Well, believe it or not (and most folks know about the goat), Georgia's teams were once represented/called Goats and Wildcats before they were called Bulldogs. The Wildcats have been largely left off (i.e. I've not read a reference to UGA using Wildcats until reading it in the editions of the R&B from 1920).
1920 is significant because not only did UGA field its first undefeated football team that year, but it was the year that a Bulldog was set as the team mascot in favor of Wildcats, largely via the influence of Morgan Blake's writing after the UGA-Auburn game that year. Below is the very first Red & Black to reference Georgia's teams as 'Bulldogs'.
Interestingly, the same edition also references the team as Wildcats at some point too.
Will write more on this later, but wanted to get a quick post up.
Dean William Tate
Again, a current/semi-current event inspires a post to celebrate UGA's 225th anniversary. Within the last week UGA has officially dedicated the expansion of the Tate Student Center, the original part of which, with the 'this-looks-like-it-should-be-the-world's-largest-Pizza-Hut' roof, was dedicated in 1983 and named for the late Dean of Men (later Dean of Students), William/Bill Tate.
A photo of Dean Tate during the 1961 integration of UGA.
He was truly a giant at the University, and one who despite very strong personal convictions seemed to be able to separate those from what he needed to do as an administrator and devotee to the principles and idea that was for him The University of Georgia.
The Tate Expansion to the right with the Miller Learning Center at the head of the quad.
Despite the dedication, my inspiration for this post came from an article I found in the most recent (26 Aug 2009) Flagpole Magazine. (Not only do I get to talk about one of UGA's greats, but I get to plug Athens' weekly magazine). In the 'pub notes' section, Pete McCommons, who was student council VP during the 1961 confrontations regarding the admission of Hamilton Holmes and Charlayne Hunter (later Gault) to UGA, recounts several memories of Tate during that time and regarding Tate's status as what amounts to a Lion on-campus--in the minds of students and faculty alike.
I'll quote a couple highlights, but leave McCommons to elucidate the Dean's career.
Regarding UGA's integration:
"That week may have been Dean William Tate’s finest hour. Whatever his own sentiments were, the federal court had ordered the integration of the University of Georgia, and he saw his duty as Dean to protect those two students and to protect the university."
Tate's sense of humor:
“'Son, do you know what a revolving son-of-a-bitch is?”
“No, sir, Dean Tate.”
“A revolving son-of-a-bitch, the Dean intoned, ”is a son-of-a-bitch no matter which way you look at him.'“
I'll leave the rest to McCommons: Part I (from Aug. 12) & Part II (from Aug. 26).
"June 30, 2009 "by Matt Weeks "Athens, Ga. – Remnants of a former building and artifacts dating back more than 200 years have been uncovered beneath the foundations of New College on the University of Georgia’s North Campus, allowing a glimpse into a long-lost chapter of UGA history."
“Awesome!” was my first internal response, and perhaps verbal, to the news that construction crews and afterward archaeologists had uncovered the foundations of what could represent the University of Georgia’s very first building underneath the foundation of New College while renovating the building.
Having lived and worked near an archaeological dig for two years, my second thought was, “I want to see it.” Pictures are niceand all, but if anyone has an ‘in’ with Danny Sniff and can get me into the belly of the beast (i.e. the basement of New College while this is going on), I’d be ever grateful.
And finally in the slow machinations of my brain, as I was walking across the North Quad and ruminating about material that could be the focus for my next post, it clicked. It probably had something to do with the fact that I glanced over at New College while I was thinking about it, but really, should it have taken me that long to come up with that? No, never.
The official press release notes some pretty interesting bits from what they’ve uncovered, and by the looks of the pictures, the remains of the earlier building cover a fair amount of the floor (see below). Apparently you could have used the basement of New College as a dungeon as well or a nice oubliette, perhaps.
Fortuitous finds for my blog. Thank you, New College construction crews. Love, me.
Some interesting bits from the find:
The foundation, and therefore the building, was there before the 1819 construction began on New College (a la the Romans constructing buildings on top of buildings, though I doubt we’ll find any catacombs on campus). No direct connection has been established with Josiah Meigs, UGAs first acting president.
Because of construction, the uncovered brick floor was 7ft below the current ground level at New College.
The brick, unlike later building materials for UGA, was made locally, which you can apparently discern from their color.
The crew found a Lamar period pottery bowl. For those not familiar, it means it’s very old, as it would have pre-dated even the founding of the colony of Georgia (1350-1600), which means that whoever left the bowl was a collector of some sort. My guess would be a professor, who though much later than intended had his wish in preserving Lamar culture.
“. . . other artifacts found are a handmade spoon, wrought iron nails, blown-glass bottles, glazed cookware and an instrument that resembles a modern fire poker.”
In my history-geek brain, that’s just awesome. Rumor has it that they’re going to try to have it where folks can see it when they finish the renovation, but at this point, it is just that, unfounded rumor. But it’s a rumor with which I’d definitely be satisfied should it come true.
As a result of this, I'm trying to sort out in my head the relative/exact age of the buildings on campus. There will be a list that I'll post soon. Why? Because I'm going to create it if it hasn't already been done!
The University of Georgia: 1785-2010 Celebrating 225 years! If you know that the above means 225th Jubilee, congratulations, you're doing very well on your preparations for the GRE!
In the spirit of one of this blog's original intents, to post both UGA academic & athletic history and traditions, I hope to produce a series of posts leading up to the 225th anniversary of The University of Georgia's founding on January 27, 2010. In deference to the dates that lead up to the present, I think that I'll progress from the beginning, as is only fitting.
As you will find in the title of the blog at the very top, the picture behind 'Iron Pillars, Silver Britches' is from the Charter of UGA, reading 'the Trustees of the University of Georgia.' The full text, as well as archival pictures of the Charter can be found at the Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library. By virtue of being the first state-chartered institution in the country, the University has also named one of its scholarships for the founding document, the Charter Scholarship.
An Acknowledgment of the Ignorance or Inferiority of our own That said, without having to get complete permission from the Archives, I'll cite a few pertinent quotes, with a bit of commentary.
"By the REPRESENTATIVES of the FREEMEN of the STATE of GEORGIA in General Assembly and by the AUTHORITY of the SAME . . ."
Well, the way that's expressed has certainly changed in the last 225 years, but I won't belabor that point as the changes from that statement seem relatively obvious.
" . . . Sending them [the youth of Georgia] abroad to other countriesfor their education will not answer these purposes, - is too humiliating an acknowledgment of the Ignorance or Inferiority of our own, and will always be the Cause of so great foreign attachments that upon principles of policy it is not admissible."
Certainly, you would not hear this from an academic today. Whether you were to focus on UGA's rankings for sending students on studies abroad (5th in the nation among research universities, with 30% of each graduating class studying abroad at some point) or on the general atmosphere in academia that if you want to work (read: 'be a professor') at an institution it is imperative that you get your Ph.D. elsewhere, you would be hard pressed to find a department at UGA that holds to this particular part of the Charter. I think it can be safely said that, depending on your point of view, you could see this as a 'for better or for worse' part of the Charter. For my part, it's certainly an improvement that our students are encouraged to study at locations and with professors who have such varied experiences, pulling from more than 200 majors and programs that UGA now offers.
The Rising Hope of our Land
" . . . that our present happiness joined to pleasing prospects should conspire to make us feel ourselves under the strongest obligation to form the youth, the rising hope of our Land to render the like glorious & essential Services to our country."
Such language ought to be used more often. A shame none would well understand it. "The Rising Hope of Our Land" certainly is an excellent way to refer to students, and yet I have not made it out of the preamble of the Charter. I'm surprised that we have not a student organization or honorary that's taken this monicher or some form of it for its name. I'm sure when writing this the founders never imagined the possibility that the student body population would grow to over 34,000, which would have made up over 1/3 of the entire population of the State of Georgia when the first census was taken in 1790.
The University of Georgia or Franklin College?
"It is ENACTED, ORDAINED, and DECLARED . . . " . . . THE BOARD OF VISITORS hereby vested with all the powers of visitation to see that the intent of this institution is carried into effect, and John Houston, James Habersham, William Few, Joseph Clay, Abraham Baldwin, William Houston, Nathan Brownson, John Habersham, Abiel Holmes, Jenkin Davis, Hugh Lawson, William Glascock, and Benjamin Talliaferro esquires who shall compose another board, denominated THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES. These two boards united, or a majority of each of them shall compose the SENATUS ACADEMICUS of the University of Georgia. (emphasis added) . . ."
Interestingly, as noted in the emphasis on the last phrase, the institution, despite the tradition that the school was first called Franklin College, which represents the oldest and largest college at the University, it is clearly stated that it was indeed first 'the University of Georgia.'
Some of the names in the above list ought to be fairly familiar to students of Georgia history & geography as several have counties as their eponyms and Baldwin, Few, and Houston were three of Georgia's delegates at the Constitutional Convention two years later. The list effectively consitutes the list of the University of Georgia's founding fathers, though Baldwin is almost solely given credit as he was the institution's first titular president. As with much of the rest of the document this part of the Charter starts building the foundations, mechinisms, and bodies for governing the fledgling University.
" . . . FOR this purpose they are hereby constituted a body corporate, and politic, by the name of TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA; by which they shall have perpetual succession, and shall and may be a person in Law, capable to plead, and be impleaded, defend, and be defended, answer, and be answered unto, also to have, take, possess, acquire, purchase or otherwise receive . . ."
Again, I am emphasizing the intent for the institution to be the University of Georgia, despite its early monicher (see above). Not to mention the interesting countering to every ability . . . 'to plead and be impleaded . . .' etc. University System of Georgia
" . . . ALL public schools - instituted or to be supported by funds or public monies in this State shall be considered as parts or members of the University and shall be under the foregoing directions and regulations."
This fell by the wayside at some point. I'm fairly certain that the University wouldn't want this responsibility today.
et cetera, &c., etc. . . .
And that's about it for this one, as I'm sure it's sufficiently long. I'm sure that I've enjoyed writing it far more than most will enjoy reading it. Nonetheless, there it is. Part I of the Bicenquasquigenary series on UGA, I suppose.
Believe it or not, THAT is the ending to Georgia's fight song, that's 'Hail to Georgia!' (bet you don't know the words or the tune--if you've played as a Redcoat you know the tune). 'Glory! Glory!' is nice and it gets the blood flowing, but there are all of four words in it. Of course, when you've had a few tailgating it's definitely easier to remember. I've always found it curious that 'Glory!' was written to the tune of the Battle Hymn of the Republic, particularly when most Southerners until recently would have refused to have anything to do with it as a 'Yankee tune.' But, that's neither here nor there . . . 'Hail to Georgia!' I'm setting this up as a way to share my passion and love for my alma mater ('03-AB History, AB Political Science), both the school itself and things football related. As you may guess from my history degree, I'll several posts regarding the history of the school and the football and other athletics programs. I'll also post a good bit about miscellaneous college football debates and topics that I come across in conversations or on the internet. There will likely be some discussion of Big Eleven Conference topics as I went to grad school at Ohio State. Before anyone asks, my loyalties are and ever will be with the Dawgs. In fact, my top favorite teams would probably rank something like this
1. UGA 2. UGA 3. UGA 4. anyone who beats UF 5. SEC (I generally find myself pulling against UF though--see my #4 team) 6. Ohio State 7. anyone who beats Michigan (yeah, I developed a hatred for 'that Team up north' while in Columbus)
And I could probably put UGA as 'all' of my top 10 favorite teams, but you get the idea. To steal from the old bumper sticker: My blood bleeds RED & BLACK with a high sUGAr content! I went to UGA football games in the womb, and Dad swears I was 'born barking, and had a relapse.' More on family connections in another post.
Now for a bit of explanation on the blog's name . . .
Iron Pillars
For the name of the blog, I wanted to touch on both the University of Georgia and athletics (read football). So for the 'Iron Pillars' part: it relates to the three pillars of the Arch, which has been at UGA as a part of a gate & fence system that was put up in the 1850s to keep the livestock from Athens & the surrounding countryside out of the University. Now, the joke goes that the Arch & fence keep the animals in (lame I know, but it comes from being a UGA Orientation Leader).
The Arch, before the 2007 Troy game.
The Arch itself once had gates in between the pillars and has served as the gateway to UGA since its installation. The Arch is borrowed from the State Seal of Georgia and the three pillars of the Arch represent Wisdom, Justice, and Moderation, and now is one of the most recognizable symbols of UGA.
I could go on with several traditions and stories about the Arch (and probably will later), Freshmen not being allowed to walk under it, many students choosing not to walk under it until they were alumni, it's status as a target for pranks by Teckies, etc.
That's for the Iron Pillars.
Silver Britches For Dawg fans, this is really a non-requirement for explanation, but for those poor deprived souls. The Dawgs almost exclusively wore the Silver Britches until Dooley came in in 1964 and changed to white pants with a large red stripe. The Silver Britches made their reappearance in the 1980 Texas A&M game and we all know what happened that year. The Silver Britches didn't go away. Since then the Dawgs have worn the Silver Britches weekly on the gridiron with the exception of the following games and sartorial alterations (most of which have been a BAD idea)
Red Pants: 1980s Clemson (can't remember when) & 1988 S. Carolina. I'd actually love to see make a comeback for a big away game every now & then. Of course, the red pants are most famous for their appearance in Knoxville when as certain no. 34 made his college debut. I know there were other games when the Dawgs wore red pants before the Silver Britches made their 1980 comeback, one of which was the game in Lexington when Rex Robinson hit a FG to beat UK in the closing minute & Munson's call was 'Yea! Yea! Yea! Yea!' (apologies if there were a couple more 'Yea's' in there). Other than that I don't know. If anyone knows/remembers shoot me a message.
Black Pants: 1998 Wisconsin (Outback Bowl) & 1998 Cocktail Party. While the Black jerseys have been imprinted in the UGA fans memories forever, the pants were nice until the novelty wore off and we got the crap kicked out of us by UF, may they never be revived.
White Pants: 1999 LSU, UT, & 2000 Ga Tech. During the LSU game, they were worn in memory of offensive line coach Pat Watson, who had died the previous week after the UCF game. Coincidentally enough, Donnan thought having pants that looked like the Cream-cicles from Knoxville would help snap the then-10 yr drought vs. the Vols. We know how history worked there: 39-20 Vols and with similar results against the Gnats (27-15) in what would be Donnan's last game before being booted and the last loss that the Dawgs have had to endure against the Trade School. May the white pants be burned and never return.
So, all that said, the Iron Pillars are for the Arch, and the Silver Britches are for the 'britches' the Dawgs wear on Saturday.
