Started By
Message
![locked post](https://www.secrant.com/images/layout/lock.gif)
Tonight, Texas A&M's campus will darken for Silver Taps
Posted on 2/4/14 at 4:37 am
Posted on 2/4/14 at 4:37 am
quote:
Silver Taps is held for a graduate or undergraduate student who passes away while enrolled at A&M. This final tribute is held the first Tuesday of the month when a student has passed away the previous month.
On the day of Silver Taps, a small card with the deceased students name, class, major, and date of birth is placed as a notice at the base of the academic flagpole, in addition to the memorial located behind the flagpole. Around 10:15 that night, the lights are extinguished and hymns chime from Albritton Tower. Students silently gather at the statue of Lawrence Sullivan Ross [former AMC President for whom the first Silver Taps was held]. At 10:30pm, the Ross Volunteer Firing Squad marches into the plaza and fires three rifle volleys. Buglers then play a special rendition of Silver Taps by Colonel Richard Dunn. Taps is played three times from the dome of the Academic Building: once to the north, south, and west. It is not played to the east because the sun will never rise on that Aggie again. After the buglers play, the students silently return to their homes. Silver Taps is a sacred tradition that Aggies hold dear.
LINK
This post was edited on 2/4/14 at 4:38 am
Posted on 2/4/14 at 8:07 am to TbirdSpur2010
A great tradition IMO.
Posted on 2/4/14 at 8:09 am to TbirdSpur2010
Very nice tradition. Prayers for the fallen. ![](https://images.tigerdroppings.com/Images/Icons/Iconcheers.gif)
![](https://images.tigerdroppings.com/Images/Icons/Iconcheers.gif)
Posted on 2/4/14 at 8:39 am to TbirdSpur2010
I will never forget my first Silver Taps, it is very hard to describe without witnessing it. The eerie quiet formation of my outfit after darkening your room. The silent march to the Academic Building. The RV's in their White Unis marching in with thousands watching and the only noise being their steps. Then the haunting shots fired followed by the bugle. Finally a silent march back to your dorm.
Made me very proud to be an Aggie.
Made me very proud to be an Aggie.
Posted on 2/4/14 at 8:50 am to TbirdSpur2010
I like this tradition, but shite you guys have a lot of them. At some point it seems almost unnatural (traditions developed to have more traditions).
But again, this one sounds pretty good.
But again, this one sounds pretty good.
Posted on 2/4/14 at 9:23 am to TbirdSpur2010
Just curious - was it played for each of the students killed in the bonfire tragedy or once for all of them ????
Posted on 2/4/14 at 9:44 am to TbirdSpur2010
Ya'll are weird.....but sometimes its a good weird:)
Posted on 2/4/14 at 1:25 pm to TbirdSpur2010
An author, who IIRC was an aggie, described A&M's tradition of Silver Taps this way: "but their best tradition is one you wish they never had."
Posted on 2/4/14 at 3:17 pm to TbirdSpur2010
That's a really awesome tradition. Horrible that it has to happen, but I truly respect the Texas A&M culture... even if we jokingly make fun of it sometimes.
Posted on 2/4/14 at 4:49 pm to TbirdSpur2010
Now that's a WOW. Thanks for sharing. ![](https://images.tigerdroppings.com/Images/Icons/Iconbow.gif)
![](https://images.tigerdroppings.com/Images/Icons/Iconbow.gif)
Popular
Back to top
![logo](https://images.tigerdroppings.com/images/layout/SR_Icon.jpg)