Purdue University

Purdue University is a public land-grant university system within the state of Indiana. Purdue?s main academic campus is located in the city of West Lafayette, on the banks of the Wabash River. Satellite campuses are located in Hammond, Fort Wayne, Kokomo, Westville, and other cities. Purdue also has three campuses affiliated with Indiana University, and Purdue?s School of Technology has seven satellite locations throughout Indiana. With 18,209 acres (74 km²) and over 68,000 students, Purdue is one of the largest university systems in the United States. The main campus has over 30,000 undergraduate and 7,000 graduate students. The university is particularly noted for its engineering, agriculture, and business programs, which consistently rank among the best in the country. Purdue is also home to the state of Indiana's school of veterinary medicine, and a number of research facilities, including Discovery Park.

Traditions and legends

Boilermakers

Since the 1890s, the term ?Boilermaker? has been synonymous with Purdue. The name has been applied to Purdue organizations (athletic and otherwise), institutions, and individuals alike, and has come to be the official nickname for all things Purdue.

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The name that has become such a big part of the identity of the university has its origins in the words of a nineteenth century sportswriter. In 1891, the Purdue football team was first referred to as the "Boiler Makers" by a Crawfordsville, Indiana reporter who wrote about the team?s 44-0 victory over local rival Wabash College. Soon afterward, Lafayette newspapers were using the name, and in 1892 the student newspaper announced its approval of the 'boilermaker'. Before the widespread adoption of ?Boilermaker,? Purdue was also sometimes referred to as the home of the "haymakers," the "rail-splitters," the "sluggers," or the "cornfield sailors."

Related Topics:
Nineteenth century - Sportswriter - 1891 - Crawfordsville, Indiana - Wabash College - 1892

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Mascots, logos, and colors

In the more than 130 years since the founding of the university, several mascots have emerged in support of the Boilermaker athletic teams, including: The Boilermaker Special, Purdue Pete, and more recently, Rowdy.

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The Boilermaker Special, a locomotive, has been the official mascot of Purdue athletics since the 1930s. The latest generation of the mascot, the Boilermaker Special Mark V, was dedicated during the halftime show of the 1993 football game versus Notre Dame at Purdue's Ross-Ade Stadium.

Related Topics:
Locomotive - 1930s - 1993 - Notre Dame - Ross-Ade Stadium

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Though not the official mascot, Purdue Pete is one of the most recognized symbols of Purdue University. Pete was originally developed in 1940 as an advertising logo for the University Bookstore. Eventually, the popularity of the image grew among the Purdue community, and the advertisement evolved into a full character, complete with costume and mallet. By 1956 Purdue Pete was at the center of activity at Boilermaker athletic events, as entertainer and energizer. As a matter of tradition, the modern mallet-wielding Boilermaker character always appears in a #1 jersey. Purdue's newest symbol, Rowdy, was introduced in 1997 during the first home football game of the season. The inflatable mascot, made of parachute material, stands nearly 10 feet (3 meters) tall, and represents a young boy who hopes to become a Purdue Boilermaker.

Related Topics:
1940 - 1956 - 1997

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In 1969 the Purdue University Board of Trustees approved the official seal of Purdue as part of the university?s centennial celebration. The seal, designed by Purdue professor Al Gowan, replaced one that had been used informally for more than 70 years. The seal features a stylized griffin, which in medieval heraldry symbolizes strength. The words 'Purdue University' are set in Uncial typeface above the griffin, and below the three-part shield represents the three stated aims of the university: education, research, and service. The seal is generally reserved for more formal usage than the logos of the Boilermaker Special, or Purdue Pete.

Related Topics:
1969 - Centennial - Griffin - Medieval - Heraldry - Uncial

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Purdue University adopted its school colors, Old Gold and Black, in the fall of 1887. The distinctive colors were inspired by those of Princeton University, at the time the leader in college football, whose colors were black and orange.

Related Topics:
1887 - Princeton University

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School songs

The official fight song of Purdue University, ?Hail Purdue!?, was composed in 1912 by alumni Edward Wotawa (music) and James Morrison (lyrics) as the "Purdue War Song." "Hail Purdue" was copyrighted in 1913 and dedicated to the Varsity Glee Club. The lyrics of the refrain are:

Related Topics:
1912 - 1913

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:Hail, hail to old Purdue!

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:All hail to our old gold and black!

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:Hail, hail to old Purdue!

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:Our friendship may she never lack,

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:Ever grateful ever true,

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:Thus we raise our song anew,

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:Of the days we've spent with you,

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:All hail our own Purdue.

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In 1993 the Purdue Board of Trustees approved the "Purdue Hymn" as the official alma mater of the university. The lyrics and music were written by Alfred Kirchhoff in 1941. The University Choir first performed the hymn in 1943, during convocation in the Edward C. Elliot Hall of Music. The lyrics are as follows:

Related Topics:
1993 - Alma mater - 1941 - 1943

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:Close by the Wabash in famed Hoosier land

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:Stands old Purdue, serene and grand.

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:Cherished in memory by all

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:Her sons and daughters true,

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:Fair alma mater,

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:All hail Purdue! Fairest in all the land,

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:Our own Purdue!

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:Fairest in all the land, our own Purdue!

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Legends

Like many institutions with long and rich histories, Purdue University is steeped in legend. Many of these legends are so outlandish, it is difficult to believe they are still in circulation. Below is a selection of the most popular legends.

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• A legend connected with benefactor John Purdue asserts that he owned the local brickyard, and that his donation carried the stipulation that all permanent university buildings must be built of red brick or his entire gift reverts to Purdue's heirs. Although this claim cannot be substantiated, it is apparently contradicted by two university buildings: Krannert and Rawls halls. Although both buildings on the West Lafayette campus are made of limestone, both had brick included in their foundations in keeping with the 'red brick' tradition.
• One of the more bizarre, yet most commonly heard, legends on campus concerns the integrity of the Purdue Bell Tower. The legend claims that when construction of the tower was completed in 1995 it was discovered that the tower was structurally flawed, and as a result the bells could not ring without risking collapse. Project leaders supposedly had a speaker system installed to imitate the sound of ringing bells. However, inside the modern Bell Tower are a computerized carillon, and an electronic clock. In fact, the new tower includes bells from the original Bell Tower, which was demolished in 1956.
• There are also a number of legends that periodically circulate on campus that involve benefactor John Purdue?s grave, which is located on campus per his final requests. The legends range from silly to macabre and many involve students from rival Indiana University participating in grave robbing and other acts of desecration. These, of course, are also untrue.
• Another legend purports to offer an explanation of the Boilermaker moniker. The legend tells of two Purdue football coaches that would not accept the scrawny volunteers that came out for the team. According to the legend, the coaches gathered a number of boilermakers from the Monon Railroad Shops, enrolled them in one class each, and added them to the team. Though this story cannot be corroborated, it has been a favorite folk legend among some of the administration.