South Belt Houston Digital History Archive: Winter 1983, Bill Brawn leaves Dobie

Brawn to leave Dobie after 15 years of service

Dobie High School band director, Billy D. Brawn is leaving Dobie after 15 years of service to take over as band director of Brazoswood High School in Clute.

Brawn, a Sagemont Park resident, is an original Dobie faculty member and has mixed emotions about leaving the school.

"I am looking forward to the new position, but there are so many kids that I feel belong to my family. I just want to pack them up and take them with me," Brawn said.

The director started the band in 1968 with 64 students; 32 freshmen and no seniors. The band has grown to 185 students and has earned many honors through the years.

According to Brawn, the three outstanding honors are the trip to Washington D.C. as part of the Explorers Scouts National Convention in 1973 where they played a concert on the capitol steps, winning the Blue Ribbon Battle of the Bands contest in 1979 and being chosen as region representative in the State UIL Marching Contest in 1981.

It is difficult to pick out certain honors because we have had a lot of hard-working people, and very fine bands through the years," Brawn said.

Brawn graduated in 1952 from Robert E. Lee High School in Baytown, where he was a trombone player in the marching and concert bands. Brawn attained his bachelor of science with a music major from Sam Houston State University in 1957, where he was active in the marching, concert and jazz bands.

He also attained his principal certificate and his master of education degree from Sam Houston in 1969.

Brawn's final day as band director at Dobie will be Friday, and he will begin his new position on Monday, Jan. 17.

"The whole tenure at Dobie has been a very pleasant memory," Brawn said, "the community has been very supportive and I appreciate it."

Here is Mr. Brawn from the 1969 Yearbook