A love of good music.

Springfield has a fine history of encouraging and supporting the best in music, not only from without, but from within. The city was famous during the 1920's for the Boy Scout Band (largest in the world) formed by R. Ritchie Robertson, music director for the public schools. That band, organized first in 1920, and consisting of as high as 400 members, played at celebrations throughout the country and brought much goodwill for the city and the local merchants who helped sponsor it.

Robertson also started, in 1926, a girl's Scottish drum corps at Senior High School, said to be the first such organization in the United States.

Other Springfieldians remember "Little" Hoover's Band which served as the quasi-official city musical organization in the 1900's. Formed by Herbert L. Hoover, it played at all special celebrations for a number of years.

Unique among cities of similar size is the Springfield Symphony. Formed in 1922, this group of volunteer musicians has continuously provided good music for the community and drawn topnotch musical talent from throughout the world to perform with it. Other fine musical entertainment has been brought in by the Community Concert Association.

Little Hoover's Band was popular in the 1900's.