Alma Mater on the Mass Pike
R. Dave Smith wrote:
 
>(PS.  To Hockeynut-Lynn:  The Alma Mater starts "Far above Cayuga's
>waters,"  not "High above..."  After singing it through every toll booth on
the
>Mass Pike when travelling with the band, I have come to know it quite well.
:-)
:-)
 
Thanks, Dave, for bringing up this little marching band/pep band ritual just
before the Reunion weekend.  Though I was never a band member, I had an
opportunity to travel with the pep band twice several years ago to the ECAC in
Boston.  The first time I only caught the band bus coming back to Ithaca.  I
remember that we left the Garden late at night, after the Championship game.
When the bus reached the first toll gate on the Mass Pike, it was around
midnight.  Some people had dozed off by then.  However, everyone got up and
stood up in his seat, singing the alma mater as our bus driver was getting the
toll ticket.  I was quite amused (and not to feel out of place, I did stand and
sing the alma mater with the band) because it was probably the worst rendition
of our alma mater I've ever heard.  I was equally amazed that at the next toll
booth, when more people were asleep, that the band continued with this ritual
(I don't recall the time, but it could have been 2 or 3 AM).  Needless to say,
the singing was half-hearted, but the band sang nevertheless.
 
Tom Tseng
Cornell '87 (my first, fifth-year Reunion!!!)