Other people's youths

[mme_hardy]

 In the early twentieth century, schools had "fight songs", which the band played and the crowd sang to encourage the [insert an all-American sport here, none of your funny furrin soccer] team.   I don't know if colleges still have and play fight songs, because you couldn't get me to a college [insert blahblah sport] here match at gunpoint.

My high school had a fight song, too; somebody took Illinois Loyalty, sandpapered out "Illinois", and inserted the high school name instead. "Illinois Loyalty", I read, dates to 1906, which would explain the slang.

We'll back you to stand 'gainst the best in the land,

For we know you have sand, Illinois, Rah! Rah!

So crack out that ball, Illinois,

We're backing you all, Illinois,

Our team is our fame protector,

On! boys, for we expect a
victory from you, Illinois!

I'm guessing "sand" is a finer quality of "grit", which is another piece of slang you don't hear much any more.  Note the rhyme of "protector" and "expect a".  As I frequently remind my husband, in Midwestern all vowels are schwas unless declared otherwise.  I was taught in school that "pin" and "pen" are homonyms.  I can still remember the tune and the lyrics, which must mean that the song was performed at the (crosses self and shudders) mandatory pep rallies.   On the other hand, I am pretty sure I never sang the alma mater, which was also printed in our student rules and regulations books.  Wikipedia tells me the lyrics are "Dear [high school], stately thy grace, all hail. Tribute we bring to thee as we sing, all hail. Mem'ries float by as through the halls we trail. Cherished with pride, oh school of our life, all hail. Cherished with pride, O school of our life, all hail."   Eminently forgettable, in that high-minded meaningless way.
 

My college's alma mater had the chorus of "And the granite of New Hampshire in their muscles and their brains", which was great fun to belt out with an ironic sneer.  Except in Glee Club performances at alumni fund-raisers, where I belted it  out straight-faced.

Comments

[legionseagle]

My school had a song which was sung on Speech Day and at the end of the year assembly which ran

In our small world upon the hill
We live, we live together
And half forget that good or ill
A wider world awaits us still
And draws us thither
But though in quiet we sojourn
To know thy guiding light we learn
Thy guiding light we learn
And this alone shall be our light
The lamp of beauty truth and right!


William Morris meets St Paul, really.

Singing at school sports would have been considered bonkers in the extreme; indeed, I don't think anyone attended except the participants.

[sollers]

My school's song was in Latin, inherited from the original (18th century) boys' school. There is an element of humour in the idea of 600 girls earnestly singing

"Sit benedictus Dominus
Qui docet nos pugnare"

- "May the Lord be blessed, who teaches us to fight"

Ditto for school sports.

Godolphin and Latymer?

[(Anonymous)]

At Godolphin and Latymer school, this was our school song. Was that your school too, or did another school share it? I remember singing it on the first day of school, and thinking that the school term stretched interminably before me!

Re: Godolphin and Latymer?

[(Anonymous)]

Definitely godolphin and Latymer. I can remember in dextra pollens gladius hostes exuperare....but there was a bit with word Candida and I can’t get that which is annoying as I have friend called Candida and I want to sing it to her