Excerpts from Presentation at Walterboro Band Banquet

by Tom Finigan

May 16, 2000

A little over three years ago, our booster club came to the assistant directors and asked what could the Booster Club do special for the 25th Anniversary of the The Band of Blue and for Mr. Young.  Because of time constraints and deadlines we presented Mr. Young with a watch and and kept another project secret until now.

I would like to start out tonight my introducing just a few friends of mine from that have made the Band of Blue an institution in our community for the last 27 years

Mr. Young  has done it all in his career.  We have known Bill Young and the Band of  Blue for most of our lives.  The impact he has had on our lives and career's cannot be put into words.  He has been our band director, our father, our big brother, and most recently almost like a grandfather to our sons and daughters.

Bill Young is a native of Allendale, SC and is in his twenty-seventh year with the Walterboro Band Program. He received his B.A. degree in education from the University of South Carolina and his Master of Education degree in school administration and supervision from the Citadel.  Bill came to Walterboro in 1973 and started with 18 band members.  Today the Walterboro Band Program totals 750 student musicians.  Mr. Young has taught thousands of students in Colleton County.

We all agree that our band has been very successful and the driving force behind that success has been Mr. Bill Young.  Tonight,  I along with the Meshach's and all of these former band captains, drum majors and  alumni would like to present a small token of our appreciation for everything you have done for Colleton County, the city of Walterboro, the Colleton County School District and Walterboro High School,  You have touched thousands of lives with your instruction and leadership and we,  your former students and friends would like to present this Historical painting of  The Walterboro High School Band of Blue.