The Texas A&M University Aggie Ring is a tradition as revered as the university itself, symbolic of the hard work necessary to attain it and of membership in the Texas A&M family. For more than 100 years, Aggies have worn the distinctive gold bands to symbolize their pride in their alma mater. The shield on top of the ring symbolizes protection of the good reputation of the alma mater, while its 13 stripes represent the 13 original states as a demonstration of Aggies’ intense patriotism and love of country. The five stars in the shield stand for the phases of development of the student: mind or intellect, body, spiritual attainment, emotional poise, and integrity of character. The eagle is symbolic of agility and power, and ability to reach great heights.
Convocation
Texas A&M holds Convocation each fall, on or about the university’s Oct. 4 anniversary, as a time to celebrate the accomplishments of the previous year and discuss its course for the future.
Muster
Reed Arena glows with candlelight during Aggie Muster, held every April 21 as an expression of camaraderie and Aggie Spirit. A “Roll Call for the Absent” honors the memories of Aggies who have died during the previous year. As each name is read, a family member or friend answers “Here” and lights a candle to symbolize the eternal spirit of all Aggies. Aggie Muster became official in 1922, but it has its roots in social gatherings of the late 1800s. Muster gained international fame in 1942 when Gen. George Moore ’08 led 25 men in Muster during the Japanese siege of the Philippine island of Corregidor. Today, more than 400 Musters are held worldwide.
Reed Arena glows with candlelight during Aggie Muster, held every April 21 as an expression of camaraderie and Aggie Spirit. A “Roll Call for the Absent” honors the memories of Aggies who have died during the previous year. As each name is read, a family member or friend answers “Here” and lights a candle to symbolize the eternal spirit of all Aggies. Aggie Muster became official in 1922, but it has its roots in social gatherings of the late 1800s. Muster gained international fame in 1942 when Gen. George Moore ’08 led 25 men in Muster during the Japanese siege of the Philippine island of Corregidor. Today, more than 400 Musters are held worldwide.
Silver Taps
The Silver Taps ceremony, held on the first Tuesday of the month during the Fall and Spring Semesters, pays tribute to any enrolled students who have died since the previous ceremony. The ceremony begins at 10:00 pm as students gather in front of the Academic Building. The first Silver Taps was held in 1898 for Lawrence "Sul" Ross.
http://studentlife.tamu.edu/co/silvertaps.htm
The Silver Taps ceremony, held on the first Tuesday of the month during the Fall and Spring Semesters, pays tribute to any enrolled students who have died since the previous ceremony. The ceremony begins at 10:00 pm as students gather in front of the Academic Building. The first Silver Taps was held in 1898 for Lawrence "Sul" Ross.
http://studentlife.tamu.edu/co/silvertaps.htm
The 12th Man
The Texas A&M student body stands during football games. Ever since student E. King Gill came out of the stands, donned a uniform and stood ready to enter the 1922 Dixie Classic (the forerunner of the Cotton Bowl) if called upon, all Aggie students have stood at games to express their willingness to don a uniform and play for the team should they be needed. On March 1, 1980, the Twelfth Man Statue was dedicated as a gift from the Class of '80. The sculpture is by G. Pat Foley.
The Texas A&M student body stands during football games. Ever since student E. King Gill came out of the stands, donned a uniform and stood ready to enter the 1922 Dixie Classic (the forerunner of the Cotton Bowl) if called upon, all Aggie students have stood at games to express their willingness to don a uniform and play for the team should they be needed. On March 1, 1980, the Twelfth Man Statue was dedicated as a gift from the Class of '80. The sculpture is by G. Pat Foley.
Gig 'em
At a yell practice before the 1930 TCU game, A&M board of regent Pinky Downs '06 shouted, "What are we going to do to those Horned Frogs?" His muse did not fail him as he improvised, borrowing a term from frog hunting. "Gig 'em, Aggies!" he said as he made a fist with his thumb extended straight up. And with that the first hand sign in the Southwest Conference came into being.
Reveille
Reveille, the first lady of Aggieland, is the official mascot of Texas A&M University. She is the highest ranking member of the Corps of Cadets, and she is a Five-Star General.
Reveille I came to Texas A&M in January 1931. A group of cadets hit a small black and white dog on their way back from Navasota. They picked up the dog and brought her back to school so they could care for her. The next morning, when "Reveille" was blown by a bugler, she started barking. She was named after this morning wakeup call. The following football season she was named the official mascot when she led the band onto the field during their half-time performance. When Reveille I died on January 18, 1944, she was given a formal military funeral on the gridiron of Kyle Field. She was then buried at the north entrance to the field, as all Reveilles are, facing the scoreboard so that she can always watch the Aggies outscore their opponent.
Before naming Reveille II, there were several other unofficial mascots, such as Tripod, Spot, and Ranger. It was not until a later Reveille that she was a full-blood Collie. The most current Reveille is Reveille VII who was inducted during Parents Weekend in April 2001. Since that time Reveille VI, her predecessor, has been living in retirement with a local veterinarian.
Reveille is the most revered dog on campus. Company E-2 has the privilege of taking care of Reveille. If she is sleeping on a cadet's bed, that cadet must sleep on the floor. Cadets address Reveille as "Miss Rev, ma'am." If she is in class and barks while the professor is teaching, the class is to be immediately dismissed. Reveille is a highly cherished mascot and receives only the best.
Twelfth ManThe tradition of the Twelfth Man was born on the second of January 1922, when an underdog Aggie team was playing Centre College, then the nation's top ranked team. As the hard fought game wore on, and the Aggies dug deeply into their limited reserves, Coach Dana X. Bible remembered a squad man who was not in uniform. He had been up in the press box helping reporters identify players. His name was E. King Gill, and was a former football player who was only playing basketball. Gill was called from the stands, suited up, and stood ready throughout the rest of the game, which A&M finally won 22-14. When the game ended, E. King Gill was the only man left standing on the sidelines for the Aggies. Gill later said, "I wish I could say that I went in and ran for the winning touchdown, but I did not. I simply stood by in case my team needed me."
This gesture was more than enough for the Aggie Team. Although Gill did not play in the game, he had accepted the call to help his team. He came to be thought of as the Twelfth Man because he stood ready for duty in the event that the eleven men on the gridiron needed assistance. That spirit of readiness for service, desire to support, and enthusiasm helped kindle a flame of devotion among the entire student body; a spirit that has grown vigorously throughout the years. The entire student body at A&M is the Twelfth Man, and they stand during the entire game to show their support. The 12th Man is always in the stands waiting to be called upon if they are needed.
This tradition took on a new look in the 1980's when Coach Jackie Sherrill started the 12th Man Kick-Off Team composed of regular students through open tryouts. This 12th Man team performed very well and held opponents to one of the lowest yards per return averages in the league. Later, Head Coach R.C. Slocum changed the team to allow only one representative of the 12th Man on the kick off team. The 12th Man tradition also took musical form. The 12th Man sings this song after each game in which the Aggies are outscored.
Aggie Bonfire
Starting in 1909 Texas A&M University students worked together each year to build a massive bonfire. This annual tradition continued (except in 1963 when the Bonfire did not burn following the assassination of President Kennedy) and eventually came under the leadership of the Aggie Bonfire Committee until 1999. Bonfire has symbolized the burning desire of Aggies to beat the University of Texas in the annual football game.
Midnight Yell "Farmers Fight!"
Yell Practice began as a post dinner activity in 1913, when different corps companies would gather together to "learn heartily the old time pep." However, it was not until 1931, that Yell Practice as it is known today, was held before the t.u. game. It began, when a group of cadets were gathered in Peanut Owen's dorm room in Puryear Hall. Someone suggested that all of the freshmen should fall out and meet on the steps of the YMCA building at midnight. The cadets notified senior yell leaders Horsefly Berryhill and Two Gun Herman from Sherman, who could not authorize it, but said that they may just show army yells, the singing of the fight song, and tell fables of how the Aggies are going to beat the everlivin' hell out of our opponent for the next day. Lastly, the lights go out, and Aggies kiss their dates. If they don't have a date, all they have to do is flick their Bicks. As the story goes, the flames make it easier for two dateless people to find each other, and maybe they won't be dateless anymore! The purpose of Midnight Yell is to pump up the Twelfth Man for the next day's big game! In September 17, 1999, a new tradition was formed... First Yell (the first Midnight Yell of the school year) brought with it many related activities for everyone on Friday and Saturday including concerts, BBQ, and a Former Yell Leaders Reunion.
Texas Aggie Yell Leaders
Although nationally known for their spirit, the Texas Aggies have no cheerleaders. This is because they have no school cheers. Instead, there are a variety of school yells used by the 12th Man team (the student body) in support of the team on the field or court. Each year 5 students (three seniors and two juniors) are elected by the student body to serve as Yell Leaders.If the Aggies win a home football game, the Fish carry the Yell Leaders across campus and throw them in the Fish Pond. Then a Yell Practice is held. If, rather than win, the Aggies run out of time or are outscored, everyone stays in Kyle Field to sing The Twelfth Man song.
Maroon Out "Aggies bleed deep maroon"
Becoming one of Texas A&M's newest traditions, the 1998 Maroon Out led to a temporary national shortage of maroon t-shirts. 31,000 Maroon Out shirts were sold at low cost to ensure that tens of thousands of Aggies attending the Texas A&M vs. Nebraska football game would create a sea of maroon spirit throughout the stands. Even the Nebraska fans acknowledged after the game that the intensity of the Maroon Out spirit made a difference in the game leading to A&M's 28-21 victory. As The Daily Nebraskan expressed it on October 12, 1998:"A game that was dubbed a 'maroon-out' for Texas A&M fans proved to be a lights out for Nebraska. The fans dressed themselves in maroon T-shirts in an attempt to wash out the red and white that opponents have gotten used to. It worked."
Each year one football game is specially designated for Maroon Out. In the first five years of the Maroon Out tradition, the Fightin' Texas Aggies have overcome all five opponents including four teams that were higher ranked and in the national top 10 at the time. Oct. 10, 1998 | A&M vs. Nebraska (#2) | 28-21 |
Nov. 26, 1999 | A&M vs. Texas (#5) | 20-16 |
Oct. 28, 2000 | A&M vs. Kansas State (#8) | 26-10 |
Sept. 29, 2001 | A&M vs. Notre Dame | 24-3 |
Nov. 9, 2002 | A&M vs. Oklahoma (#1) | 30-26 |
Boot Line
As the Fightin' Texas Aggie Band leaves the field after each home game half-time performance, seniors (giving evidence either by their Senior Boots or Aggie Ring) line up at the north end of Kyle Field to welcome the team back onto the field for the second half.Say "Howdy!"
Aggieland has gained a reputation of being the friendliest campus in the world.
The Big Event
The Big Event is a one-day service project that provides the students of Texas A&M an opportunity to say "thank you" to the local community and residents for all their loyal support. The Big Event originated at Texas A&M in 1982, and has since become the largest, single-day, student run, service project in the nation. From its humble beginnings of six people cleaning a local cemetery, The Big Event has expanded to include over 470 jobs and five thousand students.Aggie Replant
Replant is one of the largest student-run, environmental service projects in the nation. At this event, hundreds of trees are planted each year by thousands of Texas A&M students. They are coming together to make a difference,
one that people for hundreds of years will be able to realize and enjoy.
Our trees are planted at local parks, schools, and other public lands. Some of our trees are donated by the National Tree Trust (between 500-1,000 per year), and others we obtain from the Texas Forest Service. The Replant committee, of the Texas A&M Student Government Association, plans this great event each year. Replant is sponsored by Texas A&M University, the National Tree Trust, and the Army Corps of Engineers at Lake Somerville. Though Replant was started in support of Bonfire, it has since progressed into a tradition of its own that brings people together while improving and giving back to the community. It no longer has any association with Bonfire and does not plant on old Bonfire cut sites. In 1990, Scott Hantman, the Environmental Issues Committee Chair, developed the idea of Replant. In the spring of 1991 he joined up with bonfire leaders to plant 400 trees. Later that year the Traditions Council recognized Replant as an official Aggie Tradition. The number of participants and trees grew for the next few years and the site for planting changed from TMPA in Carlos, Texas to Somerville Lake in Somerville, Texas. The event became so large that in 1994 Replant became a Student Government Committee of its own. In 1997, Replant helped reforest the Clayton Williams oil well site where the land had been destroyed by an explosion in the 1980’s. In 1998, 10,000 seedlings were potted, 2,000 trees were planted, and about 2,700 volunteers were in attendance. These volunteers included A&M students, parents, and youth from local student councils. In 1999, about 300 trees were planted at local elementary schools, parks, and the landfill. It has now grown into one of the largest student run environmental projects in the nation. In 2000 Replant received the Community Forestry Award from the Texas Forest Service. In the fall of 2001, Replant shifted from being a spring event to being a fallevent. Planting the trees in the fall allows the trees to become more acclimated to their new environment before the harsh summer arrives. Student VolunteerismSince its inception, Texas Aggies have demonstrated a strong commitment to serving others within their ranks, as well as throughout their community, state, nation and world. The entire graduating classes of 1941 and 1942 enlisted to help their nation during World War II. Now each spring the Big Event, the largest single-day student-run service project in the nation, is a small reminder of the countless ways thousands of Aggie students give of themselves every day to help others. Texas A&M University's Vision 2020 plan includes as a goal to "attain the highest rate of student participation in volunteer service activities in a national research university." That's not hard to do |
Class Councils
The relationships Aggies develop while at Texas A&M last for a lifetime. Each year as another class graduates, they continue to be joined in friendship with those whom they have shared their Aggie experience.Each graduating class looks forward to an opportunity to give a gift back to their University.
Elephant Walk marks the end of the usefulness of the Aggie seniors to the student body. Like dying elephants, which wander the jungle looking for a place to die after their value to the herd is over, thousands of seniors will join hands and wander aimlessly about campus visiting landmarks for the symbolic "last time." The event occurs annually prior to the last regularly scheduled football game. Seniors meet at Kyle Field for a yell practice and presentations. Afterwards, senior yell leaders and redpots will lead the group through campus. The seniors will stop at Fish Pond, the Lawrence Sullivan Ross Statue, and the Corps Quadrangle for brief yell practices before heading out to the Bonfire site on the Polo Fields. This Aggie tradition is known to underclassmen as "E-Walk" since it is bad for underclassmen to say the word elephant as it is classified as a "senior word."
It all started in 1922. Two Aggie Band Fish from the Class of 1926 wandered out of Kyle Field after the football team was outscored the second time in the first two weeks of the season. They began to play a mournful funeral march. The goal of the march was to break the "jinx" that haunted Aggie football at the time. One by one, others joined the march, creating a long, serpent-like column that wandered throughout the campus. For the rest of the season, the fish continued their walk regardless of whether or not the football team was outscored. After their freshman year, the Class of 1926 discontinued their marches throughout campus.During their senior year, the Class of 1926 decided to give one last Walk to show their spirit for the A&M College of Texas. The other three classes on campus at the time had never seen the ceremony. Led by the same two "Fish", the seniors rested one hand on the shoulder of the Aggie in front of them and walked around campus as they did when they were freshmen, only this time they were wearing their senior boots. The seniors cried as they walked through the campus, remembering good times and bad, buddies for life, and those that had fallen along the way. The Class of 1926 "died" much in the same fashion as elephants do in the wild. Thus, the solemn tradition of Elephant Walk was born.
Junior E-Walk
Begun in 1992, Junior E-Walk coincides with the Senior Elephant Walk tradition. Starting at the Bonfire site, the Junior class celebrates becoming the leaders of the campus. Over the relatively short life span of Junior E-Walk, it has grown to be an anticipated new tradition. Ring Dance
Each year Ring Dance is held for the Senior Class. The name reflects a milestone at the end of the Senior year. Although Seniors have been privileged to wear the cherished Senior Ring ever since they attained 95 credit hours, as of Ring Dance they may wear it differently. Up to this point, Seniors have worn the ring so that it faces them when their hand is palm down with fingers pointed away from them. Ring Dance represents the end of their senior year when they can turn the ring around to be readable by others.
This tradition began with one room of entertainment. Now there are an average of seven rooms of entertainment with a variety of music from swing and big band to piano bar and country western. Senior Boots
Members of the Corps of Cadets look forward to Final Review at the end of their Junior year when they can finally step into their Senior boots which they will continue to wear throughout their senior year.
The making of boots dates back to 1914 when the Corps changed from the West Point style uniforms to the national cadet wardrobe. In 1921 they were made by Jack Alesci at Randolph Army Air Field in San Antonio. In 1925, the English style of boot became the traditional Senior boot that we still see today, and the boot was officially designated as part of the Senior Cadet's uniform. To meet the needs of the Senior Cadets in 1926, Lucchese's in San Antonio started making boots.
The local competition sprang up in 1929. Holick set up his shop off campus in the same location where it is today. In 1932, Holick's price for a pair of boots was around $32.50.
During World War II, boots could not be made due to the rationing of leather. So, incoming Seniors had to buy their boots from former students.
Another change came in 1966 that made the look of each and every Senior more uniform. It was decided that all boots must be of medium brown color. In the year following, for the first time ever, cadets adopted uniform privileges for the next year.
The 1970's brought many changes to the Corps of Cadets. The Seniors were presented another vendor for making their boots, Victor's in Bryan. In 1974, women were allowed to enter into the Corps. But it was not until 1979 that they were able to wear boots. The going rate for a pair of women's boots was $80 in comparison to men's for $300.
Howdy Dance
Hosted by the Senior Class, Howdy Dance is on the first evening of the Fall and Spring semester classes at an off-campus location. It is intended to welcome new students to campus and to provide a social activity for returning students to catch up after a long summer or holiday break. This is a long-standing Aggie Tradition which once provided one of the only organized social activities for students.