马里昂B. 麦克卢尔

HSU Cowboy Band Director, BA 1933

马里昂B. 麦克卢尔 was born in Sayre, Oklahoma, on July 16, 1909. His family later moved to Amarillo, 德州, where Marion began playing the drums. After graduating from high school in 1927, Marion took his music on the road, but abiding by his father’s strict rules, returned home to attend West 德州 Teachers Academy in 1928. The call of the road prevailed however; and in 1929 during a stop in Abilene to visit a friend, Marion attended an HSU Cowboy Band rehearsal as a spectator. He was so impressed that he enrolled in HSU in so that he could play in the band.

After graduation from HSU in 1933 with both a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Bachelor of Music degree, Marion taught band in Albany, 德州, for a year and then returned to Hardin-Simmons in 1934 to become director of the Cowboy Band. Except for military service during World War II, Marion continued as the Cowboy Band director until his death in 1973.

5月30日, 1942, “Prof” 麦克卢尔 (as he was affectionately called by his students) enlisted in the armed forces, reporting to Camp Wolters at Mineral Wells, 德州, 基本训练. After Officers’ Candidate School at Fort Benning, 乔治亚州, where he was commissioned January 11, 1943, he was sent to Guadalcanal as a music officer in the Special Service Division, 美国服役部队.

With “Prof” leaving for the army, the Cowboy Band was without a director. Enrollment numbers were down because of the war, and when the interim director left after only seven months, the band discontinued operations for the duration of the war.

马里恩B船长. 麦克卢尔 returned to the Hardin-Simmons campus in March of 1946, after 31 months in the southwest Pacific. His association with military bands continued for many years as a reserve Army officer. He retired from the reserves as a lieutenant colonel.

1946年夏天, “Prof” completed a Master of Music degree from VanderCook School of Music in Chicago, 1959年, he did post-graduate work at Eastman School of Music in Rochester, 纽约.

在他的指导下, the Cowboy Band traveled extensively, 为美国退伍军人协会效力, 着‘椰酥’之类的话, and VFW national conventions. The band became known to rodeo fans all over the United States and internationally traveled to Europe, 几个大西洋岛屿, 和日本. The band appeared with Bob Hope, Gene Autry, Bing Crosby, and Paul Whiteman. They gave performances for Eleanor 罗斯福, King George and Queen Mary of England, and participated in inaugural parades for presidents Hoover, 罗斯福, 艾森豪威尔, 和尼克松.

Marion composed the HSU fight song, “Parade of the Purple and Gold,” and was present during the band’s longest parade march ever: the 17-mile trek through the streets of 纽约 City for the national championship rodeo in 1934.

Many students who played under his direction went on to become band directors and professional musicians, 包括弗朗西斯·麦克白, 克拉伦斯•盖茨, 布莱恩Shelburne, 杰克甘, 帕特·帕特森, 配音科伦, 詹姆斯锦葵, 比尔森林, 和唐·汉纳.

The students who dedicated the 1964 yearbook to him wrote, “To a man who has brought color to the university. To a man who is always looking for opportunity. To a teacher who knows no limits in working with his students. To a conductor who has not only brought world fame to the Cowboy Band, but to Hardin-Simmons. And most of all, to a man with a touch of love in his heart for our school.”

He was named Bandmaster of the Year in 1971 by the 德州 Bandmasters Association, and later that year received HSU’s Keeter 校友 Service Award. He was posthumously inducted into the 德州 Bandmaster’s Hall of Fame in 1992.

麦克卢尔’s memberships included the 德州 Music Educators Association, 德州 Bandmasters Association, College Band Directors National Association, 打击艺术协会, Retired Officers Association, 共济会团体, and he was Adjudicator for Interscholastic League. He was also a member of University Baptist Church.

After Marion’s death in 1973, 他的妻子, 多萝西, wrote a book detailing the Cowboy Band from 1923 to 1973. 她于2007年去世. The couple had one son, William L. 麦克卢尔, a granddaughter, Colleen Anne 麦克卢尔, and a grandson, William Booth 麦克卢尔.

In 1977, two former Cowboy Band members presented to HSU in his memory a marble bust of Marion, which is displayed in the Cowboy Band Hall.

In the words spoken by the late Dr. Rupert Richardson at Marion’s memorial service, “他是一个爱国者, 一个基督徒, 一个有价值的公民, 一个好人.”

It is the high honor of Hardin-Simmons大学 to recognize one of her own and to formally induct Dr. 马里昂B. 麦克卢尔 into the HSU 领袖堂. We would like to thank the family of Dr. 麦克卢尔 for attending this event in his honor.