Company of Fifers & Drummers founding member The Charles W. Dickerson Fife, Drum, and Bugle Corps was recently honored with an exhibit reception at the New Rochelle Public Library in New Rochelle, New York.
Barbara Davis, New Rochelle town historian, and Dr. Robert Wechsler contacted the Company in November to let them know about the proposed exhibit and wondered if there were any resources we might provide to help tell the story of the Dickerson corps. Archives Committee member Kyle Forsthoff met with Barbara at the Company Museum in late November and together they spent several hours poring over and scanning a selection of the Company’s collection of Dickerson-related documents and photographs, finding much material suitable for the exhibit.
The exhibit, We’ve Come a Long Way Together: The Charles W Dickerson Fife, Drum & Bugle Corps, was on display at the New Rochelle Public Library from February 1 through February 28, 2020. On Sunday, February 23, the library hosted a formal reception for the exhibit, preceded by a performance by the Harlem Blues & Jazz Quartet. The Dickerson corps then performed onstage and in the library proper for nearly 30 minutes, performing many of the corps’ signature routines including “Dream Routine”, “New Routine”, “Dixie”, and “Anything”. Nearly a dozen Fife and Drum community members from Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New York joined the Dickerson corps in an informal Jam after the performance. Light refreshments were served and the members of the corps spent the next hour viewing the exhibit, telling stories of past members, and picking family and community members out of corps photos.
Archives Committee members Kyle Forsthoff and Bill Ralston were present to document the event, taking numerous pictures of the exhibit displays and the festivities. Virginia Wilkos-Stafford also videotaped the performance (see above). Numerous attendees’ cell phone videos have also been posted to Facebook to overwhelmingly positive response.
The Company of Fifers and Drummers wishes to extend its sincere congratulations to the Dickerson corps on their honor and we look forward to many more years of great performances and camaraderie ahead!
Submitted by Kyle Forsthoff, Feb. 28, 2020