As told by Anaheim Legend, JoAn Burdick Gottlieb:
The year was 1950 and I was going to Anaheim High School – The AHS band was set to be the first to open the Halloween Parade and I was excited to be twirling my baton while leading the way. The leader of the Elks Club band asked to speak to me (The Elks Club was known then for having a fabulous band with many adult musicians ) He told me he would like me to lead their band in the parade and I explained my already confirmed obligation with leading the Anaheim High Band.
He thought about it for a moment and then said “Jo, I think we can do this because I’m sure I can get you a ride from the end of the parade back to the beginning again if you are game?” Knowing it was three miles from beginning to end and I was in good shape I agreed.
During this same year I was giving baton lessons to around twenty girls in exchange for dancing lessons from Dorothy Jo Swanson (a well respected dance teacher from Corona del Mar). She called around the same time and asked if I would lead the ” Dorothy and Jo Majorettes” thru the Halloween Parade this year as well!
With many thanks to the Anaheim Police Department who provided the rides from parade end back to parade beginning, I started out leading the amazing Anaheim High Band then got back in the nick of time to the step off with the Elks Club at parade middle. Then with another APD ride assist, I just made it to lead the “Dorothy and Jo Majorettes” marching up the route to end the parade. Both on the second and third times going down the three mile parade route I heard people shouting “Hey Jo didn’t we just see you?” which I thought was quite funny. I think I might be the only person to have marched in the Anaheim Halloween Parade three times in one night.
Editor’s note: What Jo didn’t tell us was that she had also been performing that very same morning at the Hallowen Breakfast. We found evidence of that in the LA Times’ write up of the festivities the following day. Up early for breakfast and down the evening parade route three times in one day…she is truly a hard working legend who loves her hometown.
