The traditions of Texas A&M University are a key aspect of the culture of Texas A&M University. Some of the school traditions date to the 1890s, shortly after the opening of the school, while others have been introduced more recently. These traditions encourage current students and alumni (Aggies) to cultivate the Aggie Spirit, a sense of loyalty and respect for the school, and dictate many aspects of student life, including how to greet others, how to act at an A&M sporting event, and what words a student may use in conversation. The most visible tradition among senior class students and alumni (more commonly referred to as "former students") is the wearing of the Aggie Ring, whose design has been relatively unchanged since its introduction in 1894. Not all Aggie traditions are recognized by the university, and some, like Bonfire, have been discontinued for safety reasons. Texas Monthly states that the students' respect for school traditions and values is the university's greatest strength.
Incoming students are generally first exposed to traditions when they are greeted with the official Texas A&M greeting "Howdy". Since the 1950s, incoming students have been offered orientations, led by current students, which teach the various traditions, songs, and yells in current use. On campus, the Texas A&M University Corps of Cadets is known as the "Keepers of the Spirit" for its staunch defense of Aggie traditions. A subset of the Corps, the Fightin' Texas Aggie Band, is the official marching band of the university.
Many school traditions revolve around sporting events, especially football. Before games, university yell leaders host yell practice, similar to other schools' pep rallies. Instead of cheers, students learn yells. Since 1922, students, known as the 12th Man, stand throughout football games, symbolizing their willingness to step in and assist the team. The official mascot, a dog named Reveille, is present at most official university activities, including sporting events.
Aggie Spirit Current students and alumni at Texas A&M University, nicknamed Aggies after the school's agricultural roots, are known for their loyalty and respect for their alma mater. They cultivate "the Aggie Spirit" through "an almost religious devotion to the traditions" of the school, some over 100 years old. As Texas Monthly noted, "Every Aggie is a self-appointed guardian of the Aggie spirit, eternally on the alert for signs of slippage." To Aggies, Texas A&M is "not just a university but a...family,...defined and united by a unique culture." The school song is titled The Spirit of Aggieland, and proclaims in its first verse that the "spirit can ne'er be told."
The Texas A&M culture is a product of the university's founding as a rural military and agricultural school. Although the school and surrounding community have grown, and military training is no longer required, the school's history has instilled in students "the idealized elements of a small-town life: community, tradition, loyalty, optimism, and unabashed sentimentality."
Many of these traditions are part of what Aggies call "The Other Education", activities designed to make students well-rounded and "moral, ethical people." Students who attend Texas A&M feel "that they receive 'more' from Texas A&M than just the knowledge one acquires from the formal classroom and books." Freshmen are introduced to these traditions and to the Aggie spirit at Fish Camp, a three-day extended orientation retreat held during the summer. Current students organize and run Fish Camp, leading sessions on the Aggie Spirit, school yells, and other school traditions so that new students can "begin the process of feeling part of the extended Aggie family." Fish Camp began in 1954 as a simple camping trip involving several new students and Gordon Gay, a former Student Activities director. The program has since evolved to accommodate approximately 70% of incoming freshmen; over 5,600 Texas A&M students attended in 2008. The program has been emulated by several schools, including Virginia Tech. In 1987, Texas A&M established a parallel orientation for summer and fall transfer students called Transfer Camp, or T-Camp. Howdy Camp also serves as a campus orientation program. Modeled after T-Camp and Fish Camp, it is intended for freshman and transfer students who enter A&M in the spring semester. Students who choose not to participate in The Other Education are known on campus as "2 Percenters," because going to class is only a small portion of experiencing Texas A&M.
Howdy Many incoming students at Texas A&M choose to attend the campus because they feel that the students are friendlier than those at other universities. This perception is created partly by the Aggie tradition "Howdy", the official greeting of Texas A&M University. Students are encouraged to greet everyone they pass on campus with a smile and a howdy. Howdy is the preferred method for a speaker to get a large group's attention, as the members of the group are expected to return the "Howdy" back to the speaker.
Gig 'em
Aggies today will often end public addresses and emails to other Aggies with a hearty "Thanks and Gig 'em!". The term "Gig 'em" was used at least by 1922 by the student body.http://www.myaggienation.com/am_news/today_in_aggie_history/today-in-aggie-history-pinky-downs-starts-the-gig-em/article_68319b82-5bc5-11e4-bb02-1fbc7fa4c9e0.html; http://bookreader.library.tamu.edu/book.php?id=yb1922&getbook=Go#page/n430/mode/1up The "Gig 'em" hand signal tradition began at a 1930 Midnight Yell Practice held before the football game against the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs. In an attempt to excite the crowd, Pinky Downs, a 1906 Texas A&M graduate and member of the school's Board of Regents, asked "What are we going to do to those Horned Frogs?" Using a term for frog hunting already used by the student body, he answered his own question, "Gig 'em, Aggies!" and made a fist with the thumb extended. The hand signal proved popular, and it became the first hand sign of the Southwest Conference. Gig 'em is also the name of one of the school yells, which is used during football kickoffs.
The university's traditions council recognizes another possible origin for the expression. The word "gig" is used in the US Army to indicate an infraction of the uniform code, and the A&M cadets used the same vocabulary. New cadets would quickly learn to fear being "gigged" during inspection for having unshined shoes, unpolished brass, or a non-aligned "gig line".
Aggie Ring
The most visible way for graduates of Texas A&M to recognize each other is by the Aggie Ring. The Aggie Ring is worn by current students and alumni, and is one of the most well-known symbols of the Aggie Network. The current Aggie Ring was designed by E. C. Jonas in 1894, and the design has remained relatively unchanged since – the only major change came when the school's name was changed from the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas to Texas A&M University in 1963.
The Aggie Ring cannot be purchased unless specific academic requirements are met, and many students receive their Rings on Aggie Ring Day, which is held at the Clayton W. Williams Jr. Alumni Center three times yearly. Traditionally, students wear their Rings with the class year facing them to signify the fact that their time at A&M is not yet complete. At the annual Ring Dance, or at the end of the student's collegiate career, the student turns his Ring around so that the class year faces away, symbolizing readiness to "face the world."
For decades, though unsanctioned and discouraged by the university, an unofficial tradition among willing students involves "dunking" the newly acquired Aggie Ring. The Ring is dropped in a pitcher of beer and the student chugs the entire pitcher and catches the Ring in his or her teeth. Some students choose to dunk their Rings in alternative substances, including ice cream or nonalcoholic beverages.
Honoring the deceased
In keeping with the idea that all current students and alumni comprise a family, Aggies have created two traditions to honor members of the Aggie family who have died. Aggie Muster is held annually to honor any current students or alumni who died during the previous year, while Silver Taps is held monthly as a special tribute to deceased current students.
According to the Houston Chronicle, "perhaps the best, most meaningful Aggie tradition of all is one you wish never happened." While students at many schools prize their individuality, "Aggies are all about unity and loyalty. When an Aggie falls, the family comes together to remember." This remembrance occurs annually on April 21 as Aggies observe Muster, a solemn event to honor current students and alumni who died during the previous year. Over 300 Musters are held around the world, with the largest taking place at Reed Arena on the Texas A&M University campus. All Muster ceremonies feature the Roll Call for the Absent. As the names of the deceased Aggies are called, a family member or friend answers "Here," and lights a candle, to symbolize that although their loved one is not present in body, his or her spirit will shine forever.
The first Aggie Muster was held June 26, 1883, seven years after the school opened. Rather than a memorial service, the event was intended as a reunion to allow alumni to gather and remember their college days. During the day, the alumni also established a "Roll Call for the Absent" to honor their classmates who could not attend. In 1889, the gathering was moved to April 21 and became an official school holiday, set aside for the annual cadet track and field competition. On April 21, 1903, the tradition evolved into a celebration of Texas's victory at the Battle of San Jacinto. Gatherings would include field games and banquets so Aggies could reflect on their days in Aggieland.
The field day events were cancelled in 1922, although alumni were still expected to congregate annually for camaraderie and to remember their fellow Aggies. The March 1923 Texas Aggie urged, "If there is an A&M man in one-hundred miles of you, you are expected to get together, eat a little, and live over the days you spent at the A&M College of Texas." The event received worldwide attention during and after World War II – first, when 25 Aggies "mustered" during the battle for the island of Corregidor at the entrance of Manila Bay in the Philippines, and then when 128 Aggies mustered on Corregidor on April 21, 1946 – the first postwar Muster. The same day, General Douglas MacArthur sent a message to Texas A&M on that date, praising the bravery of their soldiers who had given their lives on Corregidor and elsewhere.
Silver Taps