Mr. Pilcher, as his students most commonly referred to him, was best known for the sweepstakes-winning bands he produced during his decades-long tenure at Trona High School
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Mr. Pilcher, as his students most commonly referred to him, was best known for the sweepstakes-winning bands he produced during his decades-long tenure at Trona High School
Cholla did a great job with this article, but I think it would take a small book to tell all his story. He was born Clarksdale, Missouri, His parents owned a dry goods and furniture store, and they were both funeral directors. After high school George enrolled in Central College in Fayette, MO (It became Central Methodest University). He was a member of the Music Fraternity Phi Mu Alpha.
While at Central College he enrolled in the Army Reserves and during his sophomore year the reservists at the college were called to active duty. He served two years in the Army from 7 Dec 1942 to 26 Jan 1944. It would be interesting to know what he did while in the Army. I wonder if he was in one of the Army bands. A friend of mine spent his whole time in the Army playing the French horn.
Shortly after leaving the Army, he was married and soon enrolled in Northern States Teachers College (Now Northern State University). While there he must have become friends with Elby Coy, who became Trona High Schools third instrumental music teacher.
George was hired by THS in 1949 while at Northen State and after teaching for about two years he went to work for AP&CC as a recreation director and had his office in the recreation hall near the main entrance to the ballroom. My brother, Joel, worked for him as a pin setter in the bowling alley and then as a stock handler.
When Elby Coy left Trona George decided to return to teaching. When I was in high school, I wanted to take chorus but unfortunately THS no longer had a vocal music teacher, so George tried his best to teach chorus. That is when I got to see his promotional film of him playing drums with a mad passion. It is unclear when it was made but he said he talked his parents into letting him go to Hollywood where they paid to have the film made with the idea, “his idea” that the people who made the film would help him become a famous drummer. It is too bad no one knows what happened to it.