Alma maters bring back memories

Musical traditions continue at area schools

Web posted September 22, 1997

 A couple of the Alma maters

By Kelly Daniel
Staff Writer

You hear the first notes and the song comes flooding back. Forgotten days in high school rewind in your memory as the words spill out of your mouth.

You can forget your old locker combination.

Erase the names of classmates.

Wipe clean the algebra lessons.

But you never seem to forget your high school alma mater.

``On fields of glory, honor, tears...'' sang Pat Marcus, an Aquinas High School teacher, launching into her Academy of Richmond County High alma mater Thursday afternoon.

She smiled. ``It's very, very stirring.''

There's something about a high school alma mater that sticks with adults, to the point that people who normally never sing in public slip into verse almost immediately. Alma maters are songs with somewhat overwrought lyrics, full of phrases no one ever says in real life. They are songs you made fun of as a youngster, trying to be cool.

They are songs you end up not wanting to forget as you age. Even if it means you can't remember the song of the place that pays your bills.

Ann Bell, also an Aquinas teacher, had to laugh when asked about the Aquinas alma mater.

``I can sing my own. Can I sing this one? No, I can't,'' Ms. Bell said.

David H. Smith, principal at Butler High School, launched into his alma mater from Glynn Academy High in Brunswick, Ga., his bass voice intoning, ``From the lordly fields of Brunswick ...''

It took him a few moments longer to start the Butler song, which he did sing heartily, ``Butler High, O Butler High, we lift our song to thee ...''

Alma maters usually are saved for graduations, homecomings or other special events in high school life, with fight songs used for football nights. T.W. Josey High players, parents and fans huddle around the band after every game, though, and sing their alma mater.

Yet the reverence adults sometimes show for their alma maters dissipates into uncertain looks from today's teen-agers. Augustans can have a tough time keeping all the alma maters straight, what with all the military families moving and 13 high schools in Richmond and Columbia County alone, Mr. Smith said.

Aquinas sophomore Michelle Marshall, for instance, looked puzzled when asked if she knows her alma mater.

``No. I don't,'' she said. ``I really haven't thought about it.''

Just wait, Michelle. Especially with the tune the Aquinas alma mater is set to.

``Ours is Edelweiss,'' Ms. Bell explained. They don't play it as often at the private school anymore, though. ``The kids would start to sway ... and it just got to be like a popular (music) song,'' she said.

Mr. Smith, too, has to take steps to remind students how to behave when the alma mater is playing. Butler High spends some time at the start of each school year telling freshmen not to move about or talk during the song, he said.

``It reflects the pride and commitment we have in our school,'' he said.

Even if you can't remember all the words.

Alma maters

Here are some Augusta area high school alma maters:

Academy of Richmond County

Our alma mater glorious stands
By old Savannah's turbid stream
Upreared by loyal hearts and hands
Fulfillment of her children's dream.
Her noble sons adown the years,
Have proved their courage, conquered fears
On fields of glory, honor, tears
Inspired by our alma mater

Butler High

Dear Butler High, Our Butler High, we lift our song to thee
And pray thy love and truth and light our guide will always be
May honor reign and strength prevail to keep our spirits bold
With splendor grand. We proudly stand forever White and Gold
Our hearts are filled with memories of all the days gone by
We see with joy our victories,
remembering with a sigh
Through all our lives and toward that mist when twilight times draws nigh
We'll reminisce with gentle bliss our days at Butler High

Hephzibah High School

In the fields of Richmond County
Stands a school revered
We will promise to exalt thee
Lovingly endeared
Praise and glory we will bring thee
Proudly standing tall
`Til we win the praises due thee
As we give our all
You have taught us strength and wisdom
Courage for the test
To the lives of those around us
We will give our best
Hail to thee, our alma mater
Hephzibah to thee
And thy teachings we will follow
In our memory