School Spirit

Student Fashion

School Spirit has been expressed in many ways throughout the decades, especially through our student's fashion. This series of photos shows a few of these trends, from St. John's University sweatshirts, vintage varsity sweaters, freshman beanies and red bowties as part of the hazing traditions, athletic gear, a freshman orientation pin from the class of '73, and the traditional academic gowns which were often worn by upperclassmen in the early 20th century.

A student wearing a varsity sweater with the letters SJ in 1926.

Upperclassmen wearing academic gowns in 1937. The gowns have patches sewn on, possibly from the Skull and Circle Honor Society or another student organization.

St. John's Track uniforms 1948 — The St. John's Track team wearing their uniforms in 1948. Most of the sweatshirts say "St. John's" while one sweatshirt reads, "Property of St. John's."

A group of students at the downtown Brooklyn campus wearing classic 'SJ" varsity sweaters in 1954. They are all following the university dress code of trousers, a jacket, and a tie.

This freshman beanie was worn by Thomas Gould, class of 1958, during freshman hazing in Fall 1954.

A group of students wearing red beanies and red bowties as part of the required freshman hazing in 1965. — A group of students wearing red beanies and red bow ties as part of the required freshman hazing in 1965. The women are adhering to the dress code by wearing skirts and blouses, while the men have their required suit jackets.

These students are wearing red pins that read, "St. John's University Class of '73" during their freshman orientation in Fall 1969.

A student browses the many colorful St. John's University sweatshirts at the campus bookstore in 1982.

A student shows their school spirit with a red St. John's sweatshirt and a few student organization pins at the activity fair, c. 1990.

A student cheering at commencement wearing graduation cap and gown. — Today students only wear their graduation gap and gown at their commencement ceremony, unlike upperclassmen of the early 20th century. This student has adorned their commencement attire with several cords, medals, patches, and pins at the 2009 ceremony on the Great Lawn.

Songs and Cheers

"Alma Mater"

Thy children here today, galore,
Old St. John's! Our dear St. John's!
And true will they be ever more,
Old St. John's! Our dear St. John's!
Thy colors bright, the Red and White,
We'll wave aloft from morn 'till night,
Victorious, we'll show our might,
Old St. John's! Our dear St. John's!
From fervent hearts we breathe our prayer,
Old St. John's! Our dear St. John's!
As we commend thee to His care,
Old St. John's! Our dear St. John's!
That He will guard thee by His might,
And be thy shield in every fight,
Thou champion of sacred rite,
Old St. John's! Our dear St. John's!

St. John's College Glee Club sings "Alma Mater"

This audio recording of the Alma Mater was sung by the St. John's College Glee Club in 1950, featuring John Engargiola, baritone, and Rev. Robert J. Rivard, C.M., director. The first verse of the Alma Mater was composed by Rev. Carroll S. Rosensteel, C.M. in 1906. The lyrics were later completed by Rev. Thomas Ryan, C.M. Since then, the only change to the words of our alma mater was the change of the word “sons” to “children” to better reflect the student body.

Text from album cover:

The St. John's College Glee Club The Glee Club was founded at St. John's in 1925 through the efforts of the Rev. Gregory Campbell, C.M. of the faculty and the Rev. Thomas Ryan, C.M., at the time Dean of the College. Through the years the Glee Club engaged in successful musical programs under the directorship of Mme. Kathryn Fuchs, Rev. John Roche, C.M., Dr. Felix Gatz, and Prof. Lawrence Rasmussen, until its ranks were thinned in 1943 by the advent of the war.

Shortly after its reorganization in 1947, the Glee Club appeared over a CBS national network on the Church of the Air program. Thus began a series of sixteen radio programs, all nationally broadcast of NBC's Catholic Hour, CBS's Church of the Air, or ABC's Hour of Faith. The choristers made their first television appearance on a special Easter program over the NBT network with the Rt. Rev. Msgr. Fulton J. Sheen on Easter Sunday in 1949.

Regularly throughout the year the Glee Club has provided music for assemblies, retreats, and University ecclesiastical functions and commencements. It has appeared in joint concerts with the choral groups of the College of Notre Dame in Staten Island, the College of New Rochelle, and Albertus Magnus College in New Haven, Conn.

In addition it has been invited to perform at many civic and educational functions like Diocesan teachers meetings, special recitals for Holy Name Societies, the joint concert of the Paramount Pictures Choral Society, the Nassau County Teachers Association, and the Diocesan Apostolate for the Conversion of non-Catholics.

Rev. Robert L. Rivard, C.M., Director of the Glee Club

Father Rivard has been director of the St. John's College Glee Club since April 1947 shortly after he was appointed to the faculty of the College as an instructor in French. Since Father Rivard came to St. John's Prep in 1944 as instructor in French, he has composed two songs dedicated to St. John's, "Hymn to St. John's" in 1948, and "Let's Go, St. John's" in 1950. From 1944 until 1946 he had been director of the Glee Club and moderator of the Band at St. John's Prep.

Do you remember these songs and cheers?

bumper sticker Alumni Hall has it all! Go St. John's Redmen — This bumper sticker proclaims "Alumni Hall has it all! Go St. John's Redmen." Alumni Hall was renamed Carnesecca Arena in 2004. In 1994, all women's and men's athletics teams change their name from Redmen to Red Storm.

Cheerleaders holding up a sign at a basketball game encouraging the audience to chant "Beast of the East" in 1983.