For over 118 years, The Tiger has served as the newspaper of record for Clemson University. Past issues of The Tiger, preserved by Clemson Libraries, supply the history of the University and remind us of the events and daily life that have taken place here for over a century.
I take my job as a part of Clemson’s newspaper of record very seriously, and as editor-in-chief, there is nothing that motivates me more than knowing the work we produce will be archived and passed down for generations to come.
It gives me great pride to know that the production of work that I oversee is something that will last and be there for future tigers, and I’ve heard throughout my classes here of the importance of Clemson Libraries’ digital archive of The Tiger. The digital archive provides a firsthand account of what past students considered noteworthy and the issues of importance to various generations.
Recently, I was scrolling through these very same archives and stumbled upon a perfect example of The Tiger’s impact at Clemson. Three issues of The Tiger chart the story of the development of our alma mater — and the key role that The Tiger played in it.
It may not be common knowledge, but The Tiger was the first place in which the lyrics of the alma mater were recorded. In Vol. XIV, issue No. 16 of The Tiger, the lyrics to the alma mater were printed on the front page.
First performed by the Glee Club “in chapel Monday morning,” The Tiger obtained the lyrics performed and published it as the “Alma Mater” to all the students and graduates that made up its circulation. In describing the performance, The Tiger wrote, “It went good,” and encouraged everyone to “Learn it!”
The article closed with the prediction that the song will be “played or sung at student gatherings or on other occasions.” Just as The Tiger foretold, these lyrics by A. C. Corcoran, class of 1919, have been sung at school events ever since.
In the following issue, No. 17 of Vol. XIV, The Tiger printed “an appreciation” to Corcoran for “his work” and his “Alma Mater.” After 30 years, Clemson University “at last has an ‘Alma Mater’ which she can sing in praise of her heroes,” The Tiger wrote.
Several decades later, issue No. 5 of Vol. XXXX described the contest held by the “Tiger Brotherhood” to find a new melody for the alma mater. R. E. Farmer submitted the melody that won the competition, and professor Hugh H. McGarity composed a new version of the alma mater using the submission.
This story is just one example of campus events documented by The Tiger. If not for these issues, there would be no physical record of the development of our alma mater. As the University’s newspaper of record, The Tiger enters into the archives a testimony of what takes place on campus.
This invaluable work began back in 1907, and new generations of staffers have continued to uphold the tradition set by Samuel Rhodes and his staff. I’m honored to lead this organization into 2025 and further the work done for the past 118 years.
Caroline Block is a junior English major from Mobile, Alabama. Caroline can be reached at [email protected]
