(This article is taken directly from the pages of the 1991 Leader-News supplement created for the WW II Classes Reunion held that year. Most of the articles in the supplement, including this one (minus a few paragraphs for brevity) were written by Bettye Kate Smith, local historian.)

"EDITORS NOTE: [This information was taken from interviews with Morgan Layfield, the first band director, Mrs. Cora Armistead, the second band director, and from letters in existence from A. B. Taylor who formed the city band and wrote the school song. There are excerpts from THE WILDCAT, school paper published by the journalism class.)

"The Littlefield Wildcat Band evolved from the city band the town had formed in about 1935. The city band wasn’t connected with the school in any way, but there were lots of school students in this organization, as well as many adults.

"The band practiced each Sunday afternoon in the old American Legion Hut that stood on the southwest corner of Laguna Park, and had originally been the first railroad depot. It was later used as the Boy Scout Hut, and was demolished several years ago.

"The city band performed for the Chamber of Commerce and its various functions: they played on the street corners, for amateur nights, not only in Littlefield but in surrounding towns such as Earth and Springlake. They would play for anyone who asked them.

"Some of the members of the city band were Mr. A. B. Taylor who played several instruments and was also director of this band, E. L. Latimer and his two sons, Howard and Harold, Mr. Layfield, A. B. Taylor, Jr., Bobbie Taylor, Ben Lyman, Jr., H. C. Pumphrey, Wayne Madden and Dan Hemphill. There were several girls in the band, Mr. Layfield stated, and he was sure they were Genevieve and Ouida Simpson, and Reba and Belle Neeley. Bobbie McCaskill, Jr. was the drum major for this band.

"In 1936, times were hard and the band was unable to get anyone to sponsor them. It was decided to let the school take the band because by doing this, the band would be assured of some federal funding.

"Mr. Taylor was an excellent director and very talented, but he didn’t have a teaching degree, nor was he certified to be a school band director. He was a carpenter by trade and only worked with the city band as a hobby. He approached Mr. Layfield and said, ‘why don’t you take the directorship?’ This was how Mr. Layfield became the first school band director. He organized the city band into what would be the first Wildcat Band.

"Mr. Taylor wrote the words to the school song, "Maroon and White" in 1936 and set them to the tune of a simple marching piece that was in one of the learners band books. While the words and actual melody have remained the same down through the years, each band director who has followed has added their own personal touch to the music, with "Prof" Hayes re-arranging the music and adding embellishments and flourishes to it in the late "40’s to make it the full-blown, impressive composition it is today.

"Littlefield has been unique in their school song, since it isn’t set to music such as "My Old Kentucky Home", "Oh, Canada", or "America, the Beautiful", as most school songs normally are.

"The bands got their first uniforms in 1938. They were designed along military lines, with Buster Brown shoulder straps and belts. The jackets were maroon gabardine with brass buttons. There were white cotton gabardine pants for boys and white skirts for the girls, that had to be washed after practically every use. The girls were not allowed to wear pants to the uniforms until about 1942-43. The hat was a billed maroon military cap, with trim.

"The March 1, 1940 issue of "The Wildcat" has the written lyrics to "Maroon and White" and states the following:

"This song, the words of which were composed by A. B. Taylor in 1936, has been accepted by the students as the official school song of L.H.S. The rule is to stand during the singing or playing of this song and in case of the men, to remove the hat."

"Cora Armistead was a bride of four months when she and her husband Davis came to Littlefield. There were several reasons for choosing Littlefield as a residence. Davis was in the Air Force, stationed at what was then known as Lubbock Air Force Base. His brother and sister-in-law, Dr. Bill and Bernice Armistead lived here, and there was an opening for a band and choir director in the schools. Cora applied for the jobs and was accepted. There was also a small basement apartment in the Castle home that was in walking distance for Mrs. Armistead, since her husband was driving to and from the base. Few people were "two-car" families in those days, and most weren’t even "one-car" families! She was music teacher and band director for 1942-43.

"During the Christmas season, Mrs. Armistead gave a community-wide Christmas program that included students from all the schools. It was a very touching time, since there probably wasn’t anyone in the audience who didn’t have some one near and dear to them in the service, or that was far away from home at this most sentimental of times. The grand finale was a chorus of all different age groups of students. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house!

"The Wildcat band was pretty much "in limbo" until after the war, when "Prof" Hayes came and breathed new life into it. But, that was after the World War II Classes, and is an entirely different story!!