University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
Encyclopedia
The University of Mary Hardin–Baylor, generally referred to as UMHB, is a Christian
co-educational liberal arts
institution of higher learning located in Belton, Texas
, United States
. Founded by the Republic of Texas
in 1845 as "Baylor Female College," it has grown to approximately 2,700 students and awards degrees at the baccalaureate
, master's
, and doctorate
levels. It is affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas
.
The university is fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
(SACS). UMHB's first doctoral program, leading to the Doctor of Education
(Ed.D.), officially began in June 2007 with twenty-one students in the inaugural class. The university's overall student/faculty ratio is 15:1.
). Classes began in May, 1846, in a small wooden building on a hillside at Independence
in Washington County. The first class consisted of twenty-four male and female students While it was a coeducational institution, the classes were still separated by gender.
Baylor College’s coeducation lasted only until 1851 when it was divided into a Female Department and a Male Department. Each began occupying separate buildings approximately a mile apart at the Independence campus.
The changing demography of Texas and relocation of the local railroad made it increasingly difficult for college students to get transportation to Independence. Both colleges were relocated in 1886 to their permanent homes in Central Texas: the women's division relocated to Belton where operations continued as Baylor Female College; the men's division moved to Waco, merged with coeducational Waco University, and continued as Baylor University.
The Cottage Home System, the first work-study program for women in a college west of the Mississippi, was instituted on the new Belton campus in 1893 by Elli Moore Townsend, wife of the serving president. Its aim was to provide more affordable housing for women students who could not meet the expense of dormitories. The women students earned financial assistance by growing vegetables, raising livestock, and hand making crafts and quality clothing items. Initially the cottages were modest wood frame residences. In 1905, a permanent residence hall for the Cottage Home System was built by the residents themselves.
Beginning in 1922, a few male students, known as "Campus Boys," were allowed to attend classes and work on campus through their junior year, at which time they transferred to Baylor University or another college for their senior year and graduation. "Campus Boys" did work that was deemed unsuitable for the young ladies. They maintained the grounds, unloaded coal from rail cars, milked cows, fed hogs, served as night watchmen, and unstopped drains. They lived on the second floor of a carpenter shop in quarters dubbed "The Shack."
In 1925, Baylor Female College was renamed Baylor College for Women. A year later in 1926, it was accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Universities (now SACS), being the first Texas Baptist college to do so. Then in 1927, it received accreditation from the American Association of Colleges. In 1925, enrollment peaked at 2,372 which forced the college to start a costly building project. That, in addition to a devastating campus fire in 1929, required immediate construction of even more buildings and, with the help of the Great Depression
, brought the college to the edge of bankruptcy. It was saved by a generous gift from Mary and John G. Hardin. In gratitude, the college changed its name to Mary Hardin-Baylor College in 1934.
In 1968, the Scott & White College of Nursing, named for the Scott & White Memorial Hospital
located in nearby Temple
, became a part of Mary Hardin-Baylor College.
Mary Hardin-Baylor College once again became fully co-educational in 1971. With the inauguration in 1978 of its first graduate program, a Master of Education, the college achieved status as a university with five schools: Arts and Sciences, Creative Arts, Business, Education, and Nursing. It was renamed the University of Mary Hardin–Baylor.
UMHB comprises eight colleges: College of Business, College of Christian Studies, College of Education, College of Humanities, Scott and White College of Nursing, College of Sciences, College of Visual and Performing Arts.
, management expert Dr. Ken Blanchard
(author of the "One-Minute Manager" books), and former First Lady Barbara Bush
were recent distinguished guest speakers on campus. Johnson Hall, an all girls dormitory
on the UMHB campus, was named after Rebekah Baines Johnson, mother of President Lyndon B. Johnson
and granddaughter of Baptist
preacher Reverend George Washington Baines
who served as president of the college from 1861–1864. President Johnson, Mrs. Johnson and several other family members were present when the building was dedicated on September 26, 1968.
(ASC). UMHB was formally a member of the NAIA
before becoming a full member of the NCAA Division III following the 1999–2000 school year. UMHB held dual membership in the NAIA and NCAA during a provisional period as UMHB was transitioning to the NCAA.
UMHB sponsors twelve varsity athletic programs, six men's and six women's:
The Crusaders have won one national championship and seven national runner-up finishes:
. Each year the pageant takes place on the Wednesday afternoon before Easter
and is performed on campus in front of Luther Memorial. The Easter Pageant is fully produced by the students of UMHB themselves, including directing, costumes and performances and draws nearly 5,000 viewers each year.
march with lighted candles around Vann Circle Drive. As they sing the senior/alumni song, "Up With the Purple," they stop to light the candles of special friends and alumni. In the early stages of the Midnight March, the dormitory residents would witness the March inside of their dark rooms. Later during the ceremony, the residents would migrate into the hallway so senior friends could light their candles. Due to fire codes, however, the March was moved outdoors.
Up with the Purple, the Gold and the White
High o'er the college tower
Forth from her portals we step in her might,
Men and women great in power.
Yes, we come from old Baylor,
Her loyal sons and her daughters true,
And proudly each one hails the memory
Of Baylor College, for we love you.
All hail to thee, old Baylor,
Proud daughter of the South
With heart and voice we praise thee
As we go marching forth.
Dear Mary Hardin-Baylor, who stands ever proud and strong.
With courage, boldness and loyalty, our Crusader leads us on.
We will keep you high in honor, forever through our days.
With endless time and wonder, our love will never fade.
Ever thankful for our past, into the future we will go.
With faithfulness and devotion to you. Our Purple, White, and Gold.
March on, Crusaders!
We're gonna fight, with all our might,
And it will give us the victory.
We are the Purple, Gold, and White! (Go 'Saders)
Proud our tradition — in faith and loyalty
Come on, let's cheer for the 'Saders,
For 'ole UMHB!
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
co-educational liberal arts
Liberal arts
The term liberal arts refers to those subjects which in classical antiquity were considered essential for a free citizen to study. Grammar, Rhetoric and Logic were the core liberal arts. In medieval times these subjects were extended to include mathematics, geometry, music and astronomy...
institution of higher learning located in Belton, Texas
Belton, Texas
Belton is a city in Bell County, Texas, United States. The population was 14,623 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Bell County.Belton is part of the Killeen – Temple – Fort Hood metropolitan area.-Geography:...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Founded by the Republic of Texas
Republic of Texas
The Republic of Texas was an independent nation in North America, bordering the United States and Mexico, that existed from 1836 to 1846.Formed as a break-away republic from Mexico by the Texas Revolution, the state claimed borders that encompassed an area that included all of the present U.S...
in 1845 as "Baylor Female College," it has grown to approximately 2,700 students and awards degrees at the baccalaureate
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
, master's
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
, and doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
levels. It is affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas
Baptist General Convention of Texas
The Baptist General Convention of Texas is the oldest surviving Baptist convention in the state of Texas. The churches cooperating with the Baptist General Convention of Texas partner nationally and internationally with both the Southern Baptist Convention and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship,...
.
The university is fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is one of the six regional accreditation organizations recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation...
(SACS). UMHB's first doctoral program, leading to the Doctor of Education
Doctor of Education
The Doctor of Education or Doctor in Education degree , in Latin, Doctor Educationis, is a research-oriented professional doctorate that prepares the student for academic, administrative, clinical, or research positions in educational, civil, and private organizations.-Differences between an Ed.D...
(Ed.D.), officially began in June 2007 with twenty-one students in the inaugural class. The university's overall student/faculty ratio is 15:1.
History
UMHB's history dates to the time before Texas became a state. Its original charter was granted by the Republic of Texas (prior to statehood) in 1845 as the female division of Baylor College (present-day Baylor UniversityBaylor University
Baylor University is a private, Christian university located in Waco, Texas. Founded in 1845, Baylor is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.-History:...
). Classes began in May, 1846, in a small wooden building on a hillside at Independence
Independence, Texas
Independence is an unincorporated community in Washington County, Texas, United States. Located twelve miles northeast of Brenham, it was founded in 1835 in Austin's colony of Anglo Americans. It became a Baptist religious and educational center of the Republic of Texas...
in Washington County. The first class consisted of twenty-four male and female students While it was a coeducational institution, the classes were still separated by gender.
Baylor College’s coeducation lasted only until 1851 when it was divided into a Female Department and a Male Department. Each began occupying separate buildings approximately a mile apart at the Independence campus.
The changing demography of Texas and relocation of the local railroad made it increasingly difficult for college students to get transportation to Independence. Both colleges were relocated in 1886 to their permanent homes in Central Texas: the women's division relocated to Belton where operations continued as Baylor Female College; the men's division moved to Waco, merged with coeducational Waco University, and continued as Baylor University.
The Cottage Home System, the first work-study program for women in a college west of the Mississippi, was instituted on the new Belton campus in 1893 by Elli Moore Townsend, wife of the serving president. Its aim was to provide more affordable housing for women students who could not meet the expense of dormitories. The women students earned financial assistance by growing vegetables, raising livestock, and hand making crafts and quality clothing items. Initially the cottages were modest wood frame residences. In 1905, a permanent residence hall for the Cottage Home System was built by the residents themselves.
Beginning in 1922, a few male students, known as "Campus Boys," were allowed to attend classes and work on campus through their junior year, at which time they transferred to Baylor University or another college for their senior year and graduation. "Campus Boys" did work that was deemed unsuitable for the young ladies. They maintained the grounds, unloaded coal from rail cars, milked cows, fed hogs, served as night watchmen, and unstopped drains. They lived on the second floor of a carpenter shop in quarters dubbed "The Shack."
In 1925, Baylor Female College was renamed Baylor College for Women. A year later in 1926, it was accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Universities (now SACS), being the first Texas Baptist college to do so. Then in 1927, it received accreditation from the American Association of Colleges. In 1925, enrollment peaked at 2,372 which forced the college to start a costly building project. That, in addition to a devastating campus fire in 1929, required immediate construction of even more buildings and, with the help of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, brought the college to the edge of bankruptcy. It was saved by a generous gift from Mary and John G. Hardin. In gratitude, the college changed its name to Mary Hardin-Baylor College in 1934.
In 1968, the Scott & White College of Nursing, named for the Scott & White Memorial Hospital
Scott & White Memorial Hospital
Scott & White Memorial Hospital in Bell County, Texas, was founded in 1897, when Dr. Arthur C. Scott and Dr. Raleigh R. White, Jr., opened the Temple Sanitarium in Temple, Texas. Caring for the heart of Texas between Dallas and Austin, Scott & White, with more than 800 physicians and scientists, is...
located in nearby Temple
Temple, Texas
Temple is a city in Bell County, Texas, United States. Located near the county seat of Belton, Temple lies in the region referred to as Central Texas. Located off Interstate 35, Temple is 65 miles north of Austin and 34 miles south of Waco. In the 2010 Census, Temple's population was 66,102, an...
, became a part of Mary Hardin-Baylor College.
Mary Hardin-Baylor College once again became fully co-educational in 1971. With the inauguration in 1978 of its first graduate program, a Master of Education, the college achieved status as a university with five schools: Arts and Sciences, Creative Arts, Business, Education, and Nursing. It was renamed the University of Mary Hardin–Baylor.
Academics
There are 12 undergraduate majors and 13 graduate degree programs, including several Master's degree and one doctoral program. Qualified students can participate in engaged learning through internships with businesses and industries. Study abroad programs are offered on 3 continents.UMHB comprises eight colleges: College of Business, College of Christian Studies, College of Education, College of Humanities, Scott and White College of Nursing, College of Sciences, College of Visual and Performing Arts.
Notable alumni
- Margaret "Maggie" Lea Houston, eldest daughter of Republic of TexasRepublic of TexasThe Republic of Texas was an independent nation in North America, bordering the United States and Mexico, that existed from 1836 to 1846.Formed as a break-away republic from Mexico by the Texas Revolution, the state claimed borders that encompassed an area that included all of the present U.S...
President Sam HoustonSam HoustonSamuel Houston, known as Sam Houston , was a 19th-century American statesman, politician, and soldier. He was born in Timber Ridge in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, of Scots-Irish descent. Houston became a key figure in the history of Texas and was elected as the first and third President of... - Oveta Culp HobbyOveta Culp HobbyOveta Culp Hobby was the first secretary of the US Department of Health, Education and Welfare, first commanding officer of the Women's Army Corps, and chairman of the board of the Houston Post....
, the first director of the Women's Army CorpsWomen's Army CorpsThe Women's Army Corps was the women's branch of the US Army. It was created as an auxiliary unit, the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps on 15 May 1942 by Public Law 554, and converted to full status as the WAC in 1943...
and the first Secretary of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare, now known as the Department of Health and Human Services - Sybil Leonard ArmesSybil Leonard ArmesSybil Leonard Armes was a prominent Baptist author and musician, who served as alternate poet laureate for the U.S. state of Texas in 1969...
, a Christian authorAuthorAn author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, alternate poet laureatePoet LaureateA poet laureate is a poet officially appointed by a government and is often expected to compose poems for state occasions and other government events...
of Texas in 1969, and former trustee of UMHB - Miriam 'Ma' FergusonMiriam A. FergusonMiriam Amanda Wallace "Ma" Ferguson was the first female Governor of Texas in 1925. She held office until 1927, later winning another term in 1933 and serving until 1935.-Early life:...
, Texas' first female governor - Jerrell FreemanJerrell FreemanJerrell Freeman is a professional Canadian football linebacker for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Tennessee Titans in 2008...
, linebacker for the Saskatchewan RoughridersSaskatchewan RoughridersThe Saskatchewan Roughriders are a Canadian Football League team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. They were founded in 1910. They play their home games at 2940 10th Avenue in Regina, which has been the team's home base for its entire history, even prior to the construction of Mosaic Stadium at Taylor...
of the Canadian Football LeagueCanadian Football LeagueThe Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football.... - Buddy GroomBuddy GroomWedsel Gary "Buddy" Groom Jr. is a former Major League Baseball left-handed middle relief pitcher. He attended the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the amateur draft....
, Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
PitcherPitcherIn baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
from 1992-2005 - Charlie McRae, professional musician for artists such as Kirk Baxley, Matt BrouwerMatt BrouwerMatt Brouwer is a Juno Award winning Canadian singer/songwriter who got his start in the music industry while studying music at school in Alberta, Canada. While in college he and fellow students founded the band Monday Night Worship...
, Greatness In Tragedy, John Sherrill and many others. Charlie is also currently traveling with the well known American Rock band by the name of FlyleafFlyleafFlyleaf is an American alternative metal band, formed in the Belton and Temple, Texas regions in 2000. The band has charted on mainstream rock, Christian pop and Christian metal genres. They performed around the United States in 2003 until releasing their eponymous debut album, Flyleaf, in 2005....
as their guitar technician.
Presidential Ties
Former President George H. W. BushGeorge H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
, management expert Dr. Ken Blanchard
Ken Blanchard
Kenneth Hartley Blanchard is an American author and management expert. His book The One Minute Manager has sold over 13 million copies and has been translated into 37 languages...
(author of the "One-Minute Manager" books), and former First Lady Barbara Bush
Barbara Bush
Barbara Pierce Bush is the wife of the 41st President of the United States George H. W. Bush, and served as First Lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993. She is the mother of the 43rd President George W. Bush and of the 43rd Governor of Florida Jeb Bush...
were recent distinguished guest speakers on campus. Johnson Hall, an all girls dormitory
Dormitory
A dormitory, often shortened to dorm, in the United States is a residence hall consisting of sleeping quarters or entire buildings primarily providing sleeping and residential quarters for large numbers of people, often boarding school, college or university students...
on the UMHB campus, was named after Rebekah Baines Johnson, mother of President Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
and granddaughter of Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
preacher Reverend George Washington Baines
George Washington Baines
George Washington Baines, Sr. , a maternal great-grandfather of U.S. President Lyndon Baines Johnson , was a Baptist clergyman in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas who served briefly as natural science professor and President of Baylor University at its first location in Independence in Washington...
who served as president of the college from 1861–1864. President Johnson, Mrs. Johnson and several other family members were present when the building was dedicated on September 26, 1968.
Athletics
The UMHB Crusaders, or "The Cru," competes in NCAA Division III as a member of the American Southwest ConferenceAmerican Southwest Conference
The American Southwest Conference is a college athletic conference, founded in 1996, whose member schools compete in the NCAA's Division III. The schools are located in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi...
(ASC). UMHB was formally a member of the NAIA
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...
before becoming a full member of the NCAA Division III following the 1999–2000 school year. UMHB held dual membership in the NAIA and NCAA during a provisional period as UMHB was transitioning to the NCAA.
-
- Men's sports
- BaseballCollege baseballCollege baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. Compared to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a less significant contribution to cultivating professional players, as the minor leagues primarily...
- BasketballCollege basketballCollege basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
- FootballCollege footballCollege football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
- GolfGolfGolf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
- SoccerCollege soccerCollege soccer is a term used to describe association football played by teams who are operated by colleges and universities as opposed to a professional league operated for exclusively financial purposes...
- TennisTennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
-
- Women's sports
- Basketball
- Golf
- SoccerCollege soccerCollege soccer is a term used to describe association football played by teams who are operated by colleges and universities as opposed to a professional league operated for exclusively financial purposes...
- SoftballCollege softballCollege softball is softball as played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education, predominantly in the United States. College softball is normally played by women at the intercollegiate level, whereas college baseball is normally played by men.As with other intercollegiate...
- Tennis
- VolleyballVolleyballVolleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
Athletic Achievements
- The Lady Crusader golf team won the 2000 NAIA Women's Golf National Championship
- The Lady Crusader golf team posted four straight second-place finishes at the NCAA National Tournament from 2002–2005
- The women's basketball and men's baseball teams both posted national runner-up finishes in the NAIA
- The football team finished as the NCAA national runner-up in 2004
- UMHB athletic programs have won or shared a combined total of 13 conference championships in the ASC
- The men's golf team won the 2008 and 2009 ASC golf championships and have won four conference championships overall. The team also qualified for the NCAA Division III National Championship in 2008 and 2009
- UMHB recently had its first athlete from the football program make the jump from college into the NFL. Linebacker Jerrell FreemanJerrell FreemanJerrell Freeman is a professional Canadian football linebacker for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Tennessee Titans in 2008...
signed a free agent contract with the Tennessee TitansTennessee TitansThe Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
Freeman currently plays for the Saskatchewan RoughridersSaskatchewan RoughridersThe Saskatchewan Roughriders are a Canadian Football League team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. They were founded in 1910. They play their home games at 2940 10th Avenue in Regina, which has been the team's home base for its entire history, even prior to the construction of Mosaic Stadium at Taylor...
of the Canadian Football LeagueCanadian Football LeagueThe Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
.
Easter Pageant
For 70 consecutive years the University of Mary Hardin–Baylor has produced an outdoor reproduction of the Holy WeekHoly Week
Holy Week in Christianity is the last week of Lent and the week before Easter...
. Each year the pageant takes place on the Wednesday afternoon before Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
and is performed on campus in front of Luther Memorial. The Easter Pageant is fully produced by the students of UMHB themselves, including directing, costumes and performances and draws nearly 5,000 viewers each year.
Charter Day
Charter Day is an annual tradition that celebrates the charter signing on February 1, 1845. The event is held during chapel service on the first Wednesday in February. During the service, seniors sing the alumni/senior song, "Up with the Purple." At the conclusion of the service, it is tradition for seniors to place a wreath of flowers on the grave of Judge R.E.B. Baylor, located in the courtyard.Candlelighting
The Candlelighting Ceremony was started in 1939 by the Alumni Association to encourage a closer relationship between alumnae, students and the college. During the ceremony, those in attendance are handed a candle at which time the seniors light a smaller candle from the Alumni Association president's larger candle, and the seniors then proceed to light the others in the audience.Midnight March
At midnight on the Saturday of Homecoming Weekend, seniors in regaliaAcademic dress
Academic dress or academical dress is a traditional form of clothing for academic settings, primarily tertiary education, worn mainly by those that have been admitted to a university degree or hold a status that entitles them to assume them...
march with lighted candles around Vann Circle Drive. As they sing the senior/alumni song, "Up With the Purple," they stop to light the candles of special friends and alumni. In the early stages of the Midnight March, the dormitory residents would witness the March inside of their dark rooms. Later during the ceremony, the residents would migrate into the hallway so senior friends could light their candles. Due to fire codes, however, the March was moved outdoors.
Robing
Believed to be held as early as 1902, Robing was initially associated with graduation weekend in which juniors and seniors marched to the front of the Wilson Administration Building, the future site of the Sanderford Administration Complex, possessing a chain of daisies given by the sophomores. The juniors were then honored by having the senior's academic regalia passed on to them, symbolizing the transfer of student leadership. It also marked the first time the juniors were allowed to sing "Up with the Purple". The ceremony is now a part of chapel service known as Robing Chapel.Dubbing Ceremony
The Dubbing Ceremony started in 1995 at the request of students who wanted a more emotional attachment to the university. Thus, the next Fall and every fall thereafter, all new students were honored, or "dubbed," with a ceremonial sword from the university president pronouncing them as "Crusaders Forever." Starting in 1999, a similar dubbing ceremony was started specially for alumni.Hanging of the Green
Following the school's annual Christmas Dinner, representatives of different campus organizations are led by the Residence Hall Association in hanging wreaths on all buildings facing the quadrangle. The event includes singing Christmas carols and reading the story of the birth of Christ."Up with the Purple"
Up with the Purple, the Gold and the White
High o'er the college tower
Forth from her portals we step in her might,
Men and women great in power.
Yes, we come from old Baylor,
Her loyal sons and her daughters true,
And proudly each one hails the memory
Of Baylor College, for we love you.
All hail to thee, old Baylor,
Proud daughter of the South
With heart and voice we praise thee
As we go marching forth.
UMHB Alma Mater
The current Alma Mater was sung for the first time in February 1994 with the lyrics written by two students and the music written by two graduates of the university. Former school songs included "Centennial Song," "Old Baylor," "Mary Hardin-Baylor College," "Old Baylor Is Marching," "Slinga da Ink," and "Swing Song."Dear Mary Hardin-Baylor, who stands ever proud and strong.
With courage, boldness and loyalty, our Crusader leads us on.
We will keep you high in honor, forever through our days.
With endless time and wonder, our love will never fade.
Ever thankful for our past, into the future we will go.
With faithfulness and devotion to you. Our Purple, White, and Gold.
UMHB Fight Song
Though it's rarely sung, there are words to the UMHB fight song which is played at most sporting events throughout the year.March on, Crusaders!
We're gonna fight, with all our might,
And it will give us the victory.
We are the Purple, Gold, and White! (Go 'Saders)
Proud our tradition — in faith and loyalty
Come on, let's cheer for the 'Saders,
For 'ole UMHB!
- Music — Carl Cooper
- Words — Erin Cooper (Class of 1996) and Carl Cooper