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Reveille VII

Reveille is the name given to the Texas A&M University mascot, which is a purebred female American collie. Nicknamed "The First Lady of Texas A&M," Reveille is the highest ranked member of the Corps of Cadets, the university's student military organization.

History

Origins of Reveille

Though Reveille has been a respected mascot throughout A&M's history, the origin of Reveille is still uncertain. The most widely accepted story tells of how several cadets, upon driving to College Station late at night on their Model T from nearby Navasota, accidentally hit a stray puppy. The cadets took the injured puppy into their car, and smuggled her into their dorm, Leggett Hall. After the cadets bandaged the dog that night, she awoke the next morning and barked to the sound of the morning Reveille. The dog's enthusiastic reaction to the call inspired the cadets to name her Reveille.

Several former students, however, have made different claims as to how Reveille was bought to the campus. Many of these claims have not been as compelling as the one by former Fightin' Texas Aggie Band member George Comnas '35, who explained how he found Reveille in his Muster speech in 1980. According to Comnas, Reveille was lying along the side of the road next to the old railway station in January of 1932. Comnas claimed that the dog was injured after being hit by a car, and was whimpering out of fright. After several other cadets encircled around the dog, Comnas, with the help of his next-door neighbor Bob Anderson, carried the dog to Leggett Hall and bandaged her injuries. After a few days of recovery, Comnas began bringing her to the morning drills. Over time, she became attached to the cadets, and the cadets became attached to her. She was given the name "Reveille" when the name stuck as he said "Here comes our Reveille" when the bugler played the Reveille the same time they did their morning drills. Comnas cited four of his fellow classmates who could tell the same story. He also wrote letters to university officials, and tried to convince others his account of the story is indeed genuine (Burson & Burson 2004, pp. 14–15)

Dr. Mavis P. Kelsey, a distinguished alumnus, wrote a letter in 1990 to an editor of Texas Aggie, explaining why there may be different stories to the origin of the mascot. He explains that the dog might have been discovered on different times by cadets—when she was unknown by the whole student body. He notes that he had seen the stray dog running around campus several times, and found it to be very friendly. Not until she started greeting and following the cadets, he adds, the cadets became attached to her and recognized by all (Burson & Burson 2004, pp. 15–16)

References

• Template:Harvard reference