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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.
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This post was edited on 2/4/14 at 4:38 am
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Posted on 2/4/14 at 5:01 am to TbirdSpur2010
Posted on 2/4/14 at 5:40 am to TbirdSpur2010
Posted on 2/4/14 at 5:57 am to TbirdSpur2010
Posted on 2/4/14 at 6:47 am to TbirdSpur2010
MOAR TRADITIONS
Posted on 2/4/14 at 7:20 am to TbirdSpur2010
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. 
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 8:41 am to aggressor
quote:Wow. Sounds like a very somber/patriotic moment to witness.
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.
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 9:19 am to Pettifogger
quote:
you guys have a lot of them.
Dang straight.
quote:
At some point it seems almost unnatural (traditions developed to have more traditions).
Ummmmm......such as?
quote:
this one sounds pretty good.
One of the ones that resonates with all of us
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 9:28 am to TbirdSpur2010
Posted on 2/4/14 at 9:28 am to MetryTyger
quote:
Just curious - was it played for each of the students killed in the bonfire tragedy or once for all of them ????
I believe once for all of them, that's how I understand the Silver Taps ceremony to work. But I need some Former Students to help me here.
Posted on 2/4/14 at 9:32 am to MetryTyger
quote:
Just curious - was it played for each of the students killed in the bonfire tragedy or once for all of them ????
Like Quidam said, I'm pretty sure it was once for all of them.
It was a little before my time as a student, though, so I'm not completely sure.
CGSC Lobotomy would know for sure.
Posted on 2/4/14 at 9:34 am to TbirdSpur2010
letter written by Aggie cadet, Don Coward
quote:
"Dear Mom and Dad,
Right now it's 11:00 and call to quarters is over. I should be in bed but there is something I have to tell you both first. I'm sitting here at my desk with tears in my eyes and thinking more about life itself than I ever have before.
I'm not crying because of what I'm going through . . . but rather because I've experienced tonight what A&M is all about. Mother and Dad, we're one big family here and I now know what it means to be an Aggie. Tonight was Silver Taps.
In case you don't know what this is, I'm going to tell you and when you've got to listen. Anytime a student here loses his life . . .no matter how . . . on an assigned date soon afterwards, we have what is called Silver Taps. Everyone gathers infront of the Academic Building, in front of which is a flag pole on which the Silver Taps notice is posted.
No one says a word from the time we leave the dorms until the next morning. All is quiet and all the lights on campus are turned off. Even the lights on Coke machines in the dorms are covered.
At 10:30 p.m., when everyone is in place in front of the Academic Building, a firing team fires a twenty-one gun salute in honor of those who died. The buglers play "Silver Taps" and it's over.
Tonight I experienced one of the most solemn feelings I've ever had and feel so good inside. Mom, Dad, it was like God Himself was there with us. I guess you're wishing I would grow up and stop carrying on like this about Silver Taps...but, it was so...I can't even tell you how it was, there is nothing else like it.
Be Careful and I love you both, D.C."
----------
(Three weeks later, the next Silver Taps honored three A&M students killed in a car-truck accident near Roanoke in Denton County on November 9.
One of them was Don Coward.)
Posted on 2/4/14 at 9:36 am to MetryTyger
Only one Silver Taps ceremony is held per month (if needed).
That singular ceremony is a tribute to all current students who have passed during the previous month.
Individual Taps ceremonies aren't held.
The same held true when we lost the Bonfire Twelve--one Silver Taps ceremony was held in December '99.
That singular ceremony is a tribute to all current students who have passed during the previous month.
Individual Taps ceremonies aren't held.
The same held true when we lost the Bonfire Twelve--one Silver Taps ceremony was held in December '99.
Posted on 2/4/14 at 9:37 am to EKG
Thanks, EKG
Posted on 2/4/14 at 9:38 am to TbirdSpur2010
I don't know enough about TAMU to call out any specific tradition, nor do I really want to. It just seems at some point, rather than letting traditions come naturally, the focus became developing a lot of traditions for the sake of being very traditional. Not sure anything is wrong with that, I just wonder how I'd feel if there were a tradition for everything I encountered as a student or alumni. Basically I'm curious as to whether I'd get tired of it or feel like it was forced.
FWIW, I wish AU had a few more major traditions, so it may be a little hypocritical.
FWIW, I wish AU had a few more major traditions, so it may be a little hypocritical.
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