People
Homecoming Surprise: The Debut of the "MMA March"
By LAURIE SToNE, EDIToR
AlbertB.BennettJr.'54was"intrigued
by the prospects of writing a song for the
Academy, but there were too many other
things to do, like passing the Coast Guard engi-
neering exams and finding a job shipping out."
He found that he had more time than expected
when at sea and so wrote his first version of the
"MMA March" in 1955 over a period of months.
Without any musical instruments aboard the T-2
tanker-oil carrier on which he was first employed,
Bennett hummed the notes to himself to create
the song. Words were added and then several
revisions of the march and words were produced.
In 1989, a piano teacher played the march
on her piano and Bennett recorded it on a
cassette tape. In 2003, a University of New
Hampshire professor played the "MMA
March" again so Bennett could make a new
President Brennan, Commandant Gandy, and Albert Bennett, Jr '54 on September 19, 2015. Bennett was a member of the
recording, and he sent the sheet music with
band in the 1950s. Photo by Tony Llerena Photography.
the two piano versions to the Academy.
Ten years later it occurred to Bennett that
be played official y for the first time in MMA
where he stood with President Brennan and
the "MMA March" was better suited to a
history at the Homecoming March on before
Commandant Gandy while the "MMA March"
marching band so, together with a University
the footbal game on Saturday, September 19,
was played before the Regiment of Midship-
of New Hampshire undergraduate, he ar-
2015. Bennett and his wife, Jane, made quick
men, the two teams, and the spectators. Ben-
ranged his march for a marching band. He and
arrangements for a ride over to Castine from
nett was then presented with a MMA Band
Trevor Frost, his undergraduate, recorded the
Durham, New Hampshire.
lapel pin, and the regimental band's challenge
new arrangement onto a CD and sent it along
They were met by Mariner editor Laurie
coin.
with the sheet music to Dr. William Brennan,
Stone and her husband Jim who took them
Albert Bennett's gift to MMA wil be a
President of Maine Maritime Academy, who
to the footbal field where they met President
musical tradition for generations to come, and
accepted the "MMA March" on behalf of the
Brennan and Alumni Relations Director Paul
he wil be known for for creating march music
Academy.
Mercer '73. Between Friday morning and
for the regimental band at Maine Maritime
Benjamin Stevens '16, MMA Bandmaster,
Saturday noon, Commandant Nate Gandy
Academy.
was given copies of the music and decided
'92, Paul Mercer, Associate of Alumni Affairs
Editor's Note: Nutting Memorial Library has
to work with the band to master the music
Alyssa Allen, and President Brennan planned
two copies of the sheet music as wel as two
for Homecoming, only two weeks away! one
the first-ever performance of the "MMA
CD recordings of the Maine Maritime
day before Homecoming, he called Bennett
March" with a ceremony to honor Bennett.
Academy march.
to let him know the "MMA March" would
Bennett was called to the 50-yard line
AUDETTE PUBLISHES 2ND NOVEL
PriscilaAudette,adjunctlecturerinthe mostintensetwoyearsofmylifeandIlearned
Arts & Sciences Department, published
so much. I learned how the system treats the
with Sunstone Press her second novel:
elderly, but more than that I learned how pre-
Court Appointed. Court Appointed is a series
cious these people are. How a culture treats its
of vignettes of elderly people as they helplessly
elderly says a lot about that culture. And that's
and ultimately ineffectively struggle against
the heart and soul of what this book is about."
the intrusion of a court-appointed guardian
(Reprinted with permission of the author
who has taken over their lives.
from www.priscil aaudette.com)
Audette, who worked in the industry for
a little over two years, said, "They were the
20
MARINER / 2015 - ISSUE 3

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