The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, November 24, 1998, Image 3

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Page 3A • Tuesday, November 24, 1998
stem schools imitate A&M traditions
ile maintaining unique identity
BY MARIUM MOHIUDDIN
The Battalion
hen stu
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Dance, receiving
ieir Aggie rings, Bon-
ire. Silver Taps, Muster,
tiui Midnight Yell Prac-
ilTaikljle are among the expe-
oUl ' ei "ie/ices defining A&M.
McCabe, a
lessor at Sot
kV. “State a
hey look arc
r states hav
•e not talkii
tate with a
:ate’s sodom fowever, there are other
■Sfsmiools which make up the
''“ihe’SifcM System, each pos-
man whov *po oi cj
mizing
96.
each
its own identity
ind traditions.
Texas A&M University-Kingsville
Texas A&M University-Kingsville joined
the A&M System in 1992 and was origi
nally established in 1925 as Texas A&I Uni
versity. Traditions from A&I carried over
after it became A&M - Kingsville.
Kris Fernandez, president of the Stu
dent Government Association at
Kingsville and a senior biology major,
said many of the school’s traditions stem
from specific instances.
“In 1925, the school captured two javeli-
nas (wild pigs), and in 1929, [one of the wild
pigs] attacked Robert Cousins, the president
of the university,” she said. “The university
was going to get rid of it and find another
mascot, but the Cousins [family] said it
showed the fighting spirit of the school.”
The Javelina, named Porky, goes
around the field when the football team
makes a touchdown.
In 1925, the school colors were es
tablished as blue and gold.TWenty years
after the school was established, the stu
dent government chose “Jalisco” as the
fight song.
Fernandez said since 1931, the activ
ities of homecoming have been the
biggest tradition.
“We have a bonfire, a parade and a de
partment decoration contest,” she said.
“Each homecoming has a theme, and for
the past couple of years, it has been
‘Haunted Halloween.’ We have a barbecue
before bonfire, which is for all the stu
dents, alumni, faculty, staff and parents.”
There is a homecoming court com
prised of a king and queen; a prince and
princess; and a duke and duchess. The
court is elected by the student body.
Fernandez said when it comes to foot
ball games, there are many traditions.
“Since 1956, the ROTC cadets fired a
canon after each touchdown,” she said.
“However, the expense of getting a canon
has made us stop.”
The Texas flag, the United States flag
and flags of other organization's are dis
played at games. Students also run around
the field with the A&M-Kingsville flag.
Fernandez said a new tradition at the
football games deals with a toilet seat.
“It has been around since I have start-
ies until homecoming,” she said. “There
was also a bell the freshman class would
ring after each game that we won, but
now it is clapless.
“Lantana is the university flower, and for
40 years there was a celebration held. So,
ed going to school,” she said. “A spirit guy
wears a toilet seat and lid that is painted
blue and gold with ‘Go Hogs’ written on
it. He runs around the track and gets the
crowd really pumped up.”
Fernandez said many of the traditions
have faded away, but the university is try
ing to bring them back.
“A tradition we had a long time ago was
that the freshman class had to wear bean-
we are going to bring this back by having a
Lantana dance. Starting in February, we are
going to have one A&M - Kingsville ring.
We are working on presenting the rings to
seniors at homecoming and having them
walk to the bonfire together. ”
Prairie View A&M
Prairie View, A&M’s sister school, was
founded at the same time as A&M —
March 1876, but at the time, it was estab
lished under the Jim Crow “separate-but-
equal” law. In its first year, the school had
an enrollment of eight students.
Brian Dickens, director of student ac
tivities at Prairie View, said the universi
ties are both under the System but are
completely different.
“Each university is unique,” he said.
“We have our own mascot, traditions,
and heritage.
“Among our traditions are commence
ment, Honor Week, Annual Convocation,
homecoming game, Open House,
Founder’s Day and Pig Skin Review, which
is a homecoming concert.”
Dickens said Honor’s Week highlights
the honor roll and showcases the students
in an honor’s convocation. Founder’s Day
is a historical event at which students take
the time to reflect upon the past and look
forward to the future
The school colors are royal and gold,
and the alma matter is “Dear Prairie
View. ” Dickens said students point toward
the heavens when saying the alma matter,
because the heavens are the highest rank.
The fight* song is “Cheer for Prairie
View,” which is sung after each touch
down, and the spirit song is “Something
Inside So Strong. ”
The newspaper is the Prairie View Pan
thers and the yearbook is the Pantherland.
Dickens said the university’s nickname
is “da’ hill” because it sits at the highest
point in Prairie View, and everything else
slopes down from the school.
Dickens said the school motto is the one
tradition held close to each student’s heart.
“Our motto is ‘Prairie View Produces
Productive People,”’ he said. “This is spe
cial to students because Prairie View is the
plight of minorities. We strive to go.the ex
tra mile and to be productive citizens be
cause anything less is not tolerated.”
see Traditions on Page 5.
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