Smith Walbridge Clinics: Tradition and History

Smith Walbridge Tradition

Since its early beginnings as a camp in Syracuse, Indiana in 1949, the Smith Walbridge tradition of training the nation's finest drum majors, flags, rifles, marching percussion, marching band directors, and student leaders continues to flourish. The creators of the country's first camp of its type never imagined that the reputation of this innovative concept of teaching would eventually attract nearly 1200 high school and college drum majors and student leaders from almost every state and six countries.

Margaret and
Merl Smith

Gary E. Smith

This unique program was begun and developed over many years through the collaboration of the camp's owner and founder, Merl Smith, and the Marching Band Director from Butler University, Dr. Charles Henzie. Smith and Henzie felt there was a need to train marching band students and directors with both comprehensive skills and valuable knowledge needed to develop successful marching bands. The attendance at the first year of the camp was six students.

These pioneers proved to be an ideal match. Smith was a national champion twirler and a drum major of the Navy Seabees band during World War II. Dr. Henzie was known for his success with the Butler Marching Bulldog Band, which at that time enjoyed a national reputation. Together they created a tradition that has become a model that many other clinics and camps would imitate.

Presently, the Smith Walbridge Clinics are administered by Gary Smith, son of Merl Smith and retired Marching Band Director at the University of Illinois. Gary has incorporated contemporary ideas into the program and utilizes a curriculum that serves the needs of the various modern marching band styles. His experience as the director of the Marching Illini and the author of a popular marching band text book has proven invaluable in developing philosophies and methods to train students and directors as effective and knowledgeable leaders.

The Smith Walbridge tradition has enjoyed many years of success and progress. The consistent support of nearly 300 schools combined with an outstanding teaching staff insure the future success of this program.