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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_007a.jpg

21 files, last one added on Nov 13, 2025
Album viewed 348 times

Dutch Boy (Kitchener-Waterloo)


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49 files, last one added on Mar 10, 2026
Album viewed 1198 times

Etobicoke Crusaders


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7 files, last one added on Dec 05, 2017
Album viewed 253 times

Flying Dutchmen Junior (Kitchener-Waterloo)


1975_76_flying_dutchmen_yearbook.pdf

10 files, last one added on Dec 23, 2018
Album viewed 330 times

Garfield Cadets


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26 files, last one added on Nov 12, 2025
Album viewed 738 times

Geneva Appleknockers Jr


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8 files, last one added on Jan 06, 2026
Album viewed 181 times

Georgian Lancers


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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 13 times

Grantham Police Boys Band


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43 files, last one added on Mar 31, 2026
Album viewed 609 times

Greece Cadets


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11 files, last one added on Mar 13, 2026
Album viewed 296 times

Guardsmen (Illinois)


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6 files, last one added on Jan 03, 2026
Album viewed 49 times

Guelph Opti Knights


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3 files, last one added on Mar 22, 2009
Album viewed 336 times

Guelph Royalaires


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24 files, last one added on Jul 17, 2025
Album viewed 389 times

100 albums on 9 page(s) 3

Random files - Other Corps (mostly Canadian)
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United Alumni (Waterloo 2006)782 views
1960_rome_t0135_18-edit-2.jpg
Audubon All Girls (The Dream, Jersey City, 1960)563 views
1973_lasalle_ottawa_show_practice_006d.jpg
LaSalle Cadets rehearsing (HMCS Carleton at Dows Lake, Ottawa, 1973)512 views
1960_east_york_t0132_37-edit.jpg
De La Salle at inspection (East York Stadium, 1960)594 views
1979_slides_hamilton_19_013b.jpg
27th Lancers (DCI, Hamilton, 1979)623 views
2010_michigancity_6512a1.jpg
The Cadets (Michigan City, 2010)305 views

Last additions - Other Corps (mostly Canadian)
1969_niagara_falls_sheet_71-2_14c.jpg
CMCC Warriors (New York American Legion Championships, Niagara Falls, 1969)5 viewsApr 19, 2026
1979_slides_hamilton_23_003c.jpg
Santa Clara Vanguard (Lamport Stadium, Toronto, 1978)10 viewsApr 18, 2026
1979_squires_avant_garde_013b.jpg
Watkins Glen Squires (1979)12 viewsApr 17, 2026
1978_offensive_lions_03c.jpg
Al Tierney with Drum Majors of Offensive Lions wwho won Nationals (Nationals, Scarborough, 1978)17 viewsApr 16, 2026
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Defenders (Ivor Wynn Stadium, Hamilton, 1979) 21 viewsApr 15, 2026
1979_slides_hamilton_24_013d.jpg
Cavaliers (DCI Canada prelims, Hamilton, 1979)20 viewsApr 12, 2026