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OT: "Revolutionary for 250 Years"

RU848789

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Just got the following email from Barchi - I assume most alumni also got this. I like what they're doing with regard to what seems to be a reasonably well coordinated effort to celebrate our 250 year anniversary and to highlight past accomplishments and future directions for the University. I also like the tagline.


Members of the Rutgers Community:

As you may know, Rutgers will be officially marking its 250th anniversary with a yearlong series of events beginning in November 2015 and extending to November 2016, under the theme, “Revolutionary for 250 Years.” With pride in our founding as the nation’s eighth oldest college and in the remarkable public research institution Rutgers has become, we are developing and implementing programs across the University, helped by a universitywide planning committee and teams designated by each chancellor.

Even sooner, you will begin to see evidence of this significant anniversary. With input from the University Senate’s Student Affairs Committee and the Rutgers University Alumni Association board, we have updated our University Shield, first created for our 1966 bicentennial, with a simplified and much sleeker design. Rich in symbolism, the shield honors our founding as Queen’s College in 1766, our commitment to knowledge and scholarship, and our service to New Jersey. The new shield, shown above, will appear on pole banners, exterior markers, merchandise, and other University materials. You can learn more about the shield at rutgers.edu/about/rutgers-shield.

Two books are being released in recognition of the 250th anniversary. Professor Paul Clemens has written Rutgers since 1945: A History of the State University of New Jersey, which includes an essay on Rutgers architecture by Professor Carla Yanni. In addition, the University has produced Rutgers: A 250th Anniversary Portrait, a beautifully designed and illustrated coffee-table book filled with archival photos and essays written by Rutgers faculty, students, alumni, and administrators. Both books will be available later this summer at Rutgers University Press, at university bookstores, and through major online booksellers. You can order Rutgers: A 250th Anniversary Portrait at a reduced price at bookstore.tmiltd.com/products/rutgers.

The coming year will be an exciting period of celebration and pride for Rutgers. In fact, it has already begun. On May 31, our world-class Glee Club performed a special concert at the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands, from which our university’s formal seal and motto were derived. At the concert, senior vice president for academic affairs Barbara Lee and vice president for international and global affairs Joanna Regulska presented a plaque to the Utrecht president commemorating the historic bond between our universities as we approach our 250th anniversary.

Many units across the University are preparing materials for the coming year that embrace the anniversary—for example, the Byrne First-Year Student Seminars program is offering several 1-credit classes focused on the anniversary and uses a Rutgers 250 theme in its 2015–16 brochure. We encourage academic and administrative units, student groups, and alumni organizations to consider similar efforts with their programming and materials and have created Rutgers 250 graphics, templates, and web buttons that can be added to materials during the anniversary year. You can find these resources at 250.rutgers.edu/about/resources.

You will hear more about Rutgers 250 as we move into the academic year. If you have any questions in the meantime, please visit 250.rutgers.edu or write to rutgers250@rutgers.edu. I wish you and your families an enjoyable summer.

Sincerely,

Bob Barchi
 
That new shield is NOT rich in symbolism, and who ever heard of erasing history to celebrate...history? Rutgers swings and misses again.
 
Having worked on a portion of the RU 250 this past academic year, it should be special. Very very special. Some really cool plans coming together.
 
What is the purpose of a coat of arms? Is it to be bland and generic and show that you as a school are committed to learning? I am completely beside myself that they would scrap pieces of the NJ flag, William of Orange, and Henry Rutgers to be replaced by a BOOK, a NONDESCRIPT CROWN, and our founding year in some lame MS WORD FONT.
 
That new shield is NOT rich in symbolism, and who ever heard of erasing history to celebrate...history? Rutgers swings and misses again.

Not that I care much about the shield, but I like it better than the bicentennial one, which makes it look like we're a bunch of medieval knights or something. It is rich in symbolism, as per the link in my OP - perhaps you just don't like the symbolism for some reason. Care to elaborate?
 
The fact that we have ties to medieval Knights is special and separates us from everyone else! Now we are like everyone else. You could have the same shield at University of Phoenix, just change the numbers. Again, Rutgers goes out of its way go toss its distinguishing characteristics and charm to the scrap heap, and replaces it with generic, uninspired, lazy garbage.
 
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Johnny , I am going to get a tailgaitng flag made with the new shield. Please introduce yourself to me when you come over to my tailgate to rip it down. :sunglasses:
 
Well, at least it can't offend anyone.

Oops didn't consider the people who don't have, can't afford, or against shields or for that matter anyone not born in 1766.

And why isn't it a rainbow? Wait till the student senate gets wind of this.
 
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Not that I care much about the shield, but I like it better than the bicentennial one, which makes it look like we're a bunch of medieval knights or something.

The fact that we have ties to medieval Knights is special and separates us from everyone else! Now we are like everyone else.

RU848789 didn't say that the old shield portrayed ties to medieval knights, he said it made us look "like we're a bunch of medieval knights or something".

Rutgers doesn't actually have ties to medieval knights (despite our mascot), so we really aren't special in that regard. But we do have ties to the Netherlands (thus the sunburst from the University of Utrecht). We do have a royal charter (thus the crown) from our founding before US independence (thus the year). We are the State University of the 3rd state (thus the 3 stars). I will grant you that the book is somewhat generic, and could apply to almost any university (which may be why every Ivy League school uses an image of a book on either their seal or shield, or both).

You are probably one of a very small minority who think the new shield is worse than this:

RU_coat_of_arms_80px.png
 
Having worked on a portion of the RU 250 this past academic year, it should be special. Very very special. Some really cool plans coming together.
I was working on a graphic to commeorate it, but I dead ended. Anyone got any idea where I could get enrollment information by college for RU since its founding. Ive been able to get the last 20 years or so off of the internet, and sporadic mentions from the first 200 years, but not individual data points.
 
I was working on a graphic to commeorate it, but I dead ended. Anyone got any idea where I could get enrollment information by college for RU since its founding. Ive been able to get the last 20 years or so off of the internet, and sporadic mentions from the first 200 years, but not individual data points.

Try the University Archives and Special Collections. It's located in Alexander Library.

https://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rul/libs/scua/scua.shtml
https://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rul/libs/scua/university_archives/archives_main.shtml
 
Anything that publicizes this.. even offhand remarks in this thread.. is okay with me. Heck, make this a Rutgers History / Hot Chick (safe for work) thread is okay too. Spread the word!

Anyone know who this is?

Allan_Ramsay_-_Queen_Charlotte_%28Royal_Collection%29.png
 
That is Charlotte of Mecklenburg, Queen to King George III, and first namesake of Rutgers College.
 
I always thought the "Knights" thing was a little forced, a-historical.

56


And thank god we were not associated with this former NJ royal governor.

images

Maybe it's not Cornberry?
 
We don't have any real ties to Medieval Knights! LOL, it is just a mascot that was created in the 1950's. Many schools have knight mascots.

We do have legit ties to the The American Revolutionary War.
 
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I might get this Flag made for tailgating without the wording on the bottom.


0
 
Sometimes I wonder what exactly it is that many of you are proud of at Rutgers. Is the only thing that matters to you football and (maybe) that you attended?

I'm very proud of the history of Rutgers. To me, a long, proud history = prestige. Surely, a group of men and women who get whipped up about our status as the birthplace of college football can appreciate the visual symbols that remind that Rutgers was here during the birthing of our country.

People who went to PSU, UMD, UCONN, UDEL, or any school in NJ not named Princeton can't appreciate these things about their alma mater. Those places to some extent are schools and schools only. We are a school with a great, old story they 99% of all other colleges and universities in the country? Why are you all so callously willing to let that story be forgotten? Is it in your interest to blend in, and not celebrate a point of proud differentiation?

coat.png
Top left- house of Nassau or Orange. As in...William of Orange, the revolutionary leader who united the lowlands of Holland against Spain, and led them to Independence. The leader who Ben Franklin cited as inspiration of our own American Revolution. He was ahead of his time, fighting for the ideals of the Enlightenment 50 to 100 years before those seeds bore fruit throughout Europe. For those who say we do not have real ties to knights- review your 16th century warfare technique. Willie the Silent, the Father of the Fatherland led his people in a part of human history that bridges Medieval Times and the Early Modern era. Perhaps the "Arthur-esque" idea of Knights was fading, but these men fought face to face with swords, daggers, and pike. Firearms were being adopted, but if you deny that knights fought for Dutch independence, you can only win the argument depending on the subjective definition of knight. This Dutch independence, largely inspired by oppression of Protestants by the Spanish, paved the way for Dutch exploration, settlement of the new world, and the founding of our school.

By the way, do you know why our motto is "Sun of Righteousness, shine upon the west, also?"We have a sister school in the Netherlands, Utrecht University. Here's a picture I took when I visited:
450px-Academiegebouw_(Rectorat_de_l'Universit%C3%A9_d'Utrecht).JPG

See that sphere by the front door? That is their sun. Their motto, "sun of righteousness, shine upon us" is inscribed around it. Our motto is speaking to this very place, that exists in part because of William of Orange.

Top right of the shield, you have the banners of King George III and Queen Charlotte. They represent his power over much of Europe, by displaying the colors of his dominion, including Brunswick. As in..the first one, the original, the old Brunswick. King George granted the charter for our founding, and it was named after Queen Charlotte.

Bottom left are three ploughs from the Great Seal of New Jersey. Why are ploughs significant? There is only one land grant institution for each state. Rutgers serves the Garden State in agricultural support. I work in the wine industry in NJ- I don't call up the county extension specialist employed through Rowan, Ramapo, Princeton, or TCNJ. Every time a farmer or gardener needs help, a Rutgers employee answers the call. Why would we not want to celebrate that fact, why would we not celebrate what makes us special and integrated within NJ? How are 3 stars better representative of our role in NJ than the 3 ploughs?

Lastly, you have the quarter dedicated to Henry Rutgers. A statesman and hero who helped our fledgling nation through both the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. I don't need to hash out why he belongs on our shield, it's obvious.

Now I will ask several questions- to whom did this matter? Had any of you who criticize my position given the coat of arms a minute of thought in the last decade? Did it matter to anyone outside of the circles who appreciate and enjoy Rutgers history and what the 1966 shield represented? What purpose does this change serve? Is having a crest that is similar to that of other Big10 or Ivies as important as having one that represents the school itself? The 1966 version is a gateway to discovery about our rich tradition which spans an ocean has roots in the foundation of the Age of Enlightenment. Now we have a book, because...learning and stuff. Now we have a number, because everyone puts the year they started on things, so let's make sure we are the same. It is two different colors, boring, bland, unimaginative, and if the point was to be like everyone else- mission accomplished.

If the drive was to create a new shield because we want a better visual for letterhead, signage around campus...OK, fine. Why then, did every thoughtful element of the old Coat of Arms have to be scrapped for cliparrt? 30,000 dollars to a marketing firm for this?
 
It is two different colors, boring, bland, unimaginative, and if the point was to be like everyone else- mission accomplished.

If the drive was to create a new shield because we want a better visual for letterhead, signage around campus...OK, fine. Why then, did every thoughtful element of the old Coat of Arms have to be scrapped for cliparrt? 30,000 dollars to a marketing firm for this?

Love to know who got paid and their relationships. Reminds me of that wife of some NJ pol who stuck an NJ on the beloved Block R and wanted.. what was it.. $10K for the effort?

The people who did that heraldry for 1966 did research and relied on actual history and tradition. The new one? It relies on the lowest common denominator market-firm "best practices". Like the over-produced Knight logo crap... useless.

I'll just go with Willie the Silent's Coat of Arms, thank you very much...

Willem_van_Oranje_wapen.svg


Come to think of it.. Rutgers (Queens College) was founded above a tavern named the "Sign of the Red Lion". Why not just use the Red Lion?

red-lion-hi.png

Use PR and Marketing to get the story out. Have the Big Ten call us "Queens College" for the season. Every time they announce a score, at least initially, they will have to explain tat Rutgers is celebrating its 250th and thus the name change. Even doing this for one game could yield benefits in getting the story out there.

There are so many many things that can be done.
 
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Love to know who got paid and their relationships. Reminds me of that wife of some NJ pol who stuck an NJ on the beloved Block R and wanted.. what was it.. $10K for the effort?

The people who did that heraldry for 1966 did research and relied on actual history and tradition. The new one? It relies on the lowest common denominator market-firm "best practices". Like the over-produced Knight logo crap... useless.

I'll just go with Willie the Silent's Coat of Arms, thank you very much...

Willem_van_Oranje_wapen.svg


Come to think of it.. Rutgers (Queens College) was founded above a tavern named the "Sign of the Red Lion". Why not just use the Red Lion?

red-lion-hi.png

Use PR and Marketing to get the story out. Have the Big Ten call us "Queens College" for the season. Every time they announce a score, at least initially, they will have to explain tat Rutgers is celebrating its 250th and thus the name change. Even doing this for one game could yield benefits in getting the story out there.

There are so many many things that can be done.
I think you can blame athletics for that. We already have a mascot. Adding another symbol would be a bad idea. We should probably have been the red lions all along though. That would make alot more sense than the Scarlet Knights (which replies on a bit of world play based on a name the college hadnt had for 130 years when they adopted the name.)

LOL at calling us Queens College doing anything for RU. If you are trying to establish your brand like we are in the Midwest and nationally you dont go and change your name for a year (and especially not to something that might be confused with say the existing Queens College in Queens NY - 30 miles away).

You nerds need to get a grip. No one gains from having a fancy shield that needs a several page explanation. If someone is that into RU to read that all, youve already got them hooked. The new shield is weak, but frankly, I think you would see it used more than the overwrought traditional heraldic shield - which in fact I never saw until this thread.
 
Whatever Rutgers does for its 250th will be far more than what was done for New Jersey's 350th, maybe the worst celebration of a state milestone anniversary in modern US history. Not even a freakin commemorative license plate.
 
Derl.. you just don't get the creative process. Go ahead, LOL all you like... call people nerds.. how about offering ideas yourself instead of acting like people have to present ideas you find acceptable or interesting. Stop judging and start contributing your ideas.
 
Sometimes I wonder what exactly it is that many of you are proud of at Rutgers. Is the only thing that matters to you football and (maybe) that you attended?

I'm very proud of the history of Rutgers. To me, a long, proud history = prestige. Surely, a group of men and women who get whipped up about our status as the birthplace of college football can appreciate the visual symbols that remind that Rutgers was here during the birthing of our country.

People who went to PSU, UMD, UCONN, UDEL, or any school in NJ not named Princeton can't appreciate these things about their alma mater. Those places to some extent are schools and schools only. We are a school with a great, old story they 99% of all other colleges and universities in the country? Why are you all so callously willing to let that story be forgotten? Is it in your interest to blend in, and not celebrate a point of proud differentiation?

coat.png
Top left- house of Nassau or Orange. As in...William of Orange, the revolutionary leader who united the lowlands of Holland against Spain, and led them to Independence. The leader who Ben Franklin cited as inspiration of our own American Revolution. He was ahead of his time, fighting for the ideals of the Enlightenment 50 to 100 years before those seeds bore fruit throughout Europe. For those who say we do not have real ties to knights- review your 16th century warfare technique. Willie the Silent, the Father of the Fatherland led his people in a part of human history that bridges Medieval Times and the Early Modern era. Perhaps the "Arthur-esque" idea of Knights was fading, but these men fought face to face with swords, daggers, and pike. Firearms were being adopted, but if you deny that knights fought for Dutch independence, you can only win the argument depending on the subjective definition of knight. This Dutch independence, largely inspired by oppression of Protestants by the Spanish, paved the way for Dutch exploration, settlement of the new world, and the founding of our school.

By the way, do you know why our motto is "Sun of Righteousness, shine upon the west, also?"We have a sister school in the Netherlands, Utrecht University. Here's a picture I took when I visited:
450px-Academiegebouw_(Rectorat_de_l'Universit%C3%A9_d'Utrecht).JPG

See that sphere by the front door? That is their sun. Their motto, "sun of righteousness, shine upon us" is inscribed around it. Our motto is speaking to this very place, that exists in part because of William of Orange.

Top right of the shield, you have the banners of King George III and Queen Charlotte. They represent his power over much of Europe, by displaying the colors of his dominion, including Brunswick. As in..the first one, the original, the old Brunswick. King George granted the charter for our founding, and it was named after Queen Charlotte.

Bottom left are three ploughs from the Great Seal of New Jersey. Why are ploughs significant? There is only one land grant institution for each state. Rutgers serves the Garden State in agricultural support. I work in the wine industry in NJ- I don't call up the county extension specialist employed through Rowan, Ramapo, Princeton, or TCNJ. Every time a farmer or gardener needs help, a Rutgers employee answers the call. Why would we not want to celebrate that fact, why would we not celebrate what makes us special and integrated within NJ? How are 3 stars better representative of our role in NJ than the 3 ploughs?

Lastly, you have the quarter dedicated to Henry Rutgers. A statesman and hero who helped our fledgling nation through both the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. I don't need to hash out why he belongs on our shield, it's obvious.

Now I will ask several questions- to whom did this matter? Had any of you who criticize my position given the coat of arms a minute of thought in the last decade? Did it matter to anyone outside of the circles who appreciate and enjoy Rutgers history and what the 1966 shield represented? What purpose does this change serve? Is having a crest that is similar to that of other Big10 or Ivies as important as having one that represents the school itself? The 1966 version is a gateway to discovery about our rich tradition which spans an ocean has roots in the foundation of the Age of Enlightenment. Now we have a book, because...learning and stuff. Now we have a number, because everyone puts the year they started on things, so let's make sure we are the same. It is two different colors, boring, bland, unimaginative, and if the point was to be like everyone else- mission accomplished.

If the drive was to create a new shield because we want a better visual for letterhead, signage around campus...OK, fine. Why then, did every thoughtful element of the old Coat of Arms have to be scrapped for cliparrt? 30,000 dollars to a marketing firm for this?

I don't think people who dislike the previous shield fail to appreciate Rutgers' history. I think they are proud of Rutgers' history, but also recognize that the old shield absolutely sucks. It look like it was put together by committee. It contains no symbolism directly relevant to Rutgers, but instead contains symbolism indirectly meaningful (i.e., rather than Rutgers University symbols, it contains symbols from the coats of arms of others who have a connection to Rutgers).

The upper sinister is especially a mess. It looks like the catch-all quadrant for anything that anyone thinks is relevant. Rutgers tomatoes? Great, put a tomato in the upper sinister.

There is absolutely nothing redeeming about the old shield. Maybe the new shield isn't perfect, but at least it contains symbols directly relevant to Rutgers University. That alone makes it a zillion times better than the old piece of crap.
 
Upstream,
Debating further would only belabor my point, and after I spent six months at war over the alma mater, I've learned to avoid dragging these things out. I'll just say that I feel our history as a distinguishing characteristic is directly relevant, and the 1966 shield displayed a heraldry that I think Rutgers is uniquely entitled to show. The symbols you feel are directly relevant to Rutgers, I feel are generic, simple and boring. We won't change each others minds, so let's just agree to donate an extra 25 dollars to RU as pennance for unresolved conflict and call it a day :-)
 
Upstream,
Debating further would only belabor my point, and after I spent six months at war over the alma mater, I've learned to avoid dragging these things out. I'll just say that I feel our history as a distinguishing characteristic is directly relevant, and the 1966 shield displayed a heraldry that I think Rutgers is uniquely entitled to show. The symbols you feel are directly relevant to Rutgers, I feel are generic, simple and boring. We won't change each others minds, so let's just agree to donate an extra 25 dollars to RU as pennance for unresolved conflict and call it a day :)


Certainly I can understand people having different opinions about what they like and dislike.

But, just to clarify, my primary objection to the old shield is that it is a hodgepodge of multiple symbols incoherently smashed together. I don't really have an objection to use of heraldic emblems. Johns Hopkins' seal includes the coat of arms of Lord Baltimore (as does the Maryland flag). Hopkins also recently introduced a separate shield which contains the Calvert check from the Baltimore coat of arms.

[URL='http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CAcQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbrand.jhu.edu%2F&ei=q6mOVarnO8H1-QHNhJRI&bvm=bv.96783405,d.cWw&psig=AFQjCNFoPOnVJZXD5jhU-4DKwf37tTp4Hw&ust=1435498662329561'][/URL]



Also, for the record, I dislike the recent changes to the Rutgers Alma Mater, but probably for different reasons than you. You probably object to the fact that it was changed at all (which doesn't bother me, since it has been changed multiple times since its writing), or you may object to the attempts to make it "politically correct". My objection is that the changes have made the lyrics worse. The first stanza now starts in first person plural, and then switches to first person singular. That is an awkward change. It also fundamentally changes what the song is about. Previously the song was about a single person's journey through adult life, a journey that started at Rutgers, and in which Rutgers impacted him through life. Now it is a hodgepodge of multiple themes incoherently smashed together in the first stanza, just like the old shield.
 
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Sure. I'll point out that my diatribe wasn't only complaining about changing it at all, but asking why elements from the 1966 coat couldn't be incorporated. Why did we have the scrap all of those ties to history instead of weaving them into the new shield? I still don't like the two tone look of Hopkins's (and there's that nondescript book again) but at least they kept an element of the Calvert.

In the written description of the new shield, there is an explanation that the 3 stars represent NJ, and RU is proud to be the land grant school of NJ. Proud, but not proud enough to keep the visual marker of the ploughs which are a direct symbol of NJ Agriculture. How does that make sense?

I am right with you on the alma mater. The incongruent tenses in the first lines are embarrassing for a college anthem. My argument was to completely replace the first verse with one of the other 19th century verses that Fuller wrote. No editing, erasing, or rewriting, just finding a new verse that wasn't offensive to the vocal minority, was grammatically sound, and had a feeling of rich collegiate charm.
 
Actually, I agree with you that a symbol of a plough, instead of the book, would have made for a stronger shield. But even as the new shield exists now, with the book, it is much stronger than the old hodgepodge shield.
 
Also, for the record, I dislike the recent changes to the Rutgers Alma Mater, but probably for different reasons than you. You probably object to the fact that it was changed at all (which doesn't bother me, since it has been changed multiple times since its writing), or you may object to the attempts to make it "politically correct". My objection is that the changes have made the lyrics worse. The first stanza now starts in first person plural, and then switches to first person singular. That is an awkward change. It also fundamentally changes what the song is about. Previously the song was about a single person's journey through adult life, a journey that started at Rutgers, and in which Rutgers impacted him through life. Now it is a hodgepodge of multiple themes incoherently smashed together in the first stanza, just like the old shield.

I dislike the new lyrics for this reason, that it is apart from the story that all of the song's verses tell. Also "And resolvd to learn all that we can" just comes off as cheesy/lazy to me.

I've tried brainstorming some alternative lyrics that meet the objective of representing Rutgers' student body, while being consistent with the rest of the song, but haven't come up with much yet. Anyone want to work on this as a group project?
 
I dislike the new lyrics for this reason, that it is apart from the story that all of the song's verses tell. Also "And resolvd to learn all that we can" just comes off as cheesy/lazy to me.

Agree. Plus the original lyrics were more about maturing and growing while at Rutgers, not just classroom learning as implied in the new lyrics.

If the intent is to make the alma mater more gender neutral, that could have easily been accomplished by changing the first verse to:

My parents sent me to old Rutgers
And resolved that I be all I can
And so I settled down
In that noisy college town
On the banks of the old Raritan.

Sure, some may complain that not every student is sent by their parents. But then again, not every student settles down in the college town. Rutgers has a number of students who commute. But the song is representative, not absolutely accurate for each and every student. And the image of being sent by parents help further illustrate the transformation from child to adult.
 
Agree. Plus the original lyrics were more about maturing and growing while at Rutgers, not just classroom learning as implied in the new lyrics.

If the intent is to make the alma mater more gender neutral, that could have easily been accomplished by changing the first verse to:

My parents sent me to old Rutgers
And resolved that I be all I can
And so I settled down
In that noisy college town
On the banks of the old Raritan.

Sure, some may complain that not every student is sent by their parents. But then again, not every student settles down in the college town. Rutgers has a number of students who commute. But the song is representative, not absolutely accurate for each and every student. And the image of being sent by parents help further illustrate the transformation from child to adult.
People will complain no matter what happens...whether it changes back or remains the weak version it is now.

I happen to love hearing "OR A WOMAN!" from the crowd when the version I learned is sung.
 
Ed- right. The women's yell has a plucky verve to it that matches the assertion that women belong as equals, and asserts their place after Rutgers was male only for 200 years. And when a mixed choir sings the song, the women in the group actually sing those words, a brief descension of notes that steps downward into the descending line of "and so I..." It was really pretty and complimentary to Fuller's original.
 
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This verse, added in 1914, while not original, just has a more stately proud feeling to it than Gardner's revision which really guts the first verse from emotion and poetry.

Her ardent spirit stirred and cheered me
From the day me college years began;
Gracious Alma Mater mine;
Learning's fair and honored shrine;
On the banks of the old Raritan.
 
Fwiw. You'll notice that Hopkins kept the part of the coat of arms that is very recognizable from its associating with Maryland and baltimore.

None of the Rutgers coat of arms has any connotations to anyone who doesn't already know the history of the thing.
 
Even the Calvert checks in the Hopkins shield could apply to any school in Maryland, including University of Marland, Towson, or Loyola.
 
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