HomeMy WebLinkAbout1966_Bonfire_Bonanza_Booklet_Page_14_jpgSOMFIFiE HAS
Dating back to 1909, Aggie
Bonfires have traditionally been
A&M's way of welcoming return-
ing exes and crowning the Spir-
it of Aggieland. The standard
theme of all A&M Bonfires has
been "Beat the hell out of TU."
As Aggieland has grown, so
have its Bonfires. The height of
A&M's flaming symbol has more
than tripled since the 25 foot log
Bonfire of 1942. Prior to that
date Bonfires had been construct-
ed of old boxes and scrap lumber.
Industrious Aggies added a
center pole in 1945, and the fol-
lowing year two p o l e s were
spliced together for a much tall-
er fire The fall of 1949 gave
A&M the claim to the "world's
largest bonfire", as the center -
pole stretched to a then seeming-
ly impossible 65 feet.
A need for a greater area
forced the Bonfire to be moved
from the center of the drill field
in 1955 to its present location
near Navasota parking lot.
Over the years all Bonfires
have guaranteed at least three
things blood, sweat and
blisters.
Hospital officials find tran-
quilizers almost necessary as
great masses of unfortunate Bon-
fire builders come trickling into
their offices each year reporting
severe lacerations from axes,
splinters in the most embarrass-
ing places, plus numerous cases
of poison ivy.
Due to a great many injuries
suffered from the 1955 Bonfire,
the 1956 Bonfire workers wore
signs on the backs of their jack-
ets reading "Safety First."
Tragedy struck the Bonfire in
1955 when James E. Sarran, an
A&M sophomore, died by push-
ing two buddies to safety as he
was crushed between a car and
truck. The car went out of con-
trol and crashed into the stu-
dent's guard post.
In 1963 the Bonfire was cancel-
ed in honor of the slain President
John F. Kennedy.