On the Banks of the Old Raritan

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

On the Banks of the Old Raritan is the alma mater of Rutgers University. The lyrics and music were written by Howard Fullerton, a member of the Rutgers College Class of 1874, in 1873.

Fullerton was approached by fellow Rutgers College student Edwin E. Colburn, from the class of 1876, who was influential in organizing the Rutgers University Glee Club. Colburn organized the glee club in response to the first edition of the Carmina Collegensia published by Oliver Dison and Company, in Boston, in 1869, which was advertised as a complete collection of American college songs. Colburn deplored that Rutgers College had no official school song, and many students were surprised that Rutgers with several school songs was not included in the collection. Colburn asked Fullerton to compose a tune and some lyrics that he may use for the Glee Club, in its first public concert to be performed later that evening in Metuchen, New Jersey. Fullerton wrote the lyrics in two hours setting them to the tune of a popular melody On the Banks of the Old Dundee. According to a later interview with the Rutgers Alumni Monthly, Fullerton stated he chose On the Banks of the Old Dundee as the song "immediately struck me that the air of that song had the right melody and the stirring and martial swing for an effective college song." ^[1][2]

On the Banks of the Old Raritan and thirteen other Rutgers songs appeared in the second addition of the Carmina Collegensia, published in 1876.^[3]

It is often sung at University occasions, including performances of the Rutgers University Glee Club, and other campus musical groups, at Convocation and Commencement exercises, and especially at the conclusion of athletic events.

[edit] Lyrics

While there are five verses to the song, typically only the first and last (fifth) verse are sung.^[4] The original lyrics penned by Fullerton are, as follows:

I.

My father sent me to old Rutgers,

And resolv'd that I should be a man;

And so I settled down,

in that noisy college town,

On the banks of the old Raritan.

(Chorus)

On the banks of the old Raritan, my boys,

where old Rutgers ever more shall stand,

For has she not stood since the time of the flood,

On the banks of the old Raritan.

II.

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.

(Chorus)

III.

I love her flaming far-flung banner

I love her triumphs proud to scan,

And I glory in her fame

That's immortalized her name.

On the banks of the old Raritan.

(Chorus)

IV.

My heart clings closer than the ivy

As life runs out its fleeting span,

To the stately, ancient walls

Of her hallowed, classic halls

On the banks of the old Raritan.

(Chorus)

V.

Then sing aloud to Alma Mater,

And keep the scarlet in the van;

For with her motto high,

Rutgers' name shall never die,

On the banks of the old Raritan.

(Chorus)

In 1989, several years after Rutgers became coeducational (1970), the University's administration has changed the official lyrics to reflect a gender-neutral political correctness, particularly by substituting the words "my friends" in place of Fullerton's original words "my boys" in the first line of the chorus.^[5][6]

Over the years, several organizations on campus have penned additional verses, informal interjections, as well as parodies of these lyrics.

[edit] References

1. ^ George J. Lukac (ed.), Aloud to Alma Mater. (New Brunswick, New Jersey: Rutgers University Press, 1966), 70-73. (No ISBN)
2. ^ "Singing Songs of Scarlet" from the Daily Targum 18 May 2006.
3. ^ Henry Randall Waite (ed.). Carmina collegensia : a complete collection of the songs of the American colleges : with selections from the student songs of the English and German universities, and popular songs adapted to college singing (Boston: O. Dison; New York: C.H. Ditson, 1876).
4. ^ Tradition at www.scarletknights.com accessed 10 September 2006.
5. ^ On the Banks of the Old Raritan accessed 12 August 2006.
6. ^ "Singing Songs of Scarlet" from the Daily Targum 18 May 2006.

[edit] External links

• Rutgers University
• Rutgers University Glee Club

Rutgers University
Academics	New Brunswick-Piscataway Campus School of Arts and Sciences • School of Environmental and Biological Sciences • College of Nursing • Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy • Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy • Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology • Graduate School of Education • Mason Gross School of the Arts • Rutgers Business School • School of Communication, Information and Library Studies • School of Engineering • School of Management and Labor Relations • School of Social Work Newark Campus Newark College of Arts and Sciences • University College • Graduate School • College of Nursing • Rutgers Business School • School of Criminal Justice • School of Law Camden Campus Camden College of Arts and Sciences • University College • Graduate School • Rutgers School of Business - Camden • School of Law
Research	Rutgers University Press • Center for Alcohol Studies • Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine • Center for Urban Policy Research • Eagleton Institute of Politics • Institute of Jazz Studies • National Transit Institute • Waksman Institute of Microbiology • BioMaPS Institute for Quantitative Biology
Rutgersiana	History of Rutgers University • List of Rutgers University people • President of Rutgers University • Henry Rutgers • On the Banks of the Old Raritan • Rutgers-Princeton Cannon War • The Bells Must Ring • Traditions at Rutgers University
Campus & Student Life	Old Queens • Voorhees Mall • Rutgers Gardens • Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum • Busch Campus • Student Organizations • Greek Life • The Daily Targum • Rutgers Centurion • The Medium • Philoclean Society • Rutgers University Glee Club • Cap and Skull • Order of the Bull's Blood • WRSU • Grease Trucks •
Athletics	Athletics at Rutgers University • Big East Conference • Louis Brown Athletic Center • Rutgers Stadium • College Avenue Gymnasium