The band's modern history began when in 1904, Paul Spotts Emrick, a freshman from Rochester, joined the band. His experience as a conductor resulted in his election as band president and director the next year. During his senior year at Purdue in 1907, the band became the first to break ranks and form a letter on the field—the famous Block "P". In a 1953 interview with the Lafayette Journal & Courier, Emrick recounted seeing geese fly over a lake in the fall, saying "usually, they'd fly in a 'V', but once in a while, they'd change formation and fly in various figures. I used to wonder if you could do that with men drilling." The "Block P" has been performed during each pre-game performance ever since its inception.