The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, April 20, 1978, Image 8

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    Page 8 THE BATTALION
THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 1978
focus
Muster legacy rich; tradition continues
leai
Wartime, ex-cadets
in Muster history
By PAIGE BEASLEY
Battalion Staff
The sound of the “Aggie War
Hymn” was smothered by blasts
from Japanese artillery and the guns
of Corregidor Island in the Phil-
lipines.
Voices roared in the dim recesses
of “The Rock” (Corregidor), as 25
Texas A&M College men met on
April 21, 1942, to answer “here” for
dead classmates and to toast cups of
water to the Texas heroes of the bat
tle that made Texas an independent
Republic.
A radio message sending word that
the Texas A&M Corregidor com
rades were alive and still had the
spirit of San Jacinto brought national
recognition to the Aggie tradition.
The Rock fell to Japan 15 days later,
but the spirit and loyalty of these
Texas Aggies added inspiration and
significance to the annual Muster
tradition.
Corregidor was a loss for America,
but it’s reported that people at home
renewed their confidence by saying,
Although recognition wasn't
gained until 1942, the Aggie
Muster can be traced back to
1883.
“As long as our boys have the cour
age and nerve to hold a college mus
ter in the fall of defeat, we are bound
to win in the long run.”
Although recognition was not
gained until 1942, the Aggie Muster
can be traced to 1883 when “ex
cadets” returned to college during
June for commencement exercises.
A statement of objective for the As
sociation of Ex-Cadets concluded,
“In the reunion we meet and live
over again our college days, the
victories and defeats won and lost
upon drill ground and in classroom.
Let every alumni answer roll call.”
Early mustering of Aggies usually
took place at parties or banquets held
during commencement activities.
These gatherings were used to rec
ognize and honor Aggies who had
died the previous year. The Associa
tion of Ex-Cadets was discontinued a
few years later, but the tradition of
roll call of deceased comrades has
been preserved.
Since its founding, Texas A&M
has observed April 21, commemorat
ing the defeat of Santa Anna’s army
by Sam Houston and his “Army of
the Republic of Texas” on the San
Jacinto battlefield. Houston com
manded about 700 men who were
beaten in all ways but one — the
spirit of freedom. This patriotism
was to be respected forever, as
were the lives of Texas Aggies.
During the 1890s, the Corps of
Cadets visited the San Jacinto
battlefield near Houston on April 21
to participate in sham battles and
When these American fight
ing men sang that Aggie War
Hymn to the accompaniment
of a dam good band. . . . this
war was forgotten — Wick
Fowler, war correspondent.
maneuvers with the Texas National
Guard. A parade down Houston’s
Main Street follwed the event.
In the early 1900s, April 21 was set
aside as a “Track and Field Day” for
competitive athletic events similar to
intramurals.
When the events were cancelled
in 1930, “A determined student
body, 300 strong, marched in or
derly military precision through ‘Old
Main’ and thence to the home of
President David F. Houston, to in
sist upon some observance of the an
niversary of the Battle that won
Texas’ independence,” states an old
list of Aggie traditions found in Uni
versity Archives.
“The campus battle ended in a
draw — the student body returning
to classes after lunch. Those students
vowed then, however, that the
greatest day in Texas history should
never again be forgotten by A&M or
its sons.”
In addition to honoring the free
dom of Texas, Aggies began recog
nizing deceased comrades by an
swering “here” for the absent during
the roll call at April 21 gatherings.
“If there is an A&M man in one
hundred miles of you, you are ex
pected to get together, eat a little,
and live over the days you spent at
the A&M College ofTexas,” directed
the March 1923 edition of the Texas
Aggie. The Association of Former
Students of the A&M College of
Texas, as it was once called, did
much to institutionalize “Muster”
that year.
State and nationwide rallies of
former students provided Aggies an
opportunity to “meet old friends
again and live over the old days at
College Station.” A special program
by the association was broadcast by
the student radio station WTAW.
D.X. Bible, head coach of athletics
addressed the radio audience, ac
companied by Aggie yells from
cadets and a medley of A&M College
songs. Music was furnished by the
“Aggieland Six.”
Wartime reunited Aggies all over
the world, as men from Texas A&M
fought and died on every battlefield
of World War II. Aggies mustered in
the trenches and towns of France,
met in foxholes all over Europe and
gathered at Army posts in America.
In 1944, war correspondent Wick
Fowler wrote: “Those Fighting’
Texas Aggies — well, they swarmed
into Naples (Italy) from miles around
for their annual San Jacinto Day get-
together and 85 Kyle Field-trained
throats turned husky in a hilarious
evening of song, cheering, and re
miniscence.
“The lights in the second-floor ball
room went out, but the situation
didn’t dim the spirit of the celebrants
who ranged in rank from buck pri
vate to Major General. It’s not often
In the early 1900's, April 21
was set aside as a “Track and
Field Day" for competitive
athletic events similar to intra-
murals.
that you see enlisted men and offi
cers with their arms around one
another, but when these American
fighting men sang that Aggie War
Hymn to the accompaniment of a
darn good band from one of the di
visions this war was forgotten,” cor
respondent Fowler concluded.
Two years later, more than 400
former students ofTexas A&M Col
lege stages their annual Aggie Mus
ter at the Special Service Hotel in
Bad Hamburg, Germany.
The event was reported in Stars
and Stripes, the soldiers’ newspaper
in WW II.
“Coming by jeep, train, place,
shank’s mare and practically every
other type of transportation availa
ble, the 400 Aggies came from almost
every zone in Europe where Ameri
can troops were stationed.”
The Aggies “gathered first for a
bull session that reunited numerous
buddies for the first time since the
war had parted them in their classes
at College Station, Texas,” the paper
reported.
And so it has been over the years,
the loyalty and unity ofTexas A&M
University students as expressed at
Muster. Remembering also the
heroes of San Jacinto and the dead
Aggies who established “a tradition
of duty to freedom and duty to home,
which every A&M man preciously
holds,” we may always mark them
“present in our hearts.
Corregidor Island in the Philippines fell to the again four years later to honor those Texas
Japanese in 1942, but that didn’t stop the Ag- A&M comrades who died on Corregidor. Ag
gies. During Japanese bombardment of the gies also mustered in Honolulu, making toasts
island. Aggies read the roll call of the absent to A&M and other WW II heroes,
and sang the Aggie War Hymn. Aggies met Photos courtesy of University Archives
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They came from miles around by jeep, plane, train and other
means of transportation to renew friendship, relive college
days, and recognize those who had lost their lives in the war.
They mustered in Corregidor, Germany, and any placfc there
were Aggies.
Photos courtesy of University Archives
Corregidore survivor to speak
Campus gears up for Muster
In this ceremony we honor the
memory of fellow Texas A<b-M men
and women whose death prevents
their answering Roll Call at this an
nual Muster. The Roll is a symbolic
Roll Call of all students and former
students whom death has taken from
our ranks, but whose memory lives
in our hearts. As each name is
called, a comrade will answer: Here!
— Dr. John Aston, Class of 1906
By MICHELLE SCUDDER
Battalion Staff
Whether the annual April 21
Muster ceremony in 1978 is ob
served by two persons or 2,000, in
Rio de Janerio or College Station,
the history and significance of the
event will be unchanged as Aggies
will meet to answer “Here!” for
their deceased comrades.
The “roll call of the absent” will
be held at 437 Jpcations around the
world, 200 of which are in Texas.
The Ross Volunteers, The Singing
Cadets, and the Silver Taps Buglers
will participate in the campus event
at 5:30 p.m. Friday in G. Rollie
White Coliseum.
Retired Army Col. Thomas
Dooley, Class of 1935, will speak at
the campus Muster. Dooley is a
survivor of the World War II inva
sion of Corregidor Island in the Phil-
lipines and participated in a Muster
there in 1942 led by Gen. George F.
Moore.
“We wanted a speaker who hadn’t
spoken here before and Col. Dooley
was highly recommended by former
students as a candidate for speaker
at campus Muster,” said Joe Mar
shall, student chairman of Muster
committee.
Other students on the program
are Corps Chaplain Randy Seybert,
Troby Hoffacker, Terry Stanislav,
Lisa Swanson, and Joe Reagan, head
yell leader.
Reagan will read the roll call I
students who have died since I
April 21. Eddie Joe Davis, direct^
of management services anl
member of the Brazos County
sociation of Former Students,
read the names of the Aggies froij
the Brazos County area.
“I don’t think I need to urge
one to attend. Muster is not i
type of thing,” Marshall said.
Texas A&M President Jarvis Mil
ler will address the Washing!™
D.C., Muster. He is among?
speakers from the campus, indoj
ing 10 students, who will appear^
off-campus programs.
‘Taps’ ceremony
differs from most
Aggie traditions
By AVA KING
Ihousands of students walk solemnly across the darkened campus. They
gather in silence in front of the Academic Building. Sons and daughters of Old
Ags and first generation Aggies alike come together to pay their final respects
to a fellow Aggie student. Street lights are out.
At 10:15 p.m. the Memorial Student Center bells send the strains ofhymns
out into the quiet night. Ten-thirty comes and the resounding steps of the
Ross Volunteer Firing Squad breaks the silence. The squad marches at a slow
cadence and comes to a halt before the statue of Lawrence Sullivan Ross.
With rifles raised, they fire a 21-gun salute to honor the deceased. The shots
spit fire into the night and the sound echoes off of the surrounding buildings.
Members of the Corps of Cadets out of uniform, are joined by others who
stand at attention as seven buglers play a special arrangement of “Taps” three
times. As the last note fades into the distance, the crowd quietly disperses.
Soon the only reminder of what has taken place are the small clouds of smoke
slowly rising over the center of campus.
The event that has just been described is Silver Taps. It is the final tribute
paid to an Aggie who is enrolled as a student at Texas A&M at the time of
his death.
The first Silver Taps was held in 1890 for Lawrence Sullivan Ross, former
governor ofTexas and former president ofTexas A&M. The ceremony was
held in front of Old Main until that building burned in 1912. It was then
moved to Goodwin Hall. The Academic Building has been the site of Silver
Taps since 1918.
Through the years, new elements have been added to the tradition of
Silver Taps. In the 1920s, the flag at the main flag pole was first flown at
half-mast the day of the ceremony. Two buglers arranged and played the
music “Silver Taps” in the 1930s. From 1955 to 1973, chimes were rung prior
to the ceremony. The use of the chimes was resumed after the renovation of
the Memorial Student Center in 1975.
The name of the deceased Aggie is posted at the base of the flagpole the day
of Silver Taps. Notices of the ceremony are posted at the doors of the library,
the University Center and all dormitories.
Silver Taps is a memorial service for the departed, but it is much more. It is
a chance for those Aggies still living to gather to share with one another the
unity and spirit of Aggieland and to act as one in bidding their comrade
“farewell.”
Films, guides available in Muster kit
The Texas A&M Former Stu
dent’s Association sends a “Muster
kit’ to any former students in
terested in organizing a Muster.
The kit offers suggestions for the
(ceremony but leaves the particulars
up to the club.
The kit offers Muster committees
the opportunity to request faculty,
staff, or students from campus to
speak at their Muster.
The kit also gives Muster commit
tees the chance to order supplies to
assist them in their ceremonies.
Films such as “That Certain Spirit,”
“TAMU Today,” and “Research Im
pact” are free on a reservation basis.
“The Sounds of Muster,” a cas
sette tape featuring The Singing
Cadets and the the Texas Aggie
Band is available for $3. The order
form also includes such availables as
place mats, maroon crepe paper,
ATM stick-on name tags, and
cocktail napkins with block ATM
logos.
The kits includes serveral hints on
having a successful Muster, such as
whom to invite, how to contact all
the former students in the area, how
to publicize the Muster, and what
the program should include.
Enclosed in the kit are two sam
ples of Muster prayers, instructions
for a candlelight service, lyrics of
“The Aggie War Hymn
Spirit of Aggieland” and
Muster Day. Also inclu
Silver Taps poems, Mustei
and The Last Corps f
poem.
In return for the help, 1
Former Student’s Association®
quests a Muster report relatini 1 ^^^
particulars of the ceremony. M
— Michelle Scu$1