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Chattanooga Central Band History 1907-1970
Posted on by Bob Johnson
Author: Bob Johnson
Graduated from Central in 1965. Had the honor of being Mr. Central 1965. Started on the Central Basketball Team for three years and was a member of the Track Team in my senior year. Shared command with Bryant Millsaps of the Central JROTC unit in my senior year. Other activites at Central are documented in the 1963 -1965 Champions. Received an athletic scholarship and played Division I College Basketball for four years. When I graduated from Auburn in 1969, I was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Army Adjutant General Corps and served 25 years on active duty, retiring in 1994. Some of the military awards I earned include the Legion of Merit, one Meritorious Service Medal for Achievement, six Meritorious Service Medals for Service, Joint Service Medal for Achievement, two Army Commendations Medals, and Viet Nam Service Medal. After retirement in 1994, I became a Real Estate Broker until my second retirement in 2010. I am passionate about Central History and am pleased to be Administrator of this Blog/Site. View All Posts
Preservation of Chattanooga Central History 
Ms. Epperson did a credible job of summarizing all the info available from the Digests and yearbooks. The grey area is that era of 1907-1910 before Central issued publications. From the Chattanooga Times and City Directories, I can add the following:
Mr and Mrs C A Garratt were involved in Central’s graduation cermonies from the beginning, providing music via a small ensemble. They operated a music instruction studio on Market Street from the mid-1900s until 1913, when they moved back to Knoxville. Their association with Central grew, until they were officially listed as faculty members for the 1910-11 school year. It is not certain how many of their performing ensemble were students, teachers, or area musicians, but they were instructing both instrumental music and voice at Central by 1910. Ms Epperson fails to note that Charles A Garratt was the first director of music and his wife taught vocal only. I’ll post more info on the Garratts shortly. They were too close to the first principal Darrah and were purged by the new administration for the 1912-13 school year, replaced by Mrs Reita Faxon Pryor.