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People could march with axe handles behind the band.
Each Dorm could dress and march behind with a small Dorm log. Logs carved with the dorm names. Logs could be displayed outside the Stadium (in a safe manner) for the game.
Or one log for the school (dorms rotate carrying the log)and display the log in front of the 12th man statue of the Bonfire Memorial.
awesome idea. i still got an axe handle from old army days, and i still got my pot from freshman year (i'm '03 old army, whoop!).
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Do dorms still have real rivalries? Grode yells? Is the Northside-Southside thing still going? It always made things more fun when you'd hear these crazy goings-on every fall.
nope, they are trying to cut out anything that makes this university unique. we get written up for doing our dorm yell in public, and dorm no longer do dorm spirit banners b/c there is too much red tape to get it hung up (ie, must be completely PC, not offend anyone in anyway, make no mention of stereotypes even if the other team's mascot is an indian, not mention bonfire, etc).
actually, i wrote a letter to the batt concerning this issue, but it never got printed, so i'll put it here:
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Mail Call – September 2, 2003
As a 5th year senior I have frequently heard that the Administration is trying to turn our great school into “just another” college. This week, I learned that our dorm is no longer allowed to perform our dorm yell in public, due to profanity contained within it, and will be “written up” if we do. One RA also indicated to me that I shouldn’t wear my Pot from freshman year or my “PRO BONFIRE” shirt since this was a touchy subject now. As I was lying in bed thinking about this, I finally realized what Bonfire and Dorm Yells are about and what they did for this school.
These Old Army Traditions aren’t about fire, hazing, and profanity. They are about including new people, about making friends, about teamwork and working towards a common goal. Bonfire allowed 8 – 16 hrs of weekend activity, time for Aggies to “break the ice” and truly get to know each other. Events such as Gig ‘Em week and Farmer’s Fight Festival week only serve up one-time, 2 hour functions, a time where people learn the names, majors, and hometowns of fellow Aggies only to go their separate ways and forget the people they just met.
Without more substantial unifying events such as Bonfire, Dorm Yells, and All U-Night (which the University FAILED to promote this year), incoming Aggies have little else to turn to brotherhood other than underage drinking parties, the Greek Life, the Corps, and Fish Camp counseling. Sadly, it seems these are some of the only events left where new Aggies spend enough quality time together to make lasting friendships.
Although in the past I have refuted the claim that A&M is becoming “just another university”, this year I realized I have only been fooling myself.
Mike Shaw
Class of 2003
