Linfielder John Prutsman (Class of 1957) has a big booming voice and an ear for music.
He laments, “One tradition I think we at Linfield have lost is standing and singing the Alma Mater after every home football game.”
John, a grad of Portland’s Lincoln High School, played football for the Wildcats in the 1953, 1954, 1955, and 1956 (the season in which The Streak started).
As a Linfield football player John said, “I don’t recall team members singing the Alma Mater after the home games. But, the crowd did. I recall watching home football games in immediate years after I graduated. Those crowds did not leave the stands after games until they stood and sang the Alma Mater.
“At that time the Linfield Pep Band sat in the stands just south of the Memorial Stadium tunnel out of the locker room. The band would play the Alma mater intro -- actually the end of the song where the words are ‘Alma Mater we’re loyal to you’ -- and everyone automatically would start singing.”
In more recent times so to speak, some 15 or 20 years ago John thinks, the Linfield Choir had a reunion on campus during a Homecoming. “Choir alums joined with the student choir members to sing the Star Spangled Banner before the game and Alma Mater at the end of the game. At choir rehearsal before that sheets with the lyrics were handed out because student in the choir didn’t know its words.”
Debbie Harmon Ferry (Class of 1990), Linfield Alumni and Parent Relations director, said the Alma Mater is sung at the conclusion of every Linfield Commencement ceremony. “Typically it’s led by a graduating senior, often someone who was in the choir,” she said.
With this story is photo of page from the May 14, 1967, Linfield Commencement printed program. Alma Mater lyrics are bottom of the page. (Lyrics are also below). Interesting to see only the first two of four stanzas of the Alma Mater are included.
In lyrics, note “The Old Oak gives us courage…”
(The Old Oak fell on Jan. 8, 2008. A newspaper story at the time said the Old Oak, an 80-foot tall white oak, “stood majestic when Linfield was founded 150 years ago.” It was estimated to be 200-250 years old when disease caused its death.)
Debbie said the Linfield Alma Mater “still references the Old Oak, but we now tend to use ‘the old oaks give us courage’ – referring to the oaks in the Oak Grove, not the Old Oak itself.”
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In more recent times so to speak, some 15 or 20 years ago John thinks, the Linfield Choir had a reunion on campus during a Homecoming. “Choir alums joined with the student choir members to sing the Star Spangled Banner before the game and Alma Mater at the end of the game. At choir rehearsal before that sheets with the lyrics were handed out because student in the choir didn’t know its words.”
Debbie Harmon Ferry (Class of 1990), Linfield Alumni and Parent Relations director, said the Alma Mater is sung at the conclusion of every Linfield Commencement ceremony. “Typically it’s led by a graduating senior, often someone who was in the choir,” she said.
With this story is photo of page from the May 14, 1967, Linfield Commencement printed program. Alma Mater lyrics are bottom of the page. (Lyrics are also below). Interesting to see only the first two of four stanzas of the Alma Mater are included.
In lyrics, note “The Old Oak gives us courage…”
(The Old Oak fell on Jan. 8, 2008. A newspaper story at the time said the Old Oak, an 80-foot tall white oak, “stood majestic when Linfield was founded 150 years ago.” It was estimated to be 200-250 years old when disease caused its death.)
Debbie said the Linfield Alma Mater “still references the Old Oak, but we now tend to use ‘the old oaks give us courage’ – referring to the oaks in the Oak Grove, not the Old Oak itself.”
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Linfield's Alma Mater: "We’ll Be Loyal"
We’ll be loyal to old Linfield
With her backing never yield
Each day will bring some vict’ry
One more honor for her shield.
The Old Oak gives us courage
Keeps us steadfast on our way
For her we’ll fight will all our might
Alma Mater, we’re loyal to you!
You may search all Linfield’s hist’ry
For one more of disloyalty
Each student upholds her spirit
With her loyal faculty
Linfield’s friendships are the truest
They’ll back you in each test
For her we’ll fight will all our might
Alma Mater, we’re loyal to you!
We’ll be loyal to old Linfield
With her backing never yield
Each day will bring some vict’ry
One more honor for her shield.
The Old Oak gives us courage
Keeps us steadfast on our way
For her we’ll fight will all our might
Alma Mater, we’re loyal to you!
You may search all Linfield’s hist’ry
For one more of disloyalty
Each student upholds her spirit
With her loyal faculty
Linfield’s friendships are the truest
They’ll back you in each test
For her we’ll fight will all our might
Alma Mater, we’re loyal to you!
