Manchester Songs

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Alma Mater:

“By the Kenapocomoco”
Original Lyrics by Catherine Beauchamp, wife of Professor George Beauchamp
Lyrics Modified in 2010 and 2012

By the Kenapocomoco, stands Manchester fair.
Home of learning, faith and service, we have studied there.

Chorus
Manchester, Manchester loyal to you
We will ever be,
Spread to all your fame and honor, 
Cheer to victory.

Through the years we will remember, keep each image clear,
Of the tow'r, the Chime, the fountain, of Manchester dear.

“Hail to Thee”
Original Melody & Lyrics by Liegh B. Freed ’26
Arranged by Florence Thompson Freed ’28
Lyrics Modified 2012

Manchester Spartans
Hail to thee
Hail to the black and gold
Hail to victory
Fight for her colors
Fight for honor too
Hail to Manchester 
Hail to you!

Songs from the Past

Alma Mater (origin unknown)

Where the vale of the Eel River
Meets the eastern sky,
proudly stands our Alma Mater
'Mong the hilltops high.

Chorus

Flag we love!
Float for aye, Manchester Tech o'er thee;
May thy sons be leal and loyal
To thy memory.

When the evening twilight deepens
And the shadows fall
Lingers long the golden sunbeam
On thy western wall

When the shades of life shall gather,
Dark the heart may be,
Still the rays of youth and love
Shall linger long o'er thee.

"By the Kenapocomoco"
words by Katherine Walker Beauchamp
sung to the tune of an old English Air
(1936)

By the Kenapocomoco, stands our College fair.
Where the Indian reared his wigwam, we have studied there.

Chorus

Manchester University loyal to you
We will ever be,
Spread abroad your fame and honor,
Cheer to victory.

Like the braves of old who fought there, we have struggled too,
For the honor of our College, for her colors true.

Indian braves told dusky maidens, of their love so true;
Ev'ry man and maid may find here romance ever new.

Through the years we will remember, keep each image clear,
Of the tow'r, the hall, the fountain, of Manchester dear.

"By the Kenapocomoco"
words and music by Francis Smith Thomas '39
(1961)

In the Hoosier state a college stands beside a river fair.
And in days of old our Indian brothers reared their wigwams there.
Although this river is called the Eel, all Manchester students know
That the following story, in all of its glory
Took place along the Kenapocomoco.

Chorus

By the Kenapocomoco they took a little walk.
By the Kenapocomoco they had a little talk.
Their hearts were on fire with one desire:
They wanted to find a genuine arrow head.
Left by an Indian long since dead,
Just like the stories they had read.
By the Kenapocomoco they looked around in vain.
No bona fide arrowheads were to be found, it was very plain.
But there along the river bank where dwelt our Indian brother,
They never discovered an arrowhead,
But they found something else instead:
They found each other!

"[The] Call of the Chimes"
words by Benjamin Stoner '28
music by Naomi Cunningham '34 Hoverstock

All hail Manchester University,
Thou fountainhead of knowledge,
Ten thousand hearts are beating
In loyalty to thee!
From over land and ocean,
The echoes set in motion
Reverberate the chorus
Of the chimes of old M.C.

Chorus

The chimes are ringing, ringing
My heart for joy is singing,
The strains of music bringing
Pure, noble thoughts to me.
I hear them in the gloaming,
They call me from my roaming.
The chimes are calling, calling
From my beloved M.C.

Then raise aloft her colors,
And tell the news to others,
We love, revere and honor
Our own dear black and gold.
And to Manchester University,
Thou source of wisdom, knowledge,
God make of thee a blessing,
Thru the centuries untold.

"Campus Song"
words by Miriam Heestand '30 Fabian
music by Mabel Frederick '29 Schrock

We came from the far east and out of the west,
As far as the northlands and south on our quest
In search of a campus to call college home
And chose our Manchester to claim as our own.

Chorus

O Manchester University
Our hearts we pledge to you
Each loyal son and daughter
Sings praise the whole world through
The friendships that you shelter
Are ever tried and true
Your ideals are the nobles and best,
Our hearts pledge we to you.

We love our dear college that nestles in rest,
By the tinkling of fountain by leafy trees blest;
We love her worn pathways and her classic halls
And to roam thru her calm wood as soft evening falls.

"Daughters of the Black and Gold"
arranged by Mabel Frederick '29 Schrock.

Oh, daughters of the Black and Gold, and sons of victory
Lift up your voices to the sky and cheer for old M.C.
She holds the fairest and the best, the braves and the true
Her spirit triumphs o'er the rest,
Hail M.C. to you!
Let every loyal son of old lift high his banner Black and Gold
March on ye heroes to the fray for it's M.C. must win today
It's Manchester we are fighting for and it's M.C. we all adore,
Let ev'rybody hail!
Let ev'rybody hail!
Manchester on to victory.

"Dear M.C."
words by Arlo Gump '31
music by Kathryn Wright '32 Brown.

O we have a college of which we are proud,
For all of her records are tested and true.
Her aims have been always the highest and best,
And we're sure that she always has come smilin' through.

Chorus

Manchester University I hear you calling me.
Dear old Manchester, I'm always for you.
E'er to the black and gold I will be true,
Dear M.C.

How oft o'er the tops of the tall oak trees,
We see there on high our banner and flag;
Then we know that ever our college shall stand,
With the spirit of progress surmount ev'ry crag.

As bright as the fountain that sparkles all day
And sure as the sun dial telling the time,
Our college shall be what we want her to be,
E'er the truest, the beautiful, best, the sublime.

"Fight Spartans, Fight!"
words and music by Fred C. Cripe '29.

Fight Spartans, fight;
Fight Spartans fight;
Play the game and fight, fight, fight, fight, fight, fight, fight.

Spartans, be fair;
Spartans be square;
Play the game and fight, fight, fight, fight, fight, fight, fight.

We have the will;
We have the skill;
Digging in we'll fight, fight, fight, fight, fight, fight, fight.

Fight Spartans, fight;
Fight Spartans fight;
Play the game and fight, fight, fight, fight, fight, fight, fight.

"Hail M.C.!"
words by Miriam Heestand '30 Fabian
music by Mabel Frederick '29 Schrock.

Hail M.C. all hail our valiant fighters out to win this game tonight.
We will cheer cheer cheer for the Black and Gold as we play this game tonight (whee!!)
Hail M.C. all hail our valiant fighters out to fight and out to win
We will give three cheers for the Black and Gold marching on to victory.

"Hail to Thee!"
words and music by Liegh B. Freed '26
arranged by Florence Thompson Freed '28

Manchester University
Hail to thee
Hail to the black and gold
Hail to victory
Fight for her colors
Fight for honor too
Hail to thee Manchester
Hail to you!

"Heart of MC"
words by Louise Grossnickle '30 Yum
music by Lavonne Culler.

Deep in the heart of each of us,
Two tiny bits of color glow:
The symbol of our old MC
Where e'er her college children go;

Chorus

Then hail to you our black and gold,
Our Alma Mater hail to thee;
Thy children bear thy worth afar
To every nook of land and sea,
On many lips thy name is breathed,
In love and praise and loyalty,
Thy sons and daughters still are true,
Our college mother,
True to thee.

Deep in the soul the thought of her,
Brings her message of humanity,
We answer to her last farewell
Our lives shall tell for God and thee.

"Manchester Chimes"
by Frances Smith Thomas '39.

College days fly swiftly by, leaving memories.
Friends and classmates scatter to the seven seas.
But the old traditions linger on, whate'er the years may bring,
and the old college chimes still ring!

Chorus

The chimes ring down thru the years. Ring on the campus I love
The chimes ring down thru the years. Ring from the tower above.
Manchester chimes, I'll never forget. Your loveliness rings in my memory yet.
I'll always remember that certain September,
when I first heard those Manchester chimes ring.
The chimes ring down thru the years. Calling to you and to me.
The chimes ring down thru the years. Sounding their sweet melody.
Manchester chimes, ring out loud and clear. Keep ringing forever, ring year after year.
That Homecoming yearning will keep us returning to the sound of those Manchester chimes,
To the sound of those Manchester chimes.

"Manchester University"
by Gladys Dickey (Dr. Gladys Dickey Thompson)
first sung at a joint program of the Lincoln and the Adelphian Literary Societies, 18 May 1912.

You sing about your colleges, of Harvard and of Yale
And all the universities whose banners brave the gale;
But we have one we love to praise, with love and loyalty,
She is the best for all the world, aye, even royalty.

Chorus

Manchester University! Oh, how I love the name!
Manchester University! Go, spread abroad her fame.
Manchester University! is just the place to be.
Manchester University! is just the place for me.

We have the best of faculties, the best in all the land;
And for the good of old M.C. they always take their stand.
They teach us truth and loyalty, and valiantly to work,
Each day to live with purpose high, our duty ne'er to shirk.

Our campus is a beauty spot, no prettier could you find,
Where flowers bloom and fountain plays, to rest our weary minds.
Our boys are brave and manly lads, our girls demure and wise,
And in real worth of soul there are no rivals 'neath the skies.

Offtimes when students here do come they're met by cupid's dart,
And seldom do they leave the place without a stolen heart.
Then later, in their children' hearts, they plant the germ of love
For their own Alma Mater dear, which always stands above.

And now, dear friends, where'er you go, speak for M.C. a word.
And spread her glory far and wide till every soul is stirred.
We hesitate to close our song--the half has not been told,
But just before we go, we'll give three cheers for the Black and Gold.

"Manchester Fair"
words by Patricia Helman
music by R. Gary Deavel '52
(1977)

In beautiful North Manchester our alma mater stands,
On the rock of faith and learning and not on shifting sand.
O College rare, Manchester fair, here we cast our endeavor,
We pledge to you our spirit true,
Our trust and love forever.

There are shadows on the campus of some who've gone before,
Of legends and those heroes of academic lore.
O College rare, Manchester fair, we're grateful for the past,
We pledge to you our spirit true,
We'll make that greatness last.

We look toward each tomorrow and welcome it with love,
And trust that our Manchester is blessed by God above.
O College rare, Manchester fair, we love your quiet waters,
Your great oak tree, your spirit true,
We love your sons and daughters.

"Memories of Manchester University" (also known as "The Alumni Song" or "Manchester University Song")
words by Lucile Klingler '20x
music by Henrietta Wassman
(1917)

There's a spot in Indiana
That is very dear to me,
A place of higher learning
That I long again to see,
Where I studied in the classes,
Where I gathered college lore,
Where I tramped the wooded campus
With my friends in days of yore.

Chorus

Oh Manchester University,
How my heart goes back to thee,
How I long again to ramble
Thru your halls of mystery
Just to visit on your campus,
Just to stroll along your way,
Trod by feet of many classes,
Will be joy again some day.

Tho my head is bowed in sorrow,
with the care of daily strife,
Tho my burden may seem heavy,
in the bustle of this life,
There's a thot that's e're returning,
'tis of days long ago,
Of a place in mem'rys fancy,
ever dearer seems to grow.

"On to Victory"
words by Ruth Harrop '32 Penwell
music by Isabel Harrop '30 Hearn

Let's all gather round and give our Spartans a yell;
As thru to victory they go;
They're bringing us fame, so give a Yea team!
We're going to win; can't you tell?
Manchester University always comes out on top;
Our boys will take the Black and Gold, across the line;
O! our forward march no other team can stop;
Manchester University, we're for you!

"Our College Home"
by Kathryn Wright '32 Brown

Watched by the oaks of loved MC,
Many have gone, many have come;
Manchester University is for me,
Friendly and dear, my college home.

Glory she has of sterling worth:
High honors earned, victories won;
Manchester University challenges
Each student girl, each student son.

Watched by the oaks we come and go,
Building today for future days;
Manchester University, let us give
Beautiful love and happy praise.

"Philalethean Song"
arranged by Kathryn Wright '32 Brown

We love you, Philalethea,
We love you colors too;
You white which stands for purity,
And loyalty your blue.
With all sincerity we love
The truth for which you stand;
For you we'll fight from day to day,
And labor hand in hand.

Chorus

Then hail to you, our Philalethea,
To our colors we'll be true;
The blue and white forever more
Shall float from shore to shore,
And now to you we pledge our honor
And devotion Philalethea;
The blue and white forever,
We will fight for you.

We'll sing your praises every day,
We'll tell your worth each night;
And mid the strife of daily tasks
We'll bravely for you fight;
We will be true to our own selves,
To you we will be true;
We know that you have need of us
And we have need of you.

Dear Philalethea, we will work
For that which really pays;
Your life in us we'll then live on
E'en after College days.
And when we leave M.C's dear halls
In all our strength of youth,
Because of you we will depart
With greater love for truth.

"Philomathea" (origin unknown)

Where ever in this world we go,
We'll sing just the same old song;
'Twill be born on all the winds that blow,
From hearts that are true and strong.

Chorus

Come Sisters let us sing to Philomathea songs of loyalty and praise
For we love our Philomathea,
And to her we'll sing our lays
Give to others something, receive something
Is the motto we hold dear:
Our purple and our gold,
To us will ne'er grow old
Philomathea we love.

Then let us bravely raise the song,
And make the last welkin ring;
Our days in college won't be long,
But while we are here we'll sing.

"Philophronia"
by Benjamin Stoner '28 and Wilbur Royer '22

Of all the good societies there are in old M.C.
There's only one that makes the run, that takes the victory;
So to the one society, whose banner is unfurled,
We pledge the best we have to give, the best in all the world.

Chorus

Oh, Philophronia, the chimes for you shall ring,
Oh Philophronia, our love to you we bring,
Here's to Philophronia, pow'r and majesty,
Our Philophronia, the heart of old M.C.

The classic halls of old M.C. full many a banner hold
But not one is so stately as the dark blue and the gold,
It stands for Philophronia, the name we all adore,
And ever shall our motto be "Vis Unita Fortoir."

Tho years may come and years may go and centuries pass away
And all the world may be engulfed within a brighter day,
But on the page of history inscribed in shining gold,
The tale of Philophronia shall ever more be told.

"Philorhetoria"
by Ralph Boyer '25

There's a name to us so precious,
Just one word we love to hear;
It's because of what it stands for
That it's come to be so dear.

Chorus

Philorhetoria!
We love you.
We are 'Rhetorians through and through;
Philorhetoria!
Best for me.
Philorhetoria!
Hail to thee!

For we're members of a body
That is talked of for its zeal;
And for her we place our efforts
So that all her worth may feel.

May she ever keep her standard,
Which is bound to bring her friends,
Then we all can say quite proudly
That we are 'Rhetorians.

"Spirit of Manchester"
music by Ernest Fischer

In a little inland city, far from noise and strife
Stands our honored Manchester University, fitting youth for life.
Of her glory, and traditions, let us ever sing
Dear MC our Alma Mater, make her praises ring.

Chorus

Hail Manchester,
Hail Manchester,
Frosh, Alumni all
Keep her standards
E'er before you,
May they never fall
Keep the spirit,
Never falter,
Fly her banner high
Manchester University,
Manchester University,
We love you.

Others larger and more famous, by endowment blest
But for spirit Manchester University, far leads all the rest.
Shout her glory, sing her praises that the world may see
All the joy there is in being here at old MC.