Cadets of Dutch Boy

The Cadets of Dutch Boy drum and bugle corps was formed in the fall of 1976 by the Northstars Youth Organization, as a feeder corps to the Northstars.

After a successful recruiting drive in February 1977, 77 new recruits were signed up under the direction of corps director, John Robins. The first corps camp for the Cadets was held May 6-8 at the new Northstar Centre. Two weeks later, the members were outfitted in their new uniforms of Lederhosen and Dirndls under the eagle eye of Myrna Cloes and John Robins. The Cadets first hometown performance was an exhibition on June 11 at Seagram Stadium. A parade at Crystal Beach on August 13th brought them their first trophy for marching. August 27th was the big day all drum corps wait for - the 1977 Canadian Nationals. The competed in the “Junior E” class, their very first contest and after the scores were tallied, the Cadets of Dutch Boy were declared champions.

The corps competed at the 1978 US Open “Class A” prelims, placing 22^ns and were crowned the 1978 Canadian Nationals champions in the newly formed "Junior Cadet Class”. The Cadets returned to a 19^th place finish at the 1979 US Open preliminaries and advanced to the “Cadet Class” at the Canadian Nationals, placing 4^th. In the fall of 1979, the Cadets membership graduated and reorganized under Dutch Boy as the Cadets of Dutch Boy were reformed in February 1980 to serve as a training unit. In a continued salute to the Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest, 70 new young members wore the traditional cadet Bavarian outfits of Lederhosen and Dirndls as they performed in parades and exhibitions in Ottawa, Quebec and Michigan. That year, they competed in “Novice Class”, winning both the 1980 Provincial and National championships. 

The Cadets competed in the Canadian Nationals “Bantam Class” in 1981, winning the title and in 1982, the “Junior Cadet Class”, placing 3^rd. In 1983, the Cadets joined the Cadet Corps International (CCI) circuit and placed 5^th while moving up to the “Class C” division at the Canadian Nationals, finishing 6^th and capturing the Great Lakes “Class B” crown. The following year, the corps participated at the American International Open (AIO) prelims, placing 14^th, returned to the CCI championships where they placed 6^th, competed at the Canadian National “Class C” prelims, finishing 8^th and defended their Great Lakes “Class B” title.

Once again in 1985, the Cadets retained their Great Lakes title as well as placing 4th in the CCI championships and finished off the season as champions of the Canadian Nationals “Cadet Class”. Janis Bradshaw served as the corps director during this period. In 1986, they competed in the “Class B” division with a membership of 65, ranking 5^th at the Canadian Nationals and won the last Great Lakes championship. They also became members of the Ontario Drum Corps Association. The following year, the Cadets competed in the “A/60 Class”, placing 4^th at the AIO and 7^th at the McDonalds Open, concluding with a 4^th place finish at the1987 Canadian Nationals “Class B” prelims. 

The corps made their first appearance at the 1988 DCI “A/60” championships, placing 23^rd and finished 3^rd at the Canadian Nationals “Class B” division. The following year saw the Cadets participated at the DCI Canada and the US Open prelims, finishing 3^rd and 13^th respectively and placed 3^rd at the Canadian Nationals. From 1990 to 1992, with their new uniform changes that included red vests they changed to forest green and the addition of a red tie, the Cadets of Dutch Boy continued competing in regional championships including DCI Canada, where they finished 21^st in the “Division I” prelims in 1990 and 1992, 13^th and 16^th at the 1991 and 1992 US Open prelims, 17^th at the 1990 DCI “Class A” championships and 26^th at the 1992 DCI “Division III” prelims. At the Canadian Nationals, the corps finished in 4^th position over those three years.

In 1993, the corps took a drastic departure from their Bavarian styled uniforms since they were first designed for the Dutch Boy Cadets in 1971. The Cadets marched in a modern red, white and black uniform reminiscent of the older corps' look. That year, in Division III” competition, they participated at their last US Open, placing 14^th in the prelims and the Canadian Open (11^th). Over the next three seasons, the corps finished 14^th at the 1994 Canadian Open prelims and in 1996, finishing 23^rd and the Coast Guard Open (16^th). In their final three appearances at the DCI championships, they placed 24^th (1994), 35th (1995) and 23^rd (1996). At the Canadian Nationals, the corps placed 2^nd at in the 1993 “Class B”, 2^nd in the “Division II, were crowned the 1995 “Division III” champions and closed out their historical path with a 7^th place finish in the 1996 “Division III” championships.

By 1997, it was apparent that the aspirations of the organization was going forward on the efforts of the Cadet corps. The decision was made to assume the identity of the Dutch Boy drum and bugle corps.

For almost 50 years John Robins (1934-2005) tirelessly gave his leadership to the drum corps activity in the Kitchener-Waterloo area. Great people helped build and lead this organization but John Robins embodied it and his passion, efforts and personality left an indelible imprint on everyone who knew him. He founded the Cadets of Dutch Boy and was corps director until 1982, returning in 1994 and carried on with the organization in various leadership roles until his passing in 2005.

Dutch Boy Facebook; DCW, 6/24/02, p.3

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