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“Like so many other corps, the Archer-Epler Junior Drum and Bugle Corps had its humble beginnings during the dark days of the “Great Depression”. Almost all corps of that period were associated either with veterans’ organizations such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion, or with the Catholic Youth Organization.
Most pre-War corps were “neighborhood” groups, and represented a meaningful outlet for youthful energies in an era before formal activities like Little League had yet been organized.
In the cases of poorer communities, Drum and Bugle corps often provided one of the few ways a child could travel to distant towns and cities.”
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