Alma Mater (Dartmouth College)

The "Alma Mater"^[1] is the official school song of Dartmouth College, an Ivy League college located in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. Composed by Harry Wellman, class of 1907,^[2] it was officially adopted by the College in 1926.^[3] The difficult to sing "Dartmouth Undying"replaced it in the fall of 1972 but was restored as the official song in early 1973. "Richard Hovey of the class of 1885 wrote the original lyrics in 1894, titling the song "Men of Dartmouth".^[4] Traditionally the original second verse was only sung during time of war. On May 28, 1988, Dartmouth changed the title and words to reflect the presence of women as part of the College, since Dartmouth had become coeducational in 1972.^[1][5] Nicole Sakowitz, Dartmouth Glee Club President was the first person to conduct the new Alma Mater.

The 1988 transition generated significant controversy at the time from students and alumni wishing to maintain the original lyrics,^[1] attracting national attention.^[6][7][8] Although when the College's Board of Trustees adopted the new lyrics it specifically authorized alumni to continue using the original, and the new lyrics were designed to harmonize well with the original, the use of the original version by some fraternities and men's sports teams continues to fuel debate as of 2007^[update].^[9]

The Alma Mater

Dear old Dartmouth, give a rouse For the college on the hill! For the Lone Pine above her, And the loyal ones who love her, Give a rouse, give a rouse, with a will! For the sons of old Dartmouth, For the daughters of Dartmouth. Though 'round the girdled earth they roam, Her spell on them remains; They have the still North in their hearts, The hill-winds in their veins, And the granite of New Hampshire In their muscles and their brains. And the granite of New Hampshire In their muscles and their brains.

Dear old Dartmouth, set a watch Lest the old traditions fail! Stand as sister stands by brother! Dare a deed for the old Mother! Greet the world, from the hills, with a hail! For the sons of old Dartmouth, For the daughters of Dartmouth. Around the world they keep for her Their old undying faith; They have the still North in their soul, The hill-winds in their breath, And the granite of New Hampshire Is made part of them till death. And the granite of New Hampshire Is made part of them till death.

From Dartmouth College Office of Alumni Relations, "Songs of Dartmouth,"^[10] also excerpted^[1] in Edward Connery Lathem and David M. Shribman, eds., Miraculously Builded in Our Hearts: A Dartmouth Reader (1999).

Hovey's original lyrics

Men of Dartmouth, give a rouse For the College on the hill! For the Lone Pine above her, And the loyal sons who love her, Give a rouse, give a rouse, with a will! For the sons of old Dartmouth, The sturdy sons of Dartmouth, Tho' 'round the girdled earth they roam, Her spell on them remains; They have the still North in their hearts, The hill-winds in their veins, And the granite of New Hampshire In their muscles and their brains; And the granite of New Hampshire In their muscles and their brains.

They were mighty men of old That she nurtured at her side; Till like Vikings they went forth From the lone and silent North, And they strove, and they wrought, and they died; But the sons of old Dartmouth, The laurelled sons of Dartmouth, The Mother keeps them in her heart And guides their altar flame; The still North remembers them, The hill-winds know their name, And the granite of New Hampshire Keeps the record of their fame; And the granite of New Hampshire Keeps the record of their fame.

Men of Dartmouth, set a watch Lest the old traditions fail! Stand as brother stands by brother! Dare a deed for the old Mother! Greet the world, from the hills, with a hail! For the sons of old Dartmouth, The loyal sons of Dartmouth, Around the world they keep for her Their old chivalric faith; They have the still North in their soul, The hill-winds in their breath; And the granite of New Hampshire Is made part of them till death; And the granite of New Hampshire Is made part of them till death.

From the Dartmouth Song Book (6th ed., 1950).

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} Krieger, Barbara L.. "The Alma Mater". Dartmouth College Library Rauner Special Collections Library. http://www.dartmouth.edu/~speccoll/Resources/DartmouthHistory/AlmaMater.shtml. Retrieved 2008-01-07. 
2. ^ Template:Url = http://alumni.dartmouth.edu/News.aspx?id=223
3. ^ "Follow-up on the news; Song out of tune with the times". The New York Times. 1987-03-01. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DE3DC153EF932A35750C0A961948260. Retrieved 2008-01-07. 
4. ^ "The Papers of Richard Hovey at Dartmouth College". Dartmouth College Library. http://ead.dartmouth.edu/html/ml48.html. Retrieved 2008-01-07. 
5. ^ "Greening of Dartmouth". Time. 1972-10-16. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,906591,00.html. Retrieved 2008-01-07. 
6. ^ "Northeast Journal". The New York Times. 1986-10-12. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=9A0DE6D8153BF931A25753C1A960948260. Retrieved 2008-01-07. 
7. ^ Casey, John (1989-02-26). "At Dartmouth, the Clash of '89". The New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE6DB113DF935A15751C0A96F948260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all. Retrieved 2008-01-07. 
8. ^ Associated Press (1988-05-25). "Dartmouth Changes Old School Song". Boston Globe. http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=BG&p_theme=bg&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EADEE649E03C921&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM. Retrieved 2008-01-07. 
9. ^ Buntz, Samuel (2007-11-02). "Anti-sexism posters turn heads". The Dartmouth. http://thedartmouth.com/2007/11/02/news/daughtersofdartmouth/. Retrieved 2008-01-07. 
10. ^ "Songs of Dartmouth". Dartmouth College Office of Alumni Relations. http://alumni.dartmouth.edu/media/Reunions/songbook.pdf. Retrieved 2008-11-29. 

External links

• Songs of the Dartmouth College Marching Band
• Lost Songs of Dartmouth from the The Dartmouth Review