Instructions for the Grand Assize

Dear Serjeant:

The Judge has established the following procedures for both Friday and Saturday night at the Grand Assize. (See the end note for additional instructions beyond what follows.)

The cocktail hour will begin at 6:00 p.m. on Friday evening and 6:15 p.m. on Saturday evening.
The end of the cocktail hour and the beginning of the dinner will be announced by three Trumpet calls to dinner.
The Trumpet calls will occur at five-minute intervals, with the third Trumpet call at 6:55 p.m. on Friday and 7:15 p.m. on Saturday.

Promptly upon the third Trumpet call to dinner, please escort or direct your guests to their seats. Thereafter, please immediately assemble at the locations described below.

After all of the guests have entered the Ballroom and appear to have located their seats, the trombonists will take their position on either side of the center isle in front of the stage. The Dinner Chairman will stand on the stage, and at his signal, there will be a drum roll. The Dinner Chairman will request the guests to be seated.

COURT AND SERJEANTS' ENTRY

The Bailiff, the Clerk, the Master of the Rolls and the Judge will gather near the entrance of the dressing room area. Behind the Judge, the Linnets (led by the Chief Linnet) will form in two lines extending back into the dressing room area. The neophytes will march at the end of the line. The Chief Linnet will be responsible for assembling and keeping the Serjeants quiet and in pairs pending their entrance into the Ballroom. He will lead the singing of the Welcome Song.

Serjeants who have been awarded the Silver/Ruby/Gold/Diamond Chevron will assemble in the cocktail room and enter from the left and right side of the Judge's Bench (as Group A and Group B) as described on the attached sheet in order of seniority.

Upon the signal from the Chairman of the Dinner Committee, the trombones will sound separately for the entrance of

The Serjeants will march into the Ballroom in pairs, turning right into the main aisle up to the Judge's Bench and will turn and face each other. After singing the Welcome Song, the Serjeants will face the flag (on a stand adjacent to the Judge's Bench) and sing the Star Spangled Banner.

At the request of the Judge, the Bailiff will open the Court, and the Grand Assize will be underway.

CLOSING OF THE COURT

After dinner each night, all robes must be returned to the racks in the cocktail room from which they were obtained.

The cocktail room will be open for the Serjeants and their guests after the closing of the Court on Saturday with refreshments being available.

BY ORDER OF THE COURT

SUSAN STEVENS JAROS
CLERK

Judge's Bench
Group A
Sjt. Besse
Sjt. Clarke
Sjt. Newell
Sjt. Gherlein
Sjt. Kelley
Sjt. Lewis
Sjt. Falsgraf
Sjt. Renkert
Sjt. Larson
Sjt. Sullivan
Sjt. Hansell
Sjt. Kidder
Sjt. Brown
Sjt. Madsen 		  Group B
Sjt. Dougan
Sjt. Quintrell
Sjt. Coughlin
Sjt. T. Mulligan
Sjt. Pogue
Sjt. J. Smith
Sjt. Burton
Sjt. Naylor
Sjt. Paisley
Sjt. Schnell
Sjt. Driggs
Sjt. Hamilton
Sjt.E. McKay
Sjt. Quigley
Please feel free to line up in the correct order within your group.
NOTE FOR ALL:
Before you even enter the Ballroom, locate your seat and your guest seats in the outer hall. Then enter the Ballroom for cocktails. Then get your robe. Your time to report to your skit will be attached to your robe, which you will put on immediately upon entering the cocktail hour Friday and Saturday. Your time to report Backstage will be slightly later on Saturday than Friday. You have to obey it. If you are in the quick opener and perhaps the first skit, you may not be able to march depending upon the time stated on your robe. Use common sense. If you have already been made up and are in costume, you clearly cannot march, if to do so, would give away your part or role or jeopardize the timing of the skit. There is food back stage, so you won't miss any portion of the meal. Obviously, therefore, there is no reason to be late reporting. If you are late, you will mess up the timing and, therefore, mess up the show.