Texas A and M University - Aggieland Yearbook (College Station, TX)

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Bonfire - 1. A tremendous stack of logs burned at dark-thirty before every A M-t.u. game. 2. A symbol of A M ' s burning desire to beat the hell outta t.u. Bonfire burns bright What began as a casual custom of gathering scrap wood in the 1920’s has become the tradition of building and burning the world ' s largest bonfire. Tradition says that if the bonfire, which is lit at “dark thirty, burns until mid¬ night before falling, the Aggies will beat the Longhorns. Building Bonfire became a major event each year, with civilian students and members of the Corps of Cadets working long hours side by side cutting trees and building the stack. In recent years, women have also joined in the traditional cutting of the logs with axes instead of conventional saws. About 5,500 people worked on the Bonfire this year — about one person per log, the Bonfire coordinator said. This year’s Bonfire was shorter than those in past years, but it burned well into the evening, falling after about two hours, and thus predicting the Aggie’s loss. Top: Redpots advance to light the Bonfire. Above: The Commodores entertain after Bonfire. Right: The traditional outhouse is placed upon the stack. 18 Traditions

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Left: Jeff Crofton marks time for the singing crowd. Below: Yell leaders push the hard way. Jeff Crofton, Greg Griffin and Todd Kronshage prepare to run from fish. I Yell leaders spark spirit As the story of yell leading goes, back in the 1920’s, only juniors and seniors could have dates to the football games. So the seniors de¬ cided to make the fish entertain the crowds at halftime to keep the underclassmen occupied. The football trainers, wearing white uniforms, helped the fish out. Today, yell leading is a privilege for five ju¬ niors and seniors who are elected by the stu¬ dent body. Yell leaders for 1983-1984 were: Head Yell Leader Jeff Crofton, seniors Todd Kronshage and Greg Griffin, and juniors Terry Hlavinka and Kelly Joseph. Besides leading the crowd in yells at all ma¬ jor sports events, the yell leaders promote spirit and school pride by hosting traditions pro¬ grams at Fish Camps, dormitories, and sorority houses throughout the year. As the hosts of the infamous midnight yells, the yell leaders drum up spirit by leading yell | practices, telling “grode” stories, and cutting 5 the lights for “scoring” practice. yell leaders — n.. Students elected to direct the Twelfth Man in yelling at athletic events. Traditions 17

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Traditions 19