60th anniversary alumni
share their Chorus memories
1940s
NP (Bud) Huinman
In Long Beach California, Mr Caso gave ten of us three swats each for climbing
on the roof of a six-story YMCA building at 10pm, the evening before our
NBC broadcast.
Herman Nelson
I truly appreciated Mr Caso’s discipline and his kindness to my family.
Robert Oliver
Mr Caso’s attempt to teach us soccer. In a town with more cowboys than
players, we didn’t last as soccer players very long!
Jim Pfersdorf Jr
Mr Caso was a strict disciplinarian who expected the best out of us, which
was good training for our futures.
Richard R Price
Mr. Caso’s paddles! Who can forget!
Frederick R Sargent
We would practice at a church on 4th Street & Park Avenue and then go play
football. It was a great group.
Bill Steinebach
During the Boys Chorus annual carnival, I got to stand by Gene Autry as he
performed for us, and we sang some songs for him.
Thomas K Wadell
Fond memories of first practices at the YWCA.
Don Walker
A live clam would not return a belt I needed for the concert.
1950s
Bruce Baker
Getting swats in Hawaii for getting my swimsuit wet. The night in Hawaii waiting
for a tidal wave to hit. Learning to throw boomerangs in Australia.
Scott Boyd
A truly appreciative audience at the Veteran’s Hospital in Hawaii.
Bill Busacker
At one time-could still be true-I had more swats from "The Cheese" (Mr
Caso) than anyone ever had.
Pat Chambers
Someone stole Caso’s paddle during concert tour ’56 or ’57.
Paper airplanes thrown out of hotel windows, the smell of diesel from the bus,
and the thrill of making the touring group.
Doug Druliner
My mother, Anne Druliner, served as choir mother for many years, touring Europe
and Australia with the Chorus.
Barry W Jones
An eight-year-old boy away for the first time at camp was homesick. During
the hike, he was stung 7 times by hornets! Staff had the wisdom and endurance
to see that the lad’s bitter cries for his mother went unanswered.
Amazingly, he recovered and actually went on to enjoy himself at camp.
Will Frank (Hap) Lowry
The Ed Sullivan Theater; the New York Automat restaurant; Big City kids in
New York who waited backstage asking for autographs and wanting to know
if we rode horses to school.
Don Neil
If I told everything, I would probably get sued!
Jim Rugg
I remember that in the 50s, Mr Caso would maintain discipline with the highest
threat and use is paddle to give "swats." Nobody then thought
it was an inappropriate – and it was fairly effective!
Thomas Wilson
The time I drove Mt Caso’s Hudson on the dirt road to camp. He made me
stop when I performed a perfect controlled skid around a sharp curve. It got
me a two-swat performance later that day.
1960s
Richard W Ashby
Memories of belonging to a fantastic choir and being acknowledged through the
years for being on of Eduardo Caso’s singers.
Don Dudgeon
Dennis Johnson, Bill Hobson and I did not go out of our rooms after lights
out three times during the 1964 tour, which was almost three months long.
Robert (Bob) E Fee
I had just made the senior choir about two weeks before Mr Caso died. There
were only about ten of us seniors to sing ‘They Have Not Died" at
the funeral. I was nervous about having me and one other sing the second
soprano line. When we started to sing, many of the Chorus alumni joined
right in. The sound of the Chorus swelled with the added voices. It was
an incredible experience to know that I was part of a proud legacy.
Rolf Olsen
Summer camp at the Little Outfit ranch in fifth grade. I learned about gun
safety, which came in use during my adult years.
David Pulido
I have found memories of rehearsals at the Temple of Music and Art, the friends
I made, and the experiences with Mt Caso and Jeff Haskell. Dr Ackerley
and I went to grade school together, and I been able to follow his accomplishments
with the Chorus.
David Scott Rossman
There was the time we got three college girls to stow away on the bus after
the concert in Huntsville, Al. Nothing happened, really!
George Sterne
Thanks a million to Jeff Haskell. The experience started me on my career!
Thomas A Whitehouse
Besides great experiences while touring, my brother and I enjoyed learning
to water ski on Mr Caso’s boat at Canyon lake.
Brett Wilson
During the ’67 tour, I was 13 years old, but 6’3" tall and
in charge of lighting. Mr Haskell didn’t think it was funny when I was
often mistaken for the director. Also, I’ll always remember the warmth
and love of "Ma" Montgomery. She was a good friend, a great counsel,
and a wonderful mother to all the boys on tour.
