THE DAILY NEBRASKAN
Nebraska Spirit
and Its Expression
Continued f rom VWfJon
"Vhen the sun is bright
And the fields are ripe
With the tassel on the corn
You can hear It grow
In the evening glow
Or the hush of early morn,
In the state so fair
Tis the very air
That inspires us with a zest
That in any fray
We will not dismay
But will do our level best.
The present year is one that al
ways will be remembered whenever
Nebraska spirit is mentioned.' All
Cornhuskers agree that there has
never been before such frank, such
sincere, such potent enthusiasm.
Perhaps the principal reason for
this .may be found in the tense
influence of the day. This is a time,
if there ever was a time, when group
co-operation is imperative, when the
bigger interests must completely swal
low up the lesser ones, in the face
of this fusing fire Nebraska spirit,
which has always been strong and
powerful, has been cleansed of all
petty influences and has been united
into a single-purposed fealty the like
of which has never been seen before.
This strengthened spirit was evident
in every form of student activity, but
it was more to be seen, of course, in
Nebraska's favorite game, football. It
did not apply itself alone to the in
dividual temper of the student body,
but it pervaded the eleven, and mem
bers of the coaching staff declare that
they have never seen a more altru
istic spirit on any team than that
round In the 1917 Cornhuskers. At
rallies, too, the old diverting disunit
ing tendency for every college and de
partment to have a cheerleader of its
own disappeared, and crowds that
packed the little chapel tight united
in roaring Number One until the roof,
it seemed, would be lifted.
Fighting Spirit Always Present
Not only was there a spirit of unity,
but the old-time fighting spirit was a
potent factor throughout the season.
Nebraska faced her hardest schedule
in history, and yet the Cornhuskers
fought through it, never daunted,
never disheartened, never discour
aged. And in her one defeat at the
hands of Michigan, her fighting spirit
was at its best.
Surely there is no better time to
Judge the mettle of a team than when
it is fighting a losing game, and the
writer holds that this is all the more
true when luck plays a prominent, if
not a leading part. In the proceed
ings. Such was the Michigan game
of 1917. The Nebraska team was out
scored, and, on that slippery field, un
questionably outplayed. But Nebraska
spirit was not conquered. Though the
Michigan team handled a pumpkin-seed
soggy ball with which a week of prac
tice had made them familiar, though
they played on a wet field that they
had used for days in preparation,
though the game broke early in their
favor when the recovery of a Ne
brsaka fumble near the Michigan goal
line gave it the first touchdown and
the master hand. Nebraska fought a
fight which, under other conditions,
would have furnished a very different
story.
The Result of Spirit
Nebraska spirit was given a second
chance ftr expression when the Corn
husker and Jayhawk lined up opposite
each other on McCook field. Ne
braska's ancient rivals, pointed toward
this game from the first of the sea
son, outplayed themselves in the first
half and scored a field goal while the
Cornhuskers had not threatened the
Kansas goal. During the minutes that
elapsed between the two periods, the
old-time fight awoke in both team
and rooters, and during the rest of
the game Nebraska was herself. In I
sturdy, steady marches she plunged
down the field for two touchdowns
and victory.
That was a case where Nebraska
fight was needed to bring the .Corn
huskers up to their best point of effici
ency; it was not, however, a supreme
test. Today Nebraska is to have that
test, and no Cornhusker doubts that
the fight the team will put up will
match in determination and fierceness
(he most memorable of Cornhusker
battles.
So much for the splendid brand of
Nebraska spirit that nas been shown
this season. And now a word or two
as to the outlets it has had for ex
pression. As far as appropriate ve
hicles are concerned, Nebraska spirit
is no better equipped today than it
was a year ago. Number One is still
the good old, over-worked rallying
cry, but, as in former years, it has
been the only one. For a long, long
time, Nebraska has needed more good
yells, but the need is still unanswered.
These who say that Nebraska spirit
can never reach its full expression un
til it has a larger list of voicable
cheers around which to cling have the
burden of proof upon their side.
"U-U-U-N-I," while it will always be
dear to every Nebraskan's heart, and
first on his lips when a cheer for the
school is wanted, nevertheless it can
not do all the work alone and do it
satisfactorily.
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Mi ll I'llll M F r M .1 'I B.JT B.I M M II " ' ----- - . .... - F
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Copyrif bt 1917
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