Monday, September 8, 2014

Cheering at My High School Pep Rally

 Greenville Sr. High School
Greenville, SC


I never have "liked" football, so I only attended a few games during my high school years. Besides not being a fan of the game, I lost all true "school spirit" when I was forced to transfer from Greenville Senior High to Wade Hampton High, starting with the 11th grade. It broke my heart and spirit. 

I loved going to Greenville Junior High and was thrilled with being able to attend Greenville Senior High. During my 10th grade year, my parents moved out of the district. Even though we went to the Superintendent of Greenville County Schools, pleading with him to allow me to attend Greenville High for my final 2 years, it was not in the cards. 

Anyway....Pep Rallies at Greenville High were great fun. I only attended the "big" Greenville-Parker "Turkey Day" game, but I was a big "Red Raider" supporter. Go team!

Greenville Senior High Pep Rally 
1964/65
(Yes, I am in this picture!)

Then came the move to a new school....Wade Hampton. There were some friends from my Greenville Jr. High days who were there, and that was nice. But school just wasn't the same anymore.

Wade Hampton High School
(It didn't even look like a school! At least, to me.)

Like everyone at Wade Hampton, we attended Pep Rallies for the "Generals" and though those rallies were fun, they didn't mean anything to me. 

However, in going through some of my things from those Wade Hampton years, I ran across a scrap of paper. On this paper was scribbled a cheer we did a those Pep Rallies. I remember having so much fun doing that cheer! I guess I didn't want to forget it, so I wrote it down. It's the only truly "fun" thing I remember from being at Wade Hampton. Sad, huh?

Here's the cheer, written as I remembered it, though I am sure there are variations out there.

Ma-hey, ma-hi, ma-ho! 
Hum dum, ninny cat, ninny cat...so, cat, rat! 
Hobble, gobble, ricker-rack! Hobble, gobble, firecracker!
Hobble, gobble, razoo! Johnny plays the bassoon!
Siss, boom, bah!
Wade Hampton, Wade Hampton!
Rah, rah, rah!