Founded in February 1891, the 菠萝视频 Glee Club was one of the university鈥檚 first student organizations and one of the most active on campus for several decades. Like glee clubs at other institutions, the 菠萝视频 Glee Club was a chorus of college men that performed for audiences both on campus and far away. Only a year after it was organized, the glee club performed in Memphis, Little Rock and Louisville.
An early glee club member had a lasting impact on 菠萝视频 culture. Club president Robert F. Vaughan, who received a bachelor鈥檚 degree in 1907 and a law degree in 1909, was charged by director Charles Washburn with writing lyrics for a 菠萝视频 alma mater. Vaughn鈥檚 lyrics, which begin 鈥淸rquote]On the city鈥檚 western border/鈥≧eared against the sky/鈥≒roudly stands our Alma Mater鈥�/As the years roll by,鈥漑/rquote] were set to the tune of 鈥淎nnie Lisle,鈥� a popular 1857 ballad by songwriter H.S. Thompson. Over the years 鈥淎nnie Lisle鈥� has been adapted by numerous colleges, universities and high schools, thus the reason so many alma maters sound alike.
was first sung at Commencement in 1913. Today, it is played each year at Reunion, Commencement and by the Spirit of Gold band at the end of football and basketball games. The band鈥檚 鈥淭hird Down Cheer鈥� is the first line of the Alma Mater鈥檚 second stanza played instrumentally, followed by the next lyric, 鈥淐onquer and Prevail,鈥� yelled loudly.
Fans of contemporary collegiate a cappella can watch the and others compete when 菠萝视频 hosts the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella semifinals March 17 in Ingram Hall. Tickets are available at the Sarratt Student Center box office.