The heart of the Legend of Reveille I is that the original Rev was not chosen by a committee or the student body to be a mascot. In the 1930s, just like today, agreement of a majority on a particular canine breed or appearance or attitude would be impossible. The secret of Reveille I is that she chose the Corps.
From all we know about the original Rev, she alone had the attitude, personality, vitality, and an apparent instantaneous love for everything Aggie that appealed to every student in those Depression era days on the A&M campus. Most of those students then cam from rural backgrounds and probably none had ever seen a pedigreed dog ... Rev probably had the personal qualities of their own pup back home.
Reveille I spent 14 years of her life on campus. University Archives has no photos of Rev in her younger years to permit us to judge how she interacted with the student body. The photos I have seen are in the later years of her life when she had put on weight and her muzzle was white with age. We can only imagine, by thinking back on favorite pets of our own, how playful, demanding, friendly, mischievious, charming and street-smart that little black dog must have been to win by personality alone the hearts of the entire A&M College community.
Reveille I must have been a gifted animal of special appeal to inspire Dr. John Ashston, Class of '06 and member of the faculty, to write this poem on the occasion of her death on January 18, 1945.
Goodbye, Reveille
When "dress parade" once more rolls round
And grass grows green o'er tiny mound,
We'll think of one we'll ne'er more see:
Our darling little Reveille!
Ancestral claims she boasted not:
Poor mongrel waif -- such was her lot.
But campus days were all serene
When homeless pup became a "queen."
In doggie language, plain as day,
Rev warned all canines: "Keep away,
This is my show, I'll search no more;
No other dog shall lead this Corps!"
So when the band struck up an air
We always knew that Rev was there,
For, sure enough, her bark of glee
As good as meant "Just look at me!"
No wonder, then, drum majors said:
"The public watches her instead!
Hows can we strut our stuff with pride
If Rev steps out and acts as guide?"
But best of all, at football game,
When thousands saw her bid for fame,
Rev played big role and did it well:
O how we miss her none can tell.
She pranced and capered, yelped with joy
No lady-dog e'er looked so coy.
Her funny antics, born of zeal,
Won hosts of friends thru sheer appeal.
To Rev all Aggies smelled the same,
Whate'er their rank or whence they came;
She loved them all with equal zest;
They honored her as welcome guest.
But now she's crossed on Charon's barge,
No more we hear her bark at large.
Her work is done, now let her rest:
If dogs have souls may hers be blest!
There will never be another mascot of any specie or breed that can ever replace Reveille I.
I have no problem with the administration's selection of an attractive canine breed to be their corporate symbol. I see no reason to consider a change from what we now have.