie Geoppert, the majorette in the back row in the dark uniform. She was lead majorette and the daughter of my Mom's cousin. She later married Vic Dei Tos." Thank you, Judy, for sharing these!
FHS Band Leaders
Mary Cooper sent two more photos, writing: "Mom told me last night that the band director was Don Luckenbill. I found him in the 1940 census listed as a teacher, age 25. … You won’t believe it….as I was looking for something else, I found two photos of Don Luckenbill, the FHS Band director! 1938-1939. Taken by Norman Zeisloft, professional photographer stamp on back of photo. Mom wrote Luckenbill's name on the back of each."
Ed Merrick adds: "Mary Cooper writes that Norman Zeisloft was the professional photographer who shot the pictures of Don Luckenbill. I met Norm when I got hired by the St. Petersburg Times. He joined the Times photo staff after service in the Air Force during World War II. A Freeland native, he told me he had dated one of my mother's sisters, but I don't remember which one. Small world."
Don Luckenbill, the FHS Band director, 1938-1939. Photos taken by Freeland photographer Norman Zeisloft.
Judy Domchick Hall also has her father Harold Domchick's contracts for the FHS Band Leader position! She wrote: "In 1940 Mr. Luckinbill wrote a proposal to the school board requesting an additional music/band instructor for the Freeland and West Hazleton schools. The result was my Dad, Harold, being hired as a Professional Employee. Also, somewhere is my papers I have a copy of Dad's contract with the school board where he was hired to teach music at two of the schools, his duties, an inventory of all the instruments, his salary, etc. etc. It's definitely history!"
This was the first contract that Harold Domchick signed when initially hired on a temporary basis to teach and lead the FHS Band.
And this is the contract that was signed when he was hired as a professional employee. Note that his duties included teaching vocal music to all four grades of the Birvanton Hill School, and all eight grades of DCM.