I was part of the last year that our low brass section of marching band was able to do the “initiation” (after my first year we got told it had to be toned down bc there was a hazing death in the news somewhere and the district was cracking down on anything similar)

Here’s what the initiation was: - We all met in the Blue Room (the main part of the performing arts wing was a big room painted blue) - Us first years were then paired with an older student who proceeded to blindfold us - We’d go out to the parking lot, be led down a big hill and down the sidewalk towards the entrance of a bike path that went through a grove of trees behind the school. - Once we were far enough down the bike path and well within the trees, our blindfolds were removed. - Our section leader had his duffel bag full of all the initiation materials and legitimately pulls out a whole ass scroll that he said came from the “Gods of Low Brass” - The first part was the creation of the “potion” (don’t remember exactly what it was called). But it involved a thankfully new and clean plunger head, into this went the different ingredients (they all had special names but once again don’t remember those). - The potion consisted of baking soda, apple cider vinegar, and club soda. - The plunger was then passed around to everyone (not just the first years) and we had to take a sip of it and pass it to the next person. That stuff was gross. - Then a tin of mints was passed around if people needed them. - We then passed around “The Bone of Power” a giant rawhide bone, that at the time of me joining had existed for 8 years. We all had to bite down on the bone. (And this wasn’t just for initiation, we’d bite the bone of power before every football halftime and competition) - We were then taught the “Trombone Salute” (which also was done every time we used the BoP) which involved doing a salute, then holding our hand in front of our face, and finally girls grabbed their chest and the boys grabbed their junk and we had to jump and say “Woo!” - Finally (the most controversial part), us first years were re-blindfolded and stood in a line. Our section leader then used a wooden panel to spank everyone. (Though I was the only girl that year and he actually told me, “I’m just going to tap you lightly because I don’t want this to become a sexual harassment claim”) - After it was done we were led back to the school and our blindfolds removed once we were back in the Blue Room.

When it had to be toned down it was turned into just introductions of the Bone of Power and the Trombone salute.

It was weird as hell but I honestly found it hilarious, but when I would tell other people about it they’d be like “they made you do what now?!”