Aggie Traditions

Goodbye to texas university,
so long to the orange and the white;
Good luck to dear old Texas Aggies,
they are the ones who show the real old fight
The Eyes of Texas Are Upon You,
That is the song they sing so well (sounds like hell!)
So, Goodbye to texas unviversity,
We're gonna beat you all to
chigaroo-garem, chigaroo-garem,
rough stuff, real stuff, Texas A&M!

Saw varsity's horns off, saw varsity's horns off,
saw varsity's horns off,
SHORT!!!
Varsity's horns are sawed off, varsity's horns are sawed off, varsity's horns are sawed off,
SHORT!!

Reveille, Texas A&M's mascot, is presently number six. She was born on September 3, 1993, and was selected after Reveille V retired on November 13, 1993. Reveille V is enjoying her retirement in College Station, Tx. Texas A&M's mascots have not always been registered collies; Reveille I was a stray. On their way home from a trip to Navasota in 1931, a group of students hit a small black and white dog. They immediately picked up the injured dog and brought her back to school to care for her. The next morning, when the bugler played Reveille, the dog howled and barked....and the Aggies immediately christened her with her name. In time, Reveille adopted the cadets and they adopted her, and after a crowd-pleasing performance with the Band at a football game, she was named the Official Mascot of the College. When Reveille I died in 1944, she was given a formal military funeral at the center of Kyle Field and then buried at the entrance to the field. Reveille II, Reveille III, and Reveille IV are buried beside her...so that they can always watch their Aggies outscore their opponent on the field.

What began as a casual custom of gathering junk and scrap wood has turned into the tradtion of building and burning the world's largest bonfire. Since the 1920's, bonfire has evolved into an exciting and eagerly anticipated tradition at Texas A&M. It symbolizes the undying love for Texas A&M that Aggies hold in their hearts. Bonfire is lit just prior to the annual football game with Texas, for Bonfire also stands for the burning desire that Aggies have to "beat the hell out of t.u.!" (t.u. is the abbreviation for university of texas, that school in Austin). Aggie Bonfire is a testament to what Aggie teamwork and motivation can accomplish: thousands of students put countless hours of hard work into its construction, cutting down several thousand trees, transporting them back to campus, and stacking them end on end.

On January 2, 1922, Texas A&M played the national champions, Centre College, in the Dixie Classic Football Game in Dallas. At halftime, Texas A&M was ahead, but the game had produced so many injuries A&M coach Dana Bible did not think that he would have enough men to finish the game. He then remembered E. King Gill, a former football player and current basketball player, and called into the stands for him. Gill willingly volunteered and donned the uniform of an injured player. Gill never actually played, but he was the only player left on the bench when the game ended. Texas A&M won by an eight point margin: 23-14. Gill's readiness to play symbolized the willingness of the Aggie fans to support their team. That readiness for service, desire to support, and enthusiasm to help kindled a flame of devotion among the entire student body. The entire students body stands throughout the game, ready for duty if called. All Aggies are considered part of the Twelfth Man.

Muster began in June of 1883 as members of the Ex-Cadets Association came together to "live over again our college days, the victories and defeats won and lost upon drill ground and classroom" and to "let every alumni answer a roll call." In 1922, April 21st became a formalized day of events for all A&M clubs to celebrate San Jacinto Day in the same fashion. Since then, events that occurred on April 32st have grown in size and number. Muster gained national recognition in 1942 when newspapers reported that a Muster ceremony was held by 24 Aggies on the island of Corregidor in the Philippines just days before the land fell to the Japanese. Throughout WWII, there were reports of Aggies coming together from across the globe. Two men were said to have held Muster in a submarine. Accounts such as these inspired Aggies to establish annual Musters around the world and to inaugurate the first campus Muster ceremony in 1944. Today Aggie Muster is celebrated in more than 400 places world-wide. The ceremony brings together more Aggies and friends of Aggies on one occasion than at any other university in the world. Students coordinate the Campus Muster held for students, faculty and alumni of the Brazos Valley. Each year Muster is dedicated to the fifty-year reunion class. The Campus Muster involves a day of activities for students of past and present. Alumni enjoy a special program including personalized tours of the ever-changing but historic campus. At noon, all Aggies convrege at the Academic Plaza to enjoy food, friendship and entertainment with a barbecue reminiscent of the early years at Texas A&M. The day closes with the Roll Call for the Absent ceremony, when over eight thousand people come together to honor and remember those who are no longer with us. Following the Singing Cadets, Aggie Band and Muster speaker, lights are dimmed and the roll call is called for Aggies who are no longer with us. As each name is called, a candle is lit and a friend or family member answers "here" to remind us all that each Aggie, though no longer present in body, will always remain with us in spirit..... Muster will continue to serve as the foundation of Aggie Spirit, upholding those ideals and principles common to all students of Texas A&M, common to all Aggies, forever.