Stories sought for historical society project

MONTOUR FALLS--The history of the Squires Drum and Bugle Corps, which earned national acclaim and prestige during its 17 years, is the focus of a Schuyler County Historical Society special project launching in June.
Participation by Squires alumni will be the cornerstone of the project, according to the historical society. The project is called "Echoes in the Valley," borrowed from the title of the book "Echoes in the Valley, Watkins Glen's Squires, Pages, Legion Cadets and the Watkins Montour Seneca Chiefs, a Half Century of Drum and Bugle Corps Activity in Schuyler County, New York" by Jud Spena.
"Echoes in the Valley" will include an exhibit at the Brick Tavern Museum in Montour Falls and several online components, such as a photo slide show and oral histories.
"Squires members' stories are vital to the project," Jean Gardner, Historical Society Board of Trustees member, said. "We're urging Squires alumni to share their favorite memories from that important time of their lives."
An online form is now available for Squires members to use. The form can be found at https://bit.ly/3fLrE0x. Forms should be submitted by June 30. The forms also are available at the Brick Tavern Museum at 108 N. Catharine St./Route 14, Montour Falls.
Memorabilia on loan from Squires members will be displayed in the museum exhibit that Gardner will design and which is slated to open Sept. 1. The exhibit also will give an overview of the county's many bands going back to the late 1800s and early 1900s that preceded the Squires, entertaining Schuyler residents and marching in parades in the region.
The Squires was formed in Watkins Glen in 1964. The teenage musicians and color guards brought home awards from across the state and nation, for a time consistently scoring in the top 10 of corps in the United States.
The Squires disbanded in 1982, mostly a victim of its own success, according to Corps members and their adult leaders.
"Echoes in the Valley" is made possible by the Historical Society's selection to participate in a Museum Association of New York program designed to help museums share their collections and their communities' stories digitally. The Historical Society was one of 98 New York State museum organizations chosen for the federally funded "Building Capacity, Creating Sustainability, Growing Accessibility" program.
For more information about the "Echoes in the Valley" project and how to participate, call the Historical Society at (607) 535-9741 or email director@schuylerhistory.org.
The Schuyler County Historical Society celebrates and honors the history of the county at the Brick Tavern Museum, Wickham Rural Life Center and Lee School. Hours at the Brick Tavern Museum and Wickham Rural Life Center are Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Thursday 2-8 p.m. Admission is free. The Historical Society is supported in part by a TAP grant administered by the Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce.