College Township near State College in Centre County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
We Are Penn State
The Class of 2013 and Fred Lewis Pattee
— …nourishing college spirit and loyalty —
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), June 21, 2019
The We Are sculpture is a gift of the Class of 2013
Sculptor: Jonathan Cramer, '94, B.F.A., Art
Material: Polished Stainless Steel donated by ATI
Penn State's Alma Mater, written by Professor of American Literature Fred Lewis Pattee in 1901, was first sung later that year at the Alumni Dinner during Commencement Week. James Beaver, president of the Board of Trustees, immediately arose proclaimed it "the official song of Penn State." With President George Atherton's agreement, it became so.
The original version included the stanza, "When we stood at boyhood's gate / Shapeless in the hands of fate / Thou didst mold us, dear old State / into men," which bothered Pattee from the start because Penn State had been co-educational for 30 years when the song was written. However, he believed the ethos of the college at the time was male-oriented and thus the words were appropriate. He later had second thoughts; in his posthumously published autobiography, he suggested changing "boyhood" into "childhood" and "mold…into men" to a repeat of "dear old State." In 1975 the Trustees approved the change.
Alma Mater
For the glory of old State,
For her founders strong and great,
For the future that we wait,
Raise the song, raise the song.
Sing our love and loyalty,
Sing our hopes that, bright and free,
Rest, O Mother dear, with thee,
All with thee, all with thee.
When we stood at childhood's gate,
Shapeless in the hands of fate,
Thou didst mold us, dear old State,
Dear old State, dear old State.
May no act of ours bring shame,
To one heart that loves thy name,
May our lives but swell they fame,
Dear old State, dear old State.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Education. In addition, it is included in the Pennsylvania State University series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 2013.
Location. 40° 48.478′ N, 77° 51.487′ W. Marker is near State College, Pennsylvania, in Centre County. It is in College Township. Marker is on Curtin Road south of University Drive, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 720 Curtin Road, University Park PA 16802, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. USS Pennsylvania (approx. 0.2 miles away); Big Ten (approx.
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), June 21, 2019
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), June 21, 2019
Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on June 22, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 360 times since then and 22 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on June 22, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.