September 2009

With September and the beginning of the football season, we thought it would be nice to examine school spirit at PC, including songs, yells, cheerleaders, our nickname, and our mascot, the Scotsman. Our thanks to our summer intern, Caroline Todd, who helped with the research.

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Blue Hose

There is some confusion about just how we got the nickname “Blue Hose.” Some talk of Cromwell’s “Little Parliament” of 1653, where some attendees wore plain blue worsted stockings. This parliament was also called the “blew-stocking parliament.” Some old-style Presbyterians were also referred to as “blue-stocking Presbyterians” or “true blue Presbyterians.” Walter Johnson, however, who was PC’s longtime football coach and athletic director, tells the story somewhat differently. In a letter written in 1935, he says: “It was about the second or third year, 1915…I changed uniform colors to blue, wearing blue stockings and jerseys, and some sports writer started calling…the Presbyterian College teams the ‘Blue Stockings’…In later years “Stocking” became abbreviated to “the Hose”, particularly in newspaper headlines, and was more or less officially adopted by the student body in the late 50s.”

The Scotsman

We’ve had several questions about when PC chose the Scotsman as its mascot. Apparently, it all started in the 1960s, when Ross Templeton and Claude Crocker, president of the Walter Johnson Club, created “Rufus A. Cobb” (rough as a cob). Rufus was reputed to be part of a fierce Scottish tribe whose members wore blue stockings. Hugh Jacobs actually drew the illustration for this first mascot. Rufus was later replaced by a more traditional Scotsman, who was first portrayed by David Templeton ’67.

By the 1970 football season, the mascot was being portrayed by Charlie Inglett, and was called the “Blue Hoseman.”  For several years in the 1990s, the Scotsman wore a large mask along with his traditional highland gear.

For the 2000 football season, the original Scotsman was replaced by the current “Braveheart” model, complete with face paint and giant Claymore sword.

Alma Mater and Fight Song

PC has not always had the same Alma Mater. One of the earlier versions, written by John Townsend and arranged by William Jacobs and Frances McSween, went as follows:

‘Mong Piedmont hills of old S.C.
There stands a college called P.C.
She’s dear to me, this old P.C.
Where every day is happy.
Refrain

All honor to thy learned walls,
Thy campus and historic halls.
We’ll sing thy praise thro all our days,
Our well loved Alma Mater.
Refrain

Refrain:

How dear thou art to me P.C.
P.C., we’ll e’er be true to thee.
P.C., P.C., We’ll ever sing thy praise.
We’ll sing thy praise through all our days
All hail to thee

Townsend’s Alma Mater was replaced in 1940 by the one we know today. The words and tune were written by William Plumer Jacobs III, great-grandson of the college’s founder.

Alma mater, Hail to thee!
Ev’ry one sings praise to thee
Thou art built on faith
We have faith in thee
Here we stand now side by side
Singing praise to thee
Great Presbyterian, Hail to thee!

Our fight song, “On, P.C.”, was written by Frances McSween in 1940 or 1941.

On, on P.C. to victory
Garnet and blue
Oh we’re for you in ev’ry thing you do
Presbyterian
Spirits are high
Never say die
But if we win or if we lose
We will love you, P.C. Blue
So go Blue Hose
Get ‘em Blue

Cheers and Cheerleaders

PC has had cheerleaders since at least 1927. Cheers and songs have changed over the years, however. Here are some from the 1920s and ‘30s.

Ho Ki Mo!

Ho Ki Mo! Hippety Ho!
Hi Bone! Thy Bone!
Boom a Rack! Quarterback!
Zig zag! Zig lag!
Hike a back and old pep!
Pretty hot for boom rep!
Fight ahead and let’s see
Ah! Rah! Rah! Rah!
P.C.S.C.

Hard as Rocks

Ray! Rah! Ray! Hard as Rocks!
Ray! Rah! Ray! Hard as Rocks!
Hard as Rocks!   Blue Socks!
Hard as Rocks! Blue Socks!
Rocks! Socks! Blue Socks!

Flash Along (Sung to the tune of “The Caissons go Rolling Along”

P.C.’s team – what a team – she’s the best
You’ve ever seen;
Watch old P.C. go flashing along!
It’s a sight – watch ‘em fight – yes, they
fight with all their might:

Watch old P.C. go flashing along!
We’ll win this game, we’ll make the ____ tame;
Win for the Garnet and the Blue
We’ll fight like sin for we are bound to win.
Watch old P.C. go flashing along!

We Got your Goat

We got your goat, your goat, your goat.
We got your goat, your goat, your goat,
We got your goat, your goat, your goat,
Baa-aa-a-a-a! Davidson!

Humpty Dumpty

Humpty Dumpty, Hoopty Dee
What’s the matter with old P.C.?
Rickety! Rickety! Rickety! Right!
Old P.C. is full of fight!