On the Banks of the Old Raritan
(Faculty version)

In April 1978, a month before I graduated from Rutgers College of Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, the university faculty and staff presented a talent show as a charity fundraiser. The Master of Ceremonies was Dr. Richard Patrick McCormick (Rutgers College Class of 1938), History professor, University Historian, immediate past Dean of Rutgers College and the father of future University President Richard Levis McCormick. The venue was The Ledge on George Street, at the time the commuting students' lounge and today the Student Activities Center for the College Avenue Campus. The program was presented twice, on successive Friday and Saturday evenings.

The finale of the program was a rendition of the Rutgers alma mater On the Banks of the Old Raritan, but revised to present the faculty and staff's viewpoint. Dr. McCormick sang the verses while the ensemble sang the chorus. I was there for the first night and, for this song alone, I decided to return the second night and pay admission again, this time with pen and paper to write down the lyrics. I knew this would be a rare event.

So without further ado:

Your fathers sent you to old Rutgers,
And your moms were glad to see you go,
For they had quite enough
Of your adolescent guff
And they felt it was well worth their dough!

[Chorus]
On the banks of the old Raritan, my boys,
Where old Rutgers evermore shall stand.
For has she not stood
Since the time of the flood
On the banks of the old Raritan.

To the banks of the old Raritan you came
Where old Rutgers ever since has stood.
Where you found sheer delight,
Beer and parties every night,
For we did the best that we could.

[Chorus]
On the banks of the old Raritan, my boys,
Where old Rutgers evermore shall stand.
For has she not stood
Since the time of the flood
On the banks of the old Raritan.

So sing your praise to Alma Mater
And the R-U Screw forever ban!
For as you well should know,
We find kindness apropos
On the banks of the old Raritan.

[Chorus]
On the banks of the old Raritan, my boys,
Where old Rutgers evermore shall stand.
For has she not stood
Since the time of the flood
On the banks of the old Raritan.

The chorus was the same as for the original. Apparently sometime in the 2010s, the words "my boys" were replaced by the gender neutral "my friends" in the official lyrics. But this was 1978, so tough! As far as I know, this version has never been published anywhere until now. I don't know if anyone in the faculty/staff saved a copy, so this may be the only remaining record of that version. It's been 42 years, but better late than never!

Lyle Francis Padilla
Rutgers College Class of 1978
28 May 2020

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