The War Whoop (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 42, No. 8, Ed. 1, Thursday, October 29, 1964 Page: 3 of 4
four pages : illus. ; page 16 x 12 in. Digitized from 35 mm. microfilm.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Thursday. October 29 1964
WAH WHOOP
Pago 3
First Festivity in 1927
Decades of Traditions
Relived at Homecoming
By BRENDA GLENN
The banging of hammers the
clap of rocks and the buzz of ex-
cited voices all fill the air as
homecoming approaches and work
on Tepee Village begins. Yet
behind the noise and excitement
lies more than three decades of
traditions and symbolism.
Homecoming for McMurry be-
gan November 9 1927 when
seventeen exes were honored.
With the years have come changes
and additions.
The first homecoming was cele
brated with a bon fire burning
the totem pole being erected the
smoking of the peace pipe and
the continuous beating of the
tom-tom.
An Indian dance which at first
was performed by a real Indian
was later turned over to some
Boy Scouts. Now the dance is
performed by McMurry students.
The coronation of Chief Mc-
Murry and Reservation Princess
was added in 1946 to the home-
coming ceremonies which In-
cludes the pinning of the colors
Indian Band Presents
Concert For Alumni
McMurry's Indian Band will
present its nineteenth annual
homecoming concert for alumni
parents and other guests of the
college Saturday morning at
10:30 in Radford Auditorium.
Starting with the fanfare of the
march "His Honor" the band will
quieten to "A Stillness at Appo-
matix." The "Minute Waltz" will
feature Mike Palmer plaj .ng the
xylophone.
Featuring the chimes and cel-
este the Indian Band will play
an arrangement of "America the
Beautiful." For those who en-
joy the English handbells part
of the program will be devoted
to selected numbers for the mel-
odious bells.
"A Hunting We Will Go" is a
posthorn solo to be presented by
Kirke McKlnzie. Fun with music
is the novelty number "Casey
Jones." Gregory Hector will play
a trombone solo entitled "Swing
Low Sweet Chariot."
Emphasizing the entire percus-
sion section will be the musical
presentation "Picnic for Percus-
sion." Concluding the morning's
concert will be the traditional
"Stars and Stripes Forever."
The annual concert marks the
19th year that Dr. Raymond T.
Bynum director of the Indian
Band has been an instructor at
McMurry.
Singing goes better refreshed.
And Coca-Cola with that special zing
but never too sweet
refreshes best.
things gO
better!
CoKe
TMfffm
Bottled undir the authority of Tha Coca-Cola Company byi
TEXAS COCA-COLA BOTTLING COMPANY
Phont OR 2-3232 Abilene. Txu
and the announcement of favorites.
In 1951 the first Tepee Village
was built. The idea for the vil-
lage came from Mrs. W. B. Mc-
Danicl wife of the vice president
of the college.
Ihe village was built in a circle
of tepees around a large tepee in
the center. In front of the cen-
ter tepee was the council fire.
Later just the fire was put in the
circle of tepees.
With the coming of Tepee Vil
lage the shooting of the arrow
was introduced as was the fire-
lighting ceremony.
Each part of homecoming has
special meaning to McMurry
students and exes. The bon fire
symbolizes the spirit of McMurry.
It represents warmth and light
for the Indians who have return-
ed to the reservation.
A spirit of harmony and unity
on the reservation is symbolized
by the smoking of the peace pipe.
Freshmen are responsible for
beating the tom-tom continuously
after the bon fire is lit until the
football game is over. If a beat
is missed it will mean a frown of
failure on the Indians.
Tepee Village represents an ap-
peal to the Great Spirit to show
the Indians favor. Shooting the
arrow to begin the celebration is
symbolic that the action is to
begin.
Pinning of the colors came from
the practice of Indians in Wiscon-
sin. Before the braves left for
battle maidens presented them
with a charm to show that they
were behind them.
The teas parties dances band
concert and tours have been
added through the years.
Coronation
(Continued from Page 1)
ceremonies at the Friday evening
affair.
Baby-sitting will be provided
at 7:00 p. m. in the Aldersgate
nursery for parents wishing to at-
tend to coronation.
ATTENTION SIGMA TAU
All Sigma Tau Delta mem-
bers are asked to dress for-
mally for the November 9
meeting because pictures for
the Totem will be made at
7 p. m.
"DID YOU REALLY SKIN THAT ANIMAL?" asks Maria Boozer
and Andrea Holloy visitors from Bowie Elementary School as Mary
Kay Sharp TIP Indian maiden shows skins and skulls which will
be found around ihe club tepee in Indian Village.
In Library
Rister Displays
Indian Collection
Amid the traditional homecom-
ing Tepee Village in the foyer of
the library headbands and tom-
tom Gene Rister's archaeological
exhibit reveals the background of
the former North American
Indian life.
Rister a senior from Tyler
owns most of this exhibit which
he began collecting at the age of
five. Of all his collection one-
third was bought by one-third
given to and one-third found by
Rister.
The exhibit represents the basic
history of North American In-
dians. The origin of pieces langes
from Kentucky Tennessee Mis-
souri and Arkansas through Ok-
lahoma and Texas into New
Mexico Arizona and California
and boulh to Mexico and I'.mama
Many pieces date back past the
time of Chi ist.
The oldest piece in the collec-
tion is the Folson Point whicli
dates back 30000-40000 years ago
A metal point found in South
Texas least in age is considered
to be 150-200 years of nge.
"The Eureka 'Baby' discovered
in 1880 at Eureka Springs Ar-
i 1 1 ) n
ciconie Cxe&
MARTIN'S
McMURRY DRUG
PRESCRIPTIONS
DRUGS
COSMETICS
"Where You Meet the Boy at the Fountain"
kansas was found in a cave
three feet below the surface. This
piece belongs to about the mid-
dle of the Mississippi Period cul-
ture when Indians were in full
scale of building complex vil-
lages around temple mounds"
Rister informs. "These mounds
resemble temple mounds in
Mexico and some sources believe
that the more cultured Indians
of Central America brought to
the Southwest some of its major
art and archcological styles when
they established colonies or trade
with the area in pre-Columbian
times."
Fiotn Cadiz Kentucky a very
unique pot was found with the
picture of a craw fish on fiont
and a leech on the back. "Tins
appears to bo an eaily bunal
item" Rister commented.
The clay god from Mexico rep-
resents Tlaloc" the rain god a
deity almost universally woi ship-
ped among caily agucultural
people of Mexico Central and
South America. The porcelain
beads on display were found in a
California grave. They were
made in Venice and traded to the
Indians by Spanish Conquistadors
about 200-300 years ago.
This archcological exhibit
brings to light a very small part
of this country's history but that
small part is filled with impor-
tance and with mystery.
Few Men Plan io Fail But
Many Men Fail to Plan
SEE
Ed Alford
Financial Planning for
College Men
518 Highland OR 3-6054
National Educators Life
Insurance Company
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
The War Whoop (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 42, No. 8, Ed. 1, Thursday, October 29, 1964, newspaper, October 29, 1964; Abilene, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth103969/m1/3/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting McMurry University Library.