The Great Equalizer
By D. E. Angelica
DCN July 11. 1962

The game of execution is the saddest game I know: It sounds like something by the late Oscar Hammerstein II, but it is in all reality a statement of important consequences.

We have in past years bemoaned the lack of quality shows, and while doing this, have also allowed ourselves to become part of the system that allows only execution to win contests. On the present American Legion score sheets being used almost exclusively this year, (at least on the Eastern Coast) we have retrogressed a minimum of 10 years in the General Effect caption.

Several years ago, we proposed and had accepted a comprehensive G.E. sheet, which was the result of much work on the part of many drum corps people. Vinnie Ratford, Lefty Mayer, Bill Kemmerer, Val Capone, etc. These sheets were used during the 1960 season and were found unsatisfactory by most of the corps - not because of the sheet itself - but because there were not enough qualified men in the judges chapters who could judge the sheet properly. (The judge had to be versed in bugles, drums, M&M, and Color Guard.)

It was understandable that this type of overall G.E. sheet could be in advance of the majority of the judges who would be forced to work with it. The sheets were drawn up by the next American Legion Congress committee with this in mind. There was a decision made by the majority of the members present at the 1961 Congress to revert back to the 1959 G.E. sheet with modifications.

This would entail 3 G.E. judges, 1 G.E. Bugle, 1 G.E. Drum, and 1 G.E. M&M. The sheets were to be worth 30 points each and were to be totalled to a possible 90, which would then be divided by three. This meant that 30 points would be allocated for M&M, 20 for Bugles, 20 for Drums and 30 points for General Effect.

Somewhere between the general meeting, where the above recommendation was made and the meeting of the executive committee of the UOCC, it was decided that this was not in line with UOCC thinking and everything was then divided by 9 rather than 3, which made G.E. a 10 point caption.

The Great Equalizer has arrived!! Let me demonstrate the manner in which the great equalizer works: This is the system proposed by the congress delegates, (90 points divided by 3, for 30 points)
Corps A
GE Drums ............ 27.00
GE Bugles ............ 27.00
GE M&M ............... 27.00
Total ..................... 81.00

Final GE Mark - 27.00

Corps B
GE Drums ........... 25.00
GE Bugles ........... 25.00
GE M&M .............. 25.00
Total .................... 75.00

Final GE Mark - 25.00

All the GE judges in the above scores had the corps 2 points apart in GE and the final mark was the exact reflection of every judge. Now let us examine the system that was adopted. Using the same marks for the same supposed corps.
Corps A
GE Drums .......... 27.00
GEBugles ........... 27.00
GE M&M ............. 27.00
Total ................... 81.00

Final GE Mark - 9.00

Corps B
GE Drums .......... 25.00
GE Bugles .......... 25.00
GE M&M ............. 25.00
Total ................... 75.00

Final GE Mark - 8.333

Rather than the 2 point spread intended by every General Effect judge, corps B, with the weak overall show, now is only .667 behind corps A, who takes all the risks and chances by presenting a difficult, pleasing show - wich is supposedly 2 points better than corps B. We have with this one mathematical trick, completely destroyed any need for creativity in drill, music or drums. The corps who goes on the field and plays it safe in all captions, and does nothing to present an overall show, is automatically the winner. Shocking what a little juggling of figures can accomplish!!!

Our 1962 American Legion sheets present the same problem - the sheets are 10 points each and are divided by three (which presents the same mathematical ratio as 30 divided by 9).

I am as interested as anyone else in maintaining technical standards. (Both Garfield and Hawthorne are to my knowledge, no slouches in the execution captions, as evidenced by last year's victories with these particular sheets) However, I definitely am in favor of improving the overall quality of the shows presented and the way to accomplish this is by opening up this wonderful world of General Effect.

My suggestion is to go back to 3 thirty point sheets which will be totalled and divided by 3, giving us back a 30 point G.E. score. I don't think we have enough idealists who are ready to accept the wonderful N.Y. State 45 point G.E. sheet, or the equally fine 35 point Canadian G.E. sheet, and since we live in a world of pragmatists, let us compromise with a 30 point G.E. system.

The three sheets should not be drums, bugles and M&M, however. They should be M&M, Music (A combination drum & bugle sheets, which any qualified musician should be able to work be he drummer or bugler, since it contains none of the details of either but a general picture of both), and Showmanship, (a sheet which takes under consideration all those elements which comine to present a truly moving performance.). This combination of three sheets would be more in keeping with the true meaning of General Effect and would prevent judges from doing an execution sheet when assigned to judge G.E., as is the case with many judges today. The G.E. sheet is merely in many judges hands, another execution sheet, destroying again the true meaning of G.E.

This by the way, is no new suggestion. It was utilized by the American Legion in 1957 or 1958 and was for some reason discarded. In my humble opinion, they have found nothing to match or replace this sheet, so when 5 years of searching have produced nothing better, let us at least return to what was an acceptable and intelligent system of judging G.E.