Marching in the Margins: A Historical & Rhetorical Analysis of the Role of Essential Women in the History of the Baylor University Golden Wave Band, 1932-1967

Abstract

Feminist theory regarding college women has been a prevalent topic in the modern day world as of late. The “marching arts [like collegiate marching band] are not often thought of as an athletic activity” but if only one would look deeper into archival history. 1 What is the connection between “self-compassion and body image” through the lens of marching band? 2 My archival research on specifically women in the Baylor University Golden Wave Band in Waco, Texas involved combing through the Baylor University Digital Archives for mentions in the newspaper articles, press releases, and yearbook pages. Historically, women in the Baylor University Golden Wave Band served a simultaneously essential yet underappreciated role in the development of the band itself over the span of 1932 to1962 while being made to be distinct from their male counterparts both linguistically and visually—rhetorically. The existence of these distinctions still affect the Golden Wave Band to this day both positively in the growth of female marchers and negatively in the stagnancy of the tradition surrounding auxiliary members. The results of this article’s analysis can theoretically improve the current knowledgeability around performing arts psychology and feminist theory. The implications that were discovered around the auxiliary members’ susceptibility to eating disorders and appearance-related pressures can cause people to take a step back to look at themselves and further consider those around them in relation to these theoretical ideas that could have practical applications and consequences in today’s modern world.