Baylor University

==Traditions==
Baylor has many traditions that have developed since the university was founded. Some take the form of annual celebrations, while others are symbolized in memorials. The Baylor Chamber of Commerce is the oldest student organization on the campus that is responsible for most of the school's traditions.
[[File:Theline.jpg|thumb|The Baylor Line on the field of a home football game]]

===Baylor Line===
{{main|Baylor Line}}

The [[Baylor Line]] is a tradition for new students that began in 1970. Freshmen embrace the spirit of Baylor by wearing special football jerseys and rushing the field before home football games. Each "Line Jersey" has a nickname chosen by the student and his or her intended year of graduation on the back. From its inception until 1994, only male students were allowed to run the Line. Before the football game on Saturday, October 28, 2017, alumnae who were not allowed to run in the Line were invited to join the Freshmen in the run.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.wacotrib.com/news/higher_education/baylor-line-against-ut-to-feature-alumnae-not-allowed-to/article_46c39bd7-f6a5-582e-9293-409e6fd0bf09.html|title=Waco Tribune-Herald|last=Ericksen|first=Phillip|date=October 24, 2017|access-date=February 15, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180220042946/http://www.wacotrib.com/news/higher_education/baylor-line-against-ut-to-feature-alumnae-not-allowed-to/article_46c39bd7-f6a5-582e-9293-409e6fd0bf09.html|archive-date=February 20, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Mass Meeting===
The Thursday night of Homecoming Week, new Baylor students (Freshmen and Transfers) attend a mass meeting in Waco Hall where they learn about the Immortal Ten, the ten student athletes who died in a bus-train accident in [[Round Rock, Texas]], on January 22, 1927. After the Mass Meeting, the freshmen class build a bonfire on Fountain Mall which often includes burning vigils of the homecoming football opponent's mascot created by the various on campus houses.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baylor.edu/homecoming/index.php?id=865353|title=Baylor University {{!}} Homecoming {{!}} Extravaganza/Bonfire|website=Homecoming {{!}} Baylor University|access-date=June 17, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160504102947/http://www.baylor.edu/homecoming/index.php?id=865353|archive-date=May 4, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Homecoming===
The nation's first homecoming celebrations originated at Baylor in November 1909. Not long after, the idea was adopted by the [[University of Illinois]] in 1910, the [[University of Missouri]] in 1911, and at universities throughout the U.S. in the years that followed.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.active.com/football/articles/the-history-of-homecoming-871285 |title=The History of Homecoming |publisher=Active |date=May 19, 2012 |access-date=December 8, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140109180206/http://www.active.com/football/articles/the-history-of-homecoming-871285 |archive-date=January 9, 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.baylor.edu/homecoming/index.php?id=73724 |title=Baylor University &#124; Homecoming &#124; History |publisher=Baylor.edu |date=January 21, 2011 |access-date=December 8, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131208190212/http://www.baylor.edu/homecoming/index.php?id=73724 |archive-date=December 8, 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The Baylor Homecoming event began as a way to reconnect alumni with current students but has now grown to include a football game, bonfire, concerts, speeches, receptions, class reunions, pep rallies, and the nation's oldest and longest collegiate parade.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.baylor.edu/mediacommunications/news.php?action=story&story=133623 |title=Baylor University &#124; Media Communications &#124; News |publisher=Baylor.edu |date=October 8, 2013 |access-date=December 8, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131208050358/http://www.baylor.edu/mediacommunications/news.php?action=story&story=133623 |archive-date=December 8, 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:Immortal 10.jpg|left|thumb|The Immortal Ten Memorial]]

===Immortal Ten===
On January 22, 1927, a bus carrying the Baylor basketball team collided with the [[Sunshine Special]] train in [[Round Rock, Texas|Round Rock]], Texas. Ten members of the traveling party were killed and many others were injured in the accident. The story of the Immortal Ten is told each year at Freshman Mass Meeting, where the names of the ten are called out. In 1996, the senior class provided initial funding to create an Immortal Ten statue on campus. Fundraising and planning for the statue continued over the ensuing years. Finally, on June 22, 2007, the statue sculpted by Bruce R. Greene was unveiled. The Immortal Ten memorial was officially dedicated during Homecoming on November 2, 2007, in Traditions Square.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wacotrib.com/hp/content/news/stories/2007/02/04/02042007wactheimmortalten.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20071022184009/http://www.wacotrib.com/hp/content/news/stories/2007/02/04/02042007wactheimmortalten.html|url-status=dead|title=Baylor's Immortal Ten finally get their statuary due|date=October 22, 2007|archive-date=October 22, 2007}}</ref><ref>[http://www.baylor.edu/homecoming/index.php?id=2876]{{dead link|date=April 2012}}</ref><ref>[http://www.baylor.edu/about/index.php?id=5560] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070205035536/http://www.baylor.edu/about/index.php?id=5560|date=February 5, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://baylorbears.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/012207aaa.html |title=Baylor Flashback - Jan. 22, 1927 - The Immortal Ten :: Exactly 80 years ago, Baylor tragically lost 10 athletes |publisher=Baylorbears.cstv.com |access-date=April 10, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071022231348/http://baylorbears.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/012207aaa.html |archive-date=October 22, 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.baylor.edu/pr/news.php?action=story&story=46042 |title=Immortal Ten Memorial Installed on Campus |publisher=Baylor University |access-date=April 10, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100505153414/http://www.baylor.edu/pr/news.php?action=story&story=46042 |archive-date=May 5, 2010 |url-status=live |date=June 22, 2007 }}</ref>

===Alma mater===
{{listen
| filename = That Good Ol' Baylor Line.ogg
| title = That Good Ol' Baylor Line
| description = The Baylor University Men's Choir performing the university's alma mater, "That Good Ol' Baylor Line."
| format = [[ogg]]
}}

Baylor's alma mater is "That Good Ol' Baylor Line." In 1906, a student penned humorous words to the tune of "[[In the Good Old Summer Time]]" and they became generally accepted among the student body as the school [[fight song]]. However, in 1931, Enid Eastland Markham, wife of music professor Robert Markham, felt the words were neither dignified enough nor representative of the total university, so she decided to write new lyrics, which were soon sanctioned as the official school song. The "Good Ol' Summer Time" tune was later arranged to fit Mrs. Markham's "Baylor Line" through the work of Jack Goode, Donald I. Moore and Charles F. Brown.