A Song for Ole' Nathan

There seems to be an endless number of anthems crooned by Guilford students back in the day. If you go back far enough, it appears half the campus was in a unified chorus literally half the time. (So much for Quaker "silence.") Prolific Guilford songsmith, Russell Pope, even penned a song about Guilford founder Nathan Hunt. This gem is noted in a yearbook from the World War II period. Does anyone know the tune? 

(Old) Alma Mater

This old song appears to have been in use as an early Alma Mater until roughly 1943, when our current song was created, and possibly even afterwards. I was recently told by a friend and class of '51 alum that this tune was well-known on campus and functioned as an Alma Mater song. Yet, like several others on this blog, its been forgotten by most.

(Old) Alma Mater

Hail dear old Guilford,

Thy Loyal sons are we!

And we will ever be

Faithful to thee.

Through the changing clime,

Through all the future time,

Our hearts will always be,

Loyal to thee.

Though years may come and go,

Still will our memories cling

To those dear old college days

Of long ago.

None can compare with thee,

And we will always be,

Until our dying days,

Loyal to thee.

(* Retired professor of history, Alex Stoeson, in his Guilford College: On the Strength of 150 Years, remarked about the irony of the second line,
"Thy loyal sons are we," given Guilford's standing as the oldest
coeducational college in the south and the third oldest in the country.)

Guilford Campus Song

This old song, sung by students in the early days of the 20th Century, seems to have been a campus favorite and may have functioned as an early "Alma Mater" song. Again, this one seems to live only in print.

The Guilford Campus Song

When the shades of evening gather,

Guilford students hied.

To the soft green-swarded campus,

For a time our books laid by.

And the parting rifts of sunlight,

As they linger soft and long.

Shed a hal-low'd gleam of gladness,

On our merriment and song.

Now the songs of dear Old Guilford,

Peal across the downy green.

From Archdale to Memorial,

Span the distance far between;

And the walls of dear old Founders,

The reverberations fling.

From Cox Hall to New Garden,

As our voices gaily ring.

Then across to fair Arcadia,

The chimings wing their flight.

Till across the the far-flung hill-tops,

They kiss heaven's dame of light;

Then as if they rued their boldness,

Back they come in echos gay,

And thus end the winged praises,

Of the Crimson and the Gray.

"Seniors of Old G.C." Song

Another one from the annals of the past, in particular, The Quaker annual of 1914. I have no idea how long it was around or when it vanished from memory, but here's another cool old Guilford song that appears to have been popular in the past...at least with the senior class.

The Guilford College class of 1892. Photo courtesy of Guilford College.

Seniors of Old G.C.

We've been here for a time together,

We seniors of old G.C.

Through bright and rainy weather,

Four years at old G.C.

We've laughed and played together,

We seniors of old G.C.

We've bowed our heads together,

Many times at old G.C.

We've felt the sting of defeat,

We seniors of old G.C.

Our hearts with triumph have beat,

A few times at old G.C.

We're bidding you farewell forever,

School days of old G.C.

May the golden ties ne're sever,

Which bind our hearts to thee.

As we leave you all together,

Dear days at old G.C.

We drink to your health forever,

Memories of dear G.C.

"Dear Old Guilford" Song

While perusing old yearbooks I noticed a song that was sung often in the early 1900s, called simply, "Dear Old Guilford." The song seems to have been "given" to the school as one of its class gifts by the seniors of 1911.  I have no idea what the tune is, nor when it vanished from tradition.

Dear Old Guilford

In the North State, at its center,

Stands a college old and fine;

We all love it, 'tis our Guilford

'Round it, ivy doth entwine.

(chorus)  Dear old Guilford, dear old Guilford,

How we love thee more each year;

When we're gone from thee forever,

Still thy name we will revere.

At the first, poor timid Freshmen,

How we longed at ease to be;

How we toiled, how we toiled o'er,

Physics and Geometry.

Dear old Guilford, dear old Guilford,

How we love thee more each year;

When we're gone from thee forever,

Still thy name we will revere.

But we wiser grew as Soph'mores.

Said such digging did not pay;

And the way we bluffed our teachers,

No one ever knew but they.

(chorus)

Onward we advanced as Juniors,

Cast aside our childish ways;

Found that honest toil and pleasure,

Best could fill our college days.

(chorus)

Then, with Senior years advancing,

Alma Mater ope's the door;

To larger tasks and broader visions,

Which the future has in store.

(chorus)

Then let all who love our college,

Love her heart, and soul and mind;

Seniors, Juniors, Sophomores, Freshmen,

Sing with voices here combined.

(chorus)

(END)