CITE 18 Spring I 8 3 1 II
l Ins drawing Is best understood .is a cognitive map. Common maps, T | as society constructs t h e m , select certain physical features of a locale — roads, buildings, streams — and record their spatial relationships in terms of lin- ear distance, capturing a w o r l d by minia- turization and reduction. Such maps are SUSpCCI because they require selectivity about what gets included and what gels left out. W h o decides? The mapped size, shape, and elements of Uryan-vaillege Sta- tion are determined, no d o u b t , by agencies using accepted engineering practices. Such maps, however, ignore the three-dimen- sional qualitative knowledge by which Aggies guide themselves through their life- world. C u l t u r a l geographers make a dis- tinction between the abstract knowledge o f engineers (space) and the cognitive knowledge of residents (place). Shon I ink's cognitive map attempts to represent the knowledge of rile l c \ a s A i x M campus and College Station that is constructed in the process nt becoming an Aggie, Link interviewed lesas \tfc M undergraduates and a l u m n i and consulted several histories that document the relationship between events and places. The result is a map of shared experience. Steven A. Moure
Aggie Bonfire, to. I97S.
THE SACRED PATHS AND PLACES CITE 41 Spring 1 9 9 8 19
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^ TTTmi 1&3 imnm zca £=« Or r ") » too' HI m OF A G G I E L A N D ?.o SHON L I N K CITE 20 S M i it j I B M iE O All U Night: Freshmen at Texas A & M are called Fish. Dun Q Final Review: Simpson Drill Field, the original football field, the summer before their first year. Fish go to Fish Camp to f has become significant as the site of the Corps of Cadets Final meet each other and learn lore and yells, Fish ( a m p is held Review. On the day of Final Review, just before gradua- not on campus bur at various Texas campsites and tion in the late spring, the Corps has two parades. ranches. Al the beginning of the tall semester. Fish The first includes all Corps members. During the assemble in the G. Rollie White C nliscum for All second parade, the junior Corps of Cadets mem- U Night. The football team is introduced, and bers ceremoniously take the place of the senior yells are rehearsed. This is the on-eampus intro- members. The Final Review is an emotional ritual, duction to Aggie tradition for freshmen, who where the seniors bid farewell to the Corps and to arrive .11 the e\cilt .Is individuals and depart BtS Texas A & M . members of the Texas Aggie Twelfth Man. Q Polishing Sully: The tenure ol Sul Ross, former governor of Ft \.is, is president • •! the iinivcrsin from I Sl> I to IX9N O Kyle Field: Much of the Aggie experience is linked to Kyle Field, where A & M football was a particularly significant tune in the history ol games are played. Tor Aggies the game itself is far less important than the spirit, dedica- Texas \ , \ \l Ross brought credibility and tion, and tradition ol the Twelfth Man. On |.inu.ir> 2. Iv '2i. during a Texas A & M foot- respectability to the university and successfully ball game, the Aggies suffered a series of injuries that left their ability to field a complete strengthened Texas A & M ' s position as a state team in question. Aggie coach I). X. Bible remembered that lie had one player in rhe university. A statue of "Sully" stands oil the west stands. Coach bible walked over and summoned F. King Gill to the sidelines. Gill never side of the Academic Building. In 1933 two fresh- hesitated; he suited up and stood read) to play I Ins point in Aggie history defined the man cadets were ordered by upperclassmen to polish Aggie student hod\ as the Twelfth Man. To this day, a member of the student body suits the statue with rags and brass cleaner. To this d.w. up wearing jersey number 11 and participates as a member of the Aggie kickoff coverage Corps underclassmen symbolical!) pay homage to "Sully" nun. More significantly, the student hod> stands throughout the lootball game, dis by polishing his statue. playing rhe loyalty, respect, and readiness to support the team that K. King Gill did over 75 years ago. Q I he Aggie Ring: The t layton Williams Alumni Center is "The collective Twelfth Man does not cheer. Instead, Aggie alumni and where Aggies go to pick up their college rings. The Aggie ,- friends yell according to scripted hand signals from the Yell Leaders [elsewhere Ring is an icon that reminds the wearer of personal and nV / called cheerleaders). Some yells require the Twelfth Man to Hump It (placing collective experiences at Texas A & M . The Aggie Ring is your hands on your knees, squatting, and vocalizing an Aggie yell), Rut nothing also a sign that allows Aggies to identify each other compares to the Texas Aggie Fight Song. At the crescendo of the song. Aggies join outside Aggieland. arms over shoulders and sway left-to-right while singing "Saw Varsity's Horns Off!" The night before home games, the Twelfth Man assembles at Kyle Field for Midnight individual parts of the ring provide distinct symbolic Yell Practice (elsewhere, a pep rally). The lights at Kyle Field are turned off and, once the meanings. The shield 011 top represents the desire to uphold yells have been rehearsed, the Yell Leaders relate how the Aggies are going to beat the hell the reputation of the university. The 1 < stripes represent the oiitt.i the next day's opponent. 13 original states and the intense patriotism ol Aggies. The five stars in the shield refer to the five phases The Midnight Yell Practice and Twelfth Man rituals are not confined, however, to Kyle of student development: mind, body, spirit, emo- Field. I remember my fust Yell Practice; it was in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The Aggies were tional poise, ami integrity. The eagle represents in town to play Louisiana State University, and thousands of Aggies had assembled on the power and the ability to reach great heights. On steps of the Louisiana State Capitol tor Midnight Yell Practice. Nh steplather, an Aggie, the side ol the ring, the seal ol Texas slums loyal- took me. At the time, I found a lot of humor in the body language and verbiage of the ty to the state. File live oak represents the strength yells, but I was awed when we all locked arms and sang the Texas Aggie Fight Song. Even to fight. The star surrounded by olive leaves signifies a a child could recognize the collective spirit as extraordinary. Kyle Field is ati associative desire for peace. The crossed flags again represent allegiance mechanism dial reminds Aggies of their ASoM experiences. The steps of the Louisiana to nation and stare. File cannon, saber, and rifle signify a State Capitol hold an equal place in my memory, but few people in Baton Rouge accept ready willingness to defend. their capital as a piece of Aggieland. 1 he traditional celebration of achieving an Aggie Ring occurs at Ring Dance. When one receives his or her Aggie Ring as a junior, it is placed on the finger with the class num- ber facing the wearer. After graduation, the ring is turned so Q Memorial Student Center (MSC): Aggies are aware and respectful of that the number faces outward, symbolizing the readiness of the significant contribution that fellow Aggies have provided in serv- the graduate to face the world. ing this country. The Memorial Student Center was dedicated to the 91 K Aggies who died in World War I I . The MSC also houses a plaque honoring 104 Aggies who stood in defense Q Ring Dunking; The Chicken and Duddlcy's are both bars in of Bataan and Corregidor (December H, 1941 to May 6, the Northgare Shopping t enter. Some saj more beer is con- -V-nJ)">, I''42). Now the MSC stands for all Aggie veterans. I or sumed m the I hickeii than in any bar in the world. Aggies Aggies, entering the MSC is like entering a sacred domain, go to these places to play dominoes (Aggies love t ertain behaviors are enforced there as a matter of respect: dominoes) and to perform the Ring Dunking ritual. no hats are worn, and the surrounding lawn is of! limits. If Once an Aggie has earned an Aggie Ring, it is tra- either of these codes is broken, there is always someone around to cor- ditional to place the ring in the bottom of a pitch- rect the inappropriate behavior. The MSC remains a poignant symbol er of beer and then consume the beer at a rapid of the war experience and sacrifices of fellow Aggies. pace — or Ring Dunk. CITE 41 Spring 1 1 9 ! 21 mmm i i— Q 1'rcxy's Moon: Prcxy is tlit- nickname given ^ Train Rides: The railroad station originally ( 0 Muster: Every April 21 (the anniversary of in tin- president of the university, and labeled "College" was the stop on the pri- Sam I louston's victory at San Jacinto over Ptexy's Moon is the light on the mary source of transportation to and from Santa Anna), Aggies, wherever they may he, dome of the Academic Building. the university in the early years. The gather to honor rheir fellows who In a discontinued Inn not for- experience of riding a train with have died during the past year. gotten tradition, cadets used to hundreds of other Aggies must Muster begins with a roll call regularly shoot OIII Proxy's have been interesting. Accord- for the absent, during which Moon with their Corps rifles. ing to Amtrak, the last train .1 Iriend or family member stopped in College Station in answers "Here" when the November IWft. name of their deceased Aggie ^Silver Taps: The ceremony honoring deceased is called. This signifies that the Aggies. On the first Tuesday of each month Aggie spirit endures, even after the names of those to he remembered at Silver death. Candles are lit for each of the laps are placed at the base of the flag- honored dead, and on campus, a firing pole in front ol the Academic squad gives a 21-gun salute, and buglers ^ ) The Wedding Tree: The Wedding Tree, or building. Ai 10 p.m. students play Silver Taps three times. gather at the flagpole with ( i'ntiii i Iree, is .1 giant, sprawling friends and relatives of those live oak near the Academic Build- ing. It is Aggie tradition to pro- who have died recently. All ( P Bonfire: Members of the student body pose marriage beneath the lights are mil, and the carillon spend three months building the bonfire. canopy of the Wedding lice. in the Albritton bell lower The original fire stack was a relatively short plays. The Ross hiring Scjuad pile of haphazardly assembled wood, but delivers three volleys, then buglers today Aggie students rise at dawn to cut play ,S';/ivr 7J/JS from the dome of the Acade- logs of precise measurements. After the logs mic building. All present leave silently as the have been transported to the bonfire field, firing squad marches in and gives a 21-gun ( ^ I ish Pond: Fish Pond is located across from students gather for the ceremonial salute, and Sileer Taps is played once more. Sbisa Dining Hall. After Aggie football raising of the Center Pole. Then victories, freshmen in the Corps of they work around the clock Cadets capture the Yell Leaders © Albritton Chimes: Albritton Bell Tower carefully aligning and stacking from the field, haul them over to marks the west gate entrance to the campus. logs as high as 60 feet off the the l-'ish Pond, and toss them in. The lower houses a 49-bcll carillon. ground. The Bonfire is finally It is also tradition for seniors to The bells ring distinct tunes for prepared lor the evening prior to march through the hish Pond y^\ significant Aggie events such as the t, u. (University of "Texas) foot- during Elephant Walk (see below). ball game. "The ceremony begins as students Silver Taps, Commissioning, Mil- march in behind the band. Around 60,01)0 itary Review, and Graduation. Aggies assemble annually for bonhre. Senior All Aggies within earshot of the football players are introduced, the head iell lower can identify the occasion coach makes a speech, anil then the Yell by the melody ol the chimes, (|) March to the Brazos: A while back it wis (Q March In: This ceremonial parade, consisting of believed that a couple of Corps members ^ Hlephant Walk: A ritual performed by Aggie the Corps of Cadets and the Fightin' Texas Aggie were responsible for several explosions seniors during the week before the t. 11. foot- Marching band, begins at the Quad and ends at on campus. Corps superiors con- ball game. After gathering in from of Kyle Field. March In precedes all home football 4 ^V ducted an inquiry, but no one the flagpole on Military Walk, they games. The band, called "The Pulse of , \ would admit responsibility, The wander around campus without Aggieland," is a precision military suspected unit was ordered to direction, like elephants on the marching band thai Aggies claim has march from campus towards the verge of death. During Elephant never been out-performed during a bra/os River until someone con- Walk the marchers go through half-rime show. Rice Universuy \ fessed. No one confessed, and to the Fish Pond, down Military Marching Owl baud (The MOB) was this day cadets annually march all the Walk, and eventually to Kyle Field I'TUV held at swordpoinr by cadets for way to the bra/os River. for Yell Practice, This ritual recognizes performing a satire of the Aggie Band at the termination of the seniors as part of the hall-time in I louston. Wherever the Aggie Twelfth Man. • Band plays, that location becomes Aggieland,