Originally published in The News-Star newspaper, July 9, 2006

As Ouachita Parish Junior College opened, President C.C. Colvert knew that school spirit and identity were at the core of a college and set about establishing those things early on - blue and white, Indians, football, pep rallies, basketball, clubs and weekly student assemblies all happened so quickly it was as if they had always been there.

There is a file in Colvert's papers labeled "Booster Club," and it contains the 25 very first cheers, words to the Alma Mater and a poem. As we read through these items, which haven't seen the light of day in more than 70 years, it is so easy to see the excitement, pride and gratitude that surrounded those early students and faculty.
Cheer, boys, cheer Ouachita has the ball.

My, oh, my, (other team)'s bound to fall.

When we hit their line, there'll be no line at all.

There'll be a hot time at Ouachita tonight.

RAH RAH RAH

The Alma Mater is included on the sheet of cheers. We are not sure under what circumstances (or if at all) the Alma Mater was sung, but since it is included on this sheet, we could conclude that it was sung. We do know that the music was played at the commencements of 1933 and 1934. By the way, just think ... there are now only a handful of former students and graduates who might know what this treasured song sounded like, and finding a copy of the sheet music has become kind of a ULM quest for the Holy Grail. Can we even dare imagine hearing it sometime at a future commencement?

As you read these words by Bess Mary Crider and try to imagine the music of Roger Frisbie, think about what they meant to those first students and faculty:

In the sunny land of Dixie

Under skies of blue,

Stands a school to whom the Indians

Ever will be true

Chorus: Ouachita, Dear Alma Mater

Homage bring we now,

Here our truest hearts' devotion

To thy name we vow.

When out from the field of battle

March thy warriors brave

May thy colors proudly gleaming

In glad vict'ry wave.

Steep the path to fame and glory

Rugged tho it be

We will climb to heights triumphant

Still inspired by thee.

The poem in the folder, possibly written by Crider, still rings true today as we think forward to this fall's Warhawk football season with the hope that the excitement and magic of that first season still lives on.

In the bleachers cold we stand

Cheering dear old school for you,

But through thick and thin we'll always do the same.

And our cheers they rend the air,

They're the best that we can do,

Just to help our gallant team to win the game.

Biff! Bang! Bing! Our boys are fighting

Watch them they're about to score!

So we'll wave the Blue and White

For we glory in our might,

And we'll hear the strains of vict'ry o'er and o'er.

Have a great day at ULM.

Dr. John Knesel, ULM Professor

75th articles page