Sing and Cheer for Georgetown

Leon Robbin Gallery

As a companion exhibition to There Goes Old Georgetown: A History of Football on the Hilltop from 1830-1951, Sing and Cheer for Georgetown highlights a selection of songs and school spirit from the University Archives. 

A page of sheet music for the song "Sons of Georgetown." A page containing typewritten lyrics to the song, "Sons of Georgetown."

Sons of Georgetown, 1947

According to Georgetown historian R. Emmett Curran, Collier wrote Sons of Georgetown as a fight song to be sung at football games. It wasn’t until 1906 that these words first appeared in a football program, though. The phrase “Sons of Georgetown” was used because, at the time the words were penned, there were no women students at Georgetown.

a page of sheet music for the song, "Alma Mater," from a 2016 commencement program.

Alma Mater, Georgetown Commencement Program, 2016

In 1981, Carol Hession Powers (N’ 1941) led a campaign to change the lyrics to the Alma Mater to be more reflective of the large number of women who made up the student body. The phrase “Sons of Georgetown” was replaced with “Hail, Oh Georgetown” in the opening line and “May Georgetown live forever!” was substituted for “Georgetown’s sons forever!”

A piece of paper onto which is taped a black and white photograph of Georgetown fans singing the Alma Mater at the Georgetown vs University of Maryland game. Below the photograph is another piece of paper with a typewritten, numbered list of names, which correspond to numbers wirtten in ink on certain people in the photograph.

Georgetown fans sing the Alma Mater at the Georgetown vs University of Maryland game, 1937

A black and white photograph of Fans heading to the Thanksgiving game. A horse drawn carriage filled with young men stands in front of Healy Hall.

Fans head to the Thanksgiving game, November 30, 1894

A black and white photograph of Fans watching the Georgetown vs University of Virginia game. A large group of people sit on bleachers on Healey lawn.

Fans watch the Georgetown vs University of Virginia game, ca 1890s

The cover of sheet music for the Georgetown University March. The cover depicts a young man in Georgetown sports attire, and the title and author of the march, all printed in blue ink, as well as a black and white photograph of Georgetown University. The first page of sheet music for the Georgetown University March. The second page of sheet music for the Georgetown University March.

Georgetown University March, 1909

A postcard featuring an illustration in colored ink of a woman wearing Georgetown fan attire and sitting atop the Georgetown seal. The top of the postcard has the typewritten words, "Hoya, hoya, saxa! Hoya, hoya, Georgetown! Hoya! Hoya!" in blue ink.

Postcard featuring an illustration by F. Earl Christy, 1915

A paper with blue, typewritten text describing Yells for the Georgetown vs Navy Football Game.

Yells for the Georgetown vs Navy Football Game, October 7, 1916

The front and back cover of the Georgetown University "Cheer and Song Sheet." The two inside pages of the Georgetown University "Cheer and Song Sheet." The pages contain typewritten lyrics for five songs in blue ink.

Songs and Yells, ca 1920

A page in Ye Domesbday Booke about the Georgetown University Band. The page contains typewritten information about the Georgetown band and a black and white photograph of the band.

Georgetown University Band, Ye Domesday Booke, 1929

A black and white photograph of the Georgetown University Cheerleaders.

Georgetown University Cheerleaders, Ye Domesday Booke, 1933

The cover of the sheet music book for the song, "Hail! Hoya Men!!" The inside pages of the booklet containing the sheet music for the song, "Hail! Hoya Men!!"

Hail! Hoya Men!!, 1941

A piece of sheet music for the song, "Hail Hoyamen!"

Hail Hoyamen!, 1942

The sheet music for the song, "Georgetown Alumni Song."

Georgetown Alumni Song, 1947

A black and white photograph of the Georgetown University Band in Miami for the Orange Bowl game. The band stands on the platform of the train station under a banner that reads "Georgetown Alumni of Greater Miami Welcomes Georgetown Men"

Georgetown University Band in Miami for the Orange Bowl game, 1941