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Sakonnet Times January 24, 2013 Page 3The Portsmouth High School marching band poses for a group photo before Monday's parade.PHOTOS BY MATT WILKINSONPHS Marching Band performs ‘Grand Old Flag’ for ObamaFrom Page 1in the 1981 procession.Kyle Wentzel, a junior with theband, said it was exciting to catcha glimpse of the president.“It was kind of cool watchinghim as we went by,” said Kyle,relaxing in a hotel room a fewhours after the parade. “He waswaving and he seemed to be reallyenjoying himself.”In 1981, television coveragebroke away from the PHS bandto focus on developing newsregarding the Iran hostage crisis.This time around, however, relativesand friends back home hadplenty of opportunities to watchstudents march.Although CNN broke to a commercialright before the bandmade its appearance, a smallervideo feed was used in the topleft-hand corner of the screen. C-SPAN featured the band’sappearance uninterrupted, andthe parade was also streamedlive over the internet on severalwebsites.For the PHS band, there was alot of “hurry up and wait” onMonday.“The kids started their day at11:30 at the Pentagon, where wewent through a thorough securitycheck and received our individualcredentials that allowed us accessto the parade route. They steppedoff to join the parade around 4p.m. at the Capitol building,” saidPHS Principal Bob Littlefield in ane-mailed message to parents. Mr.The PHS band marches past the presidential reviewing stand in President Barack Obama's inaugural parade Monday evening.Littlefield marched alongside thePHS musicians, color guard anddance team.“It was longer (of a wait) than Ithought it would be, but it wasn’tthat cold,” said Kyle, adding thatthe parade itself was only about amile and a half long.The band left late Sunday morningfor the nine-hour bus ride toD.C. and is expected to return toPortsmouth Tuesday evening. Itwas a bare-bones trip with littletime for sightseeing.“We drove by some monuments,but that was it. It’s reallythe only downside,” said Kyle.Of course, taking in the sightspales in comparison to marchingfor a president.“I cannot imagine a proudermoment as a principal than to seethe president and vice presidentof the United States on their feet,clapping in time to the music performedby our students,” said Mr.Littlefield. “Thanks to all themembers of our community whosupported this effort. Your kidsmade Portsmouth proud today.”Kyle said his fellow students certainlyappreciated the magnitudeof the event.“It’s definitely something thatwe’ll remember for the rest of ourlives,” he said.SAKONNET TIMES(USPS #477-340)1 Bradford St, Bristol245-6000 • 253-6055 (fax)Mailing address: P.O. Box 90, Bristol, RI 02809Published continuously since 1967.A weekly publication of East Bay Newspapers,1 Bradford St., Bristol, R.I. 02809POSTMASTER send address changes to:Sakonnet Times, 1 Bradford St., Bristol, R.I. 02809For news contact:Bruce Burdett, Editor424-9120sakonnet@eastbaynewspapers.comTom Dalglish, Tiverton/Little Compton Reporter424-9125tdalglish@eastbaynewspapers.comHow to reach usFor advertising information contact:Marsha J. LaPointe,Advertising Representative424-9119mlapointe@eastbaynewspapers.comSusan Duca, Advertising Representative424-9126sduca@eastbaynewspapers.comFor classified information contact:253-1000 or 800-382-8477 (MA)classifieds@eastbaynewspapers.comFor subscription or newsstandinformation contact:Circulation Department253-6000, ext. 131subscriptions@eastbaynewspapers.comnewsstands@eastbaynewspapers.comMatthew Hayes, Publisher424-9140mhayes@eastbaynewspapers.comNews deadline ..... noon TuesdayAdvertising deadline ..... noon TuesdayIndexAround Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9At the Libraries . . . . . . . . . . .12At the Schools . . . . . . . . . . . .13Births . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12Legals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15Obituaries . . . . . . . . . . . . .15-16Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6Police Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8Religion News . . . . . . . . . . . .10Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14