Of the six children in the Santelmann family, Bill was the only one who had inherited the father’s musical talent. Any one of the three daughters could play the piano well enough to accompany them and the whole family enjoyed singing together on their evenings at home. But Bill’s two brothers pooh-poohed the idea of having anything more than that to do with music. However, Bill had loved music since he first heard his father play the violin, and he was always thrilled when he watched him lead the gay Marine Band. Finally, when the boy was six years old, Captain Santelmann gave in to his pleading and bought him a small violin. He at once began to give Bill music lessons and was very proud of his son’s love of practicing and his rapid progress. When Bill entered the McKinley Training High School, he resisted the temptation to try out for any of the athletic teams. Instead he signed up for the orchestra where he was made a welcome member. He also studied at the Washington College of Music from which he was graduated in 1920. Then he left his home and native city to enroll at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. There young Santelmann studied under a staff of famous instructors. Playing in the orchestra, he enjoyed the association with some of the members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra who often played with the Conservatory group in order to gain practice and experience. During the time Bill was in this school he met Margaret Randall, an organ student from Ohio. He knew this was the girl he would marry some day. Although Mr. Santelmann was willing and financially able to pay his son’s expenses at school, William wanted to help out. He did this by teaching at Groton, a well-known school for boys. After his graduation from the Conservatory, William Santelmann returned home to Washington, D. C., where he has lived ever since. “In fact,” he said recently, “we Santelmanns like Washington. My sisters and brothers all live here too.” In September, 1923, he entered the U. S. Marine Band, thereby achieving a boyhood ambition. As all bandsmen were required to play both a band and an orchestra instrument, William chose for his second instrument the euphonium which his father had also played in the same band. William Santelmann progressed from rank to rank until he was the concert master of the symphony orchestra. In 1927 his father retired and Captain Taylor Branson then assumed the leadership with William as second leader. Thirteen years later Captain Branson retired and presented William with the same baton that his father had used.