Long before the “UIL” as we knew of it during our playing and marching days within the Franklin D. Roosevelt High School Mustang Band, there was the Prairie View Interscholastic League also known as the “PVIL”.
During the peak of the Prairie View Interscholastic League organization’s membership there were well over 500 “Colored” Junior and Senior high schools from across the State of Texas. Many junior and senior high schools from Dallas, Texas were members of the Prairie View Interscholastic League.
Dallas Area PVIL Schools
“The Prairie View Interscholastic League (PVIL), which was held at Prairie View AM College, played a leading role in developing African American students in the arts, literature, athletics and music from the 1920’s through 1967. The structure and format were similar to the UIL. The Prairie View Interscholastic League competition included athletics, typing, declaration, music and extemporaneous speaking.”
The Franklin D. Roosevelt High School Mustang Band was very much a significant and honorable part of the history of the Prairie View Interscholastic League from 1963 until 1967. Under the direction and leadership of legendary Director of Bands, Mr. Thomas Ross, Jr, the Franklin D. Roosevelt Mustang Band of Dallas, Texas excelled at every level of competition and musical excellence. Many of the band students that participated in the PVIL band competitions received many awards and recognition for their profound proficiency for excellent musicianship.
Prairie View Interscholastic League Competition Results
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No matter the tenure you may have served within the Franklin D. Roosevelt High School Mustang Band, we were expected to exceed all expectations that were placed before us. We were taught to be not just any “ordinary” band but to succeed beyond being the best.
This legacy was laid down by Director of Bands Mr. Thomas Ross, Jr, and later carried on by our Director of Bands Mr. Hige W. Russell and Mr. William F. Robertson, Jr, the Franklin D. Roosevelt High School Mustang Band Members from 1963-1967 and the Prairie View Interscholastic League.
Many, many of our later bands and individual band students continued the legacy that was passed on to us from our fellow band predecessors to go forth, compete and excel as Musicians of the Franklin D. Roosevelt High School Mustang Band Of Dallas, Texas.
Texas Interscholastic League of Colored Schools
Prairie View Interscholastic League
Franklin D. Roosevelt High School History
Construction of the school began in 1961 at 525 Bonnie View Road in the Oak Cliff area of Dallas, Texas. Built before the school district integrated its high schools, the campus was the first new “Negro high school” built in Dallas since 1939 at the time it opened in January 1963. The school was built to serve a maximum capacity of 2000 students and at its opening was expected to draw about 1200 students from the Oak Cliff area, most previously attending James Madison High School— which had itself been converted to a “Negro school” in 1956 to relieve overcrowding at Booker T. Washington and Lincoln high schools.
The school is named after Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the 32nd U.S. President in honor of him passing and assisting lower class citizens opportunity for growth. School colors chosen were Columbia Blue and White.
Franklin D. Roosevelt High School (Texas) – Wikipedia
