Rutgers University

: For other meanings of Rutgers, see Rutgers (disambiguation)

Rutgers: History and tradition

Early History

Shortly after the creation of The College of New Jersey (later Princeton University) in 1746, ministers of the Dutch Reformed Church sought to establish autonomy in ecclesiastical affairs. At that time, those who wanted to become ministers in within the church had to travel to the Netherlands to be trained and ordained, and many of the affairs of churches in the American colonies were managed from Europe. Thus, the ministers sought to create a governing body known as a classis to give local autonomy to the church in the colonies, and offer opportunities for the education of ministers.

Related Topics:
The College of New Jersey - 1746 - Dutch Reformed Church - Netherlands - Ordained - American colonies - Europe - Education

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Throughout the 1750s, Dutch ministers joined the effort to create a classis in the colonies, including Theodorus Jacobus Frelinghuysen who travelled on horseback in winter of 1755 to several congregations throughout the northeast to rally ministers and congregations to the cause. Soon after, Frelinghuysen travelled to the Netherlands to appeal to the General Synod, the Dutch Reformed Church's governing council for the creation of the classis. In 1761, the effort having failed, Frelinghuysen set sail for the colonies, but as the vessel approached New York, he mysteriously perished at sea.

Related Topics:
1750s - Theodorus Jacobus Frelinghuysen - 1755 - The Netherlands - Dutch Reformed Church - 1761 - New York

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After Frelinghuysen's death, Jacob Rutsen Hardenbergh (later Rutgers' first president), established himself as spokesperson for the cause, and a strong supporter of establishing a college in New Jersey. Hardenbergh, travelled to Europe renewing Frelinghuysen's efforts to gain the Synod's approval, but was also rejected. Much to the Synod's chagrin, however, Hardenburgh returned to the colonies with money for the establishment of a college.

Related Topics:
Jacob Rutsen Hardenbergh - College - New Jersey - Europe - Colonies

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Queen's College

The school now called Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, was chartered on November 10, 1766 as "Queen's College," in honor of King George III's Queen-consort, Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1744–1818). The charter was signed and the young college supported by William Franklin (1730–1813), the last Royal Governor of New Jersey and illegitimate son of Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790). The original charter specified the establishment both of the college, and of an institution called the Queen's College Grammar School, intended to be a preparatory school affiliated and governed by the college. This institution, today the Rutgers Preparatory School, was a part of the college community until 1957.

Related Topics:
November 10 - 1766 - King George III - Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz - 1744 - 1818 - William Franklin - 1730 - 1813 - New Jersey - Benjamin Franklin - 1706 - 1790 - Preparatory school - Rutgers Preparatory School - 1957

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The original purpose of Queen's College was to "educate the youth in language, liberal, the divinity, and useful arts and sciences" and for the training of future ministers for the Dutch Reformed Church—though the university is now non-sectarian and makes no religious demands on its students. (Ironically, given the tenets of Christianity, the college first met at a tavern called the Sign of the Red Lion, on what is today the grounds of the Johnson & Johnson corporate headquarters in New Brunswick, New Jersey.) It admitted its first students in 1771—a single sophomore and a handful of first-year students taught by a lone instructor—and granted its first degree in 1774, to Matthew Leydt. When the American Revolution broke out, the college abandoned the tavern and held classes in private houses, in and near New Brunswick. During its early years, the college developed as a classic liberal arts institution.

Related Topics:
Dutch Reformed Church - Johnson & Johnson - New Brunswick, New Jersey - 1771 - 1774 - Matthew Leydt

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In its early years, Queen's College was plagued by a lack of funds. In 1793, with the fledgling college falling on hard times, the board of trustees voted on a resoluton to merge with the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University). The measure failed by one vote. The problem did not go away, and in 1795, lacking both funds and tutors, the trustees consider moving the college to New York. Instead, they decide to close, only to reopen in 1808 after the Trustees raised $12,000.

Related Topics:
1793 - Princeton University - 1795 - 1808

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The next year, the College got a building of its own, affectionately called "Old Queen's" (which still stands), which is regarded today by architectural experts as one of the nation's finest examples of Federal architecture. University President Ira Condict laid the cornerstone on 27 April 1809. However, continued financial woes would cause the building to wait 14 years for completion, that combined with a nationwide economic depression and the impending War of 1812 forced Queen's College to close down a second time, in 1812. In its early years, Queen's College, the Queen's College Grammar School, and the New Brunswick Theological Seminary shared space in Old Queens. In 1856, with Old Queens suffering from overcrowding, the Seminary, moved to a home of its own nearby.

Related Topics:
Federal architecture - 27 April - 1809 - War of 1812 - 1812 - Queen's College Grammar School - New Brunswick Theological Seminary

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In 1825, Queen's College was reopened, and its name was changed to "Rutgers College" in honor of American Revolutionary War hero Colonel Henry Rutgers (1745–1830). According to the Board of Trustees, Colonel Rutgers was honored because he epitomized Christian values, however, it probably helped that the Colonel gave a gift that set the college on secure financial footing. Rutgers, a descendant of an old Dutch family that settled in New Amsterdam (now New York City), gave the fledgling college a $5000 bond and a bell to be placed in the cupola of Old Queens. The college's early troubles inspired numerous student songs, including an adaptation of the drinking song Down Among the Dead Men with the lyrics "Here's a drink to old Rutgers, loyal men, May she ne'er go down but to rise again."

Related Topics:
1825 - American Revolutionary War - Henry Rutgers - New Amsterdam - New York City

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"Rutgers College" became "Rutgers University" in 1924.

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Athletics

Rutgers was among the first American institutions to engage in intercollegiate athletics, and participated in a small circle of schools that included Yale University, Columbia University and long-time rival, Princeton University.

Related Topics:
Yale University - Columbia University - Princeton University

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On May 2, 1866, in the first intercollegiate athletic event in the United States, the Rutgers baseball team was humiliated by the Princeton team, 40-2.

Related Topics:
May 2 - 1866 - Baseball

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On November 6, 1869, Rutgers became the "Birthplace of Football" when it defeated Princeton, six "runs" to four, in the first intercollegiate football game ever played (the site, then a field, is now occupied by the College Avenue Gymnasium). Instead of wearing uniforms, the players stripped off their hats, coats, and vests and bound their suspenders around the waistbands of their trousers. For headgear, the Rutgers team wound their scarlet scarves into turbans atop their heads. This led to the College later adopting scarlet as its school color. The game— with rules more resembling those of soccer than the later form of American football—gave birth to a new pastime described as "replete with surprise, strategy, prodigies of determination, and physical prowess." During the 1870s, games resembling rugby became popular at other American colleges, and Rutgers eventually adopted similar rules. These games developed into what is today known as American football.

Related Topics:
November 6 - 1869 - Football - Soccer - American football - Rugby

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However, Rutgers proceeded to lose at football to Princeton each year for the next 68 years, only breaking that losing streak in 1938.

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An amusing sidenote: the first intercollegiate competition in Ultimate frisbee was held between Rutgers and Princeton on 6 November 1972—the 103rd anniversary of the first intercollegiate football game.

Related Topics:
Ultimate frisbee - Princeton - 6 November - 1972

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Today, Rutgers University is a member of the Big East Conference, (in football since 1991, all other sports since 1995) a collegiate athletic conference consisting of sixteen colleges and universities in the Northeastern and Midwestern United States. The Big East is a member of the Bowl Championship Series. Rutgers is a Division I-A school as sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Rutgers continues to play Princeton and Columbia every year in nearly every sport the schools all compete in with the exception of Football.

Related Topics:
Big East Conference - 1991 - 1995 - Northeastern - Midwestern - Bowl Championship Series - Division I-A - National Collegiate Athletic Association

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The Rutgers University Fight Song

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:R-U, Rah, Rah,

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:R-U, Rah, Rah,

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:Whoo-Raa, Whoo-Raa;

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:Rutgers Rah

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:Up-Stream Red Team;

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:Red Team Up-Stream

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:Rah, Rah,

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:Rutgers Rah!!

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Mascot

The Rutgers University mascot is the Scarlet Knight.

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Since its days when the school was officially known as Queen's College, the athletic teams were referred to as the Queensmen. Officially serving as the mascot figure for several football seasons beginning in 1925 was a giant, colorfully felt-covered, costumed representation of an earlier campus symbol, the "Chanticleer." Though a fighting bird of the kind which other colleges have found success, to some it bore the connotation of "chicken." It is also a little-known fact that the New Brunswick-based broadcast station, WCTC, which serves as the flagship station of Rutgers athletics, had its call letters derived from the word "ChanTiCleer." Chanticleer remained as the nickname for some 30 years.

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In the early 1950's, in the hope of spurring both the all-around good athletic promise and RU fighting spirit, a campus-wide selection process changed the mascot to that of a knight.

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By 1955 , the Scarlet Knight had officially become the new Rutgers mascot.

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Traditions and Legacies

Howard Fullerton, a member of the Order of the Bull's Blood, goes down in Rutgers history not only for his penning the alma mater but for allegedly inspiring the theft of a cannon from the campus of Princeton University on 25 April 1875, an event—and the ensuing debate between the two university presidents—reported in nationwide newspapers. The cannon was believed to have belonged to Rutgers when used in battle. Princeton students retaliated by raiding the Rutgers Armory and stealing a few muskets. Eventually the committee appointed by the two colleges recommended the return the stolen items to their owners before the event. When the cannon was returned, Princeton University officials ordered it buried in the ground, encased in cement, with only a few feet of the butt end exposed above ground.

Related Topics:
Order of the Bull's Blood - Princeton University - 25 April - 1875

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Several Rutgers students attempted to repeat the crime, unsuccessfully, in October 1946, attaching one end of a length of heavy chain to the cannon and the other to their Ford. Surprised by Princeton men and the local constabulatory, they gunned the engine of the Ford so viciously that the car was torn in half. The Rutgers army manages to escape, but with neither the car, nor their prize, the cannon.

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To this day, intrepid Rutgers students journey the 20 miles to Princeton University to place their declaration of ownership of the cannon by painting the cannon scarlet red. Unfortunately, like the students who stole the cannon in 1875, they usually paint the wrong cannon, as there are two on Cannon Green behind Nassau Hall at Princeton. Today, a cannon is placed in the ground before Old Queens at Rutgers, memorializing both this event, and alumni in the service who were killed in action. At Commencement, tradition leads undergraduates to break clay pipes over the cannon, symbolizing the breaking of ties with the college, and leaving behind the good times of one's undergraduate years. This symbolism dates back to when pipe-smoking was fashionable among undergraduates, and many college memories were derived from evenings of pipe smoking and revelry with friends.

Related Topics:
Princeton University - 1875 - Cannon Green - Nassau Hall

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The bell in the Old Queen's cupola, an 1826 gift of namesake donor Colonel Henry Rutgers, is traditionally used to announce the graduation of classes. It is also rung on special occasions, including those of prized athletic success. Most recently, the bell was rung when the 1999-2000 women's basketball team adavnced to the NCAA Final Four in Philadelphia, and when the 1990 men's soccer team reached the championship game of the NCAA Tournament.

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Trivia

• The College Avenue Gymnasium, built on the site where the first college football game was played, hosted New Jersey's 1947 and 1966 Constitutional Conventions.
• In 1810, a book of 104 rules and regulations are published to guide student down a moral path. Among these rules were prohibitions on dancing and fencing schools, billiards, cards, dice, beer and oyster houses, firearms, powder, and public ball alleys; and further, no student was to "disguise himself for the purpose of imposition or amusement," "speak upon the public stage anything indecent, profane, or immoral," or "employ a barber on the Lord's day to dress his head or shave him." Ironically, the Rutgers Dance Marathon started by the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity in the 1970s is one of the largest student run philantropy events in the country, so much for a dancing prohibition. As for fencing, the Rutgers Fencing team regularly competes with and defeats the nation's top teams such as Duke and NYU.
• In 1879, Mark Twain, the famed American author, accepted an honorary membership into the Philoclean Society at Rutgers, but failed to make the customary monetary contribution.
• In addition to being the "birthplace of college football," Rutgers has given birth to discoveries and innovations such as Cheez-Whiz, water-soluble sustained release polymers, Tetraploids, robotic hands, artificial bovine insemination, several antibiotics, and developed the ceramic tiles for the heat shield on the Space Shuttle. Currently Rutgers researchers are driving closer and closer to an effective cure for AIDS.
• All of the law school scenes in Rounders were filmed in and around Rutgers Law School in Newark, New Jersey.

Alma Mater

The alma mater of Rutgers University is the song entitled On the Banks of the Old Raritan, written by Howard Fullerton (Class of 1872). The lyrics to the song are, as follows:

Related Topics:
Alma mater - 1872

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: I.

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: My father sent me to old Rutgers,

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: And resolv'd that I should be a man;

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: And so I settled down,

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: in that noisy college town,

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: On the banks of the old Raritan.

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: (Chorus)

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: On the banks of the old Raritan, my boys,

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: where old Rutgers ever more shall stand,

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: For has she not stood since the time of the flood,

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: On the banks of the old Raritan.

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: II.

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: Then sing aloud to Alma Mater,

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: And keep the scarlet in the van;

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: For with her motto high,

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: Rutgers' name shall never die,

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: On the banks of the old Raritan.

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: (Chorus)

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: *N.B.: The phrase "my boys" in the first line of the chorus was changed in 1990 to "my friends" in light of Rutgers being coeducational since 1970. When the Alma Mater is performed by the Queen's Chorale, an all-women group, they sing "And resolv'd that I should be a man" quickly followed by "or a woman".

Related Topics:
Coeducational - 1970

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