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March On! ...the history of the

Toronto Optimists Drum & Bugle Corps

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Toronto Optimists' Photo Gallery

Photos of the Toronto Optimists, the Seneca Optimists, the Optimists Alumni and many others!

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Home > The Old Days (Photos from our competitive years) > Other Corps (mostly Canadian)

Durham Girls


1978_aug_durham_andrews_saints_002b.jpg

22 files, last one added on May 07, 2026
Album viewed 354 times

Dutch Boy (Kitchener-Waterloo)


1980_sheet_56_18a.jpg

49 files, last one added on Mar 10, 2026
Album viewed 1214 times

Etobicoke Crusaders


etobicoke_crusaders_19720002.jpg

7 files, last one added on Dec 05, 2017
Album viewed 258 times

Flying Dutchmen Junior (Kitchener-Waterloo)


1975_76_flying_dutchmen_yearbook.pdf

10 files, last one added on Dec 23, 2018
Album viewed 339 times

Garfield Cadets


1978_sheet_54-1_04_v2c1.jpg

26 files, last one added on Nov 12, 2025
Album viewed 752 times

Geneva Appleknockers Jr


1969_Niagara_Falls_Sheet_71-1_03b1.jpg

8 files, last one added on Jan 06, 2026
Album viewed 185 times

Georgian Lancers


1978_aug_dutch_boy_others_011a.jpg

The Georgian Lancers drum and bugle corps was formed in the fall of 1976 under the leadership of Sue Edwards, Rodger Tippin and Remi Blais.

The idea of forming a parade corps was first discussed by the three people who are now the Directors of the corps, Sue Edwards, Rodger Tippin and Remi Blais, in June of 1976. They were involved in instructing majorette groups in the Owen Sound and Meaford area. After a number of meetings, the recruiting program was unofficially started on July 1st when Mr. Tippin took three people to a corps exhibition in Port Dover. They attended about six more events after that, concluding with the Seneca Optimists perform their music for the new members of The Lancers and their parents in the high school gym on September 25th . Twelve recruits and ten adults attended the 1976 Canadian Nationals.

As in most smaller communities, the new corps received exce1lent co-operation from the local television station and newspaper, the Owen Sound Sun-Times in giving valued publicity to their program. The evening of September 9th, the cable station featured an interview, films and slides about drum corps to introduce the activity to the community and the Sept. 21st edition of the newspaper followed up with a 1/4 photo feature on the corps. In an interview with press representatives and the local radio and television station, Mr. Tippin, a Director of the corps, stated, "We had two objectives in asking the Optimists to appear in Owen Sound; to teach the community a little more about drum corps and to interest more kids in this area to get involved."

Competitively, the Georgian unit began in the 1977 Canadian Nationals “Junior E” division, placing 4th and moved up to the “Bantam Class” the following season, where they were crowned the 1978 Canadian National champions. The last 2 years saw the corps enter the field of competition with 3rd place finishes in both the 1979 Canada Central Circuit & Canadian Nationals “”Junior Cadets” class, concluding with another 3rd position in the 1980 Ontario Provincial “Cadet Class” championships.

In an attempt to adopt a different approach to the activity, they reorganized as the Northern Spirit “music group” in 1981.

Paul Legault (DCX)

4 files, last one added on Mar 04, 2026
Album viewed 18 times

Grantham Police Boys Band


1960_rochester_t0127_05b.jpg

43 files, last one added on Mar 31, 2026
Album viewed 620 times

Greece Cadets


1978_01_aug_018b2.jpg

12 files, last one added on May 06, 2026
Album viewed 302 times

Guardsmen (Illinois)


1978_binder_v2_usopen_14_001c.jpg

6 files, last one added on Jan 03, 2026
Album viewed 53 times

Guelph Opti Knights


1969_guelph.jpg

3 files, last one added on Mar 22, 2009
Album viewed 343 times

Guelph Royalaires


1960_east_york_t0136_09b.jpg

24 files, last one added on Jul 17, 2025
Album viewed 401 times

100 albums on 9 page(s) 3

Random files - Other Corps (mostly Canadian)
frans_1970_40b.jpg
Anaheim Kingsmen (Varsity Stadium, Toronto, 1970)827 views
1998_sheet_43_01_19-edit.jpg
Doug Darwin and friends, Kiwanis Kavaliers (1997)665 views
1978_kiwanis_kavaliers_003b.jpg
Kiwanis Kavaliers (1978)507 views
f1000010_a~1.jpg
Simcoe United Alumni (Woodstock, 2008)821 views
chicago_vanguard_1965.jpg
Des Plaines Vanguard (about 1965)1075 views
76_chatelaines_004.jpg
Les Chatelaines (1976)1570 views

Last additions - Other Corps (mostly Canadian)
1978_slides_05_013c.jpg
Blue Stars (Lamport Stadium, Toronto, 1978)26 viewsMay 09, 2026
1978_aug_durham_andrews_saints_002b.jpg
Durham Girls (Porter Stadium, 1978)35 viewsMay 07, 2026
1978_01_aug_018b2.jpg
Cadets of Greece (US Open prelims, Marion, OH, 1978)32 viewsMay 06, 2026
1970_bw_eric_compagnons_015c1.jpg
Les Compagnons (Ontario Place, Toronto, 1970)32 viewsMay 05, 2026
1967_lasalle_mixed_01_021b.jpg
LaSalle Cadets (1967)37 viewsMay 03, 2026
1960_east_york_t0132_15b.jpg
Midtowners (East York, 1960)38 viewsApr 30, 2026