Lesson 5
Behind Biff's Boys: The powerful persuasion of fight songsOverview:
"Come a running' boys, don't you hear that noise? Like the thunder in the sky .." What are the first words that you thought of when you heard the preceding phrase? Did you think it was a weather warning from the local meteorologist? As you now know, it was a phrase from a "fight" song used to inspire the Nebraska football players. Music has continued to be an integral part of the game of football. It does more than just add to the festivity of the occasion; it can inspire the team to greatness. Nor is the football arena unique in utilizing music to promote enthusiasm, dedication, and action.One only needs to look at the numerous examples of patriotic music used in both World Wars to see the impact music can have on motivating people to "fight" for their country. The official American recruiting song for World War I was titled "For Your Country and My Country." Young men were asked to "answer the call" and to "speak with the sword, not the pen."
It was no fluke that Coach Biff Jones asked his assistant coach, Link Lyman, to lead the team in song just before they entered the Rose Bowl in 1940 to battle Stanford. The players were not marching off to war, but they were marching off to do battle on the football field. "Come a running boys!"
As Willa Cather, editor of the University of Nebraska student newspaper, stated in an essay in 1894 about the game of football, "It is one of the few survivals of the heroic . . . it is brutal . . . A good football game is an epic . "
Surly the phrase "the battle was lost, but the war was won" applies to the Nebraska football team's loss in the 1941 Rose Bowl game.Not the victory but the action
Not the Goal but the Game
In the deed the GloryObjectives:
1. Evaluate how music is used to inspire people to take action.2. To compare and contrast how music is used to motivate people in the game of football as well as during war time.
3. To analyze the writings of Willa Cather and Mari Sandoz and identify values stressed by these authors, that are also stressed by the participants in the game of football.
1. What was unique about Nebraska playing in the 1941 Rose Bowl?
2. What is a "T" formation in football?
3. How did the Nebraska football team travel to the Rose Bowl?
4. What role did music play in the Nebraska football program?
5. Who are Al Zikmund and Biff Jones?
Post viewing Video Questions:
1. Who is Willa Cather and what connection did she have to the University of Nebraska and Nebraska football?
2. Does the University of Nebraska have "fight songs" today? What is the purpose of "fight songs"?
3. Would you expect writers from Nebraska such as Mari Sandoz and Willa Cather to have any interest in Nebraska football? Why or why not? Does either writer weave themes that reflect Nebraska football values into their novels? If so, cite some examples.
4. Can you recite the words to the song--"There Is No Place Like Nebraska"?
5. What is/was your high school fight song?
6. What inferences can you make about the fact that thirty-nine out of the forty players on the Nebraska Rose Bowl football team were native Nebraskans?
7. Compare and contrast the mode of transportation used in 1940 with the mode of transportation used today for the Nebraska football team. Cite advantages and disadvantages for each form of travel.
8. Explain the meaning of the phrase:
"Not the victory but the action
Not the Goal but the Game
In the deed the Glory"
These activities are offered as suggestions to help you learn more about the material presented in this lesson.
Activity 1: Writing a theme song
Access the Library of Congress "Guide for Writing A Reform Song" at:
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/lessons/99/sing/guide.htmlFollow the format contained on the "Guide for Writing A Reform Song" to write your own song about Nebraska football. Instead of writing a "reform" song, you will be writing a song that stresses values or themes you think would inspire the football team.
Activity 2: Analyzing sheet music
Library of Congress. American Memory Historic American Sheet Music. 1850-1920
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/award97/ncdhtml/hasmhome.htmlLibrary of Congress. Historic American Sheet Music.
http://scriptorium.lib.duke.edu/sheetmusic/about.htmlLibrary of Congress. Historic American Sheet Music. "Brought Back Victory Again"
http://scriptorium.lib.duke.edu/sheetmusic/a/a60/a6020/a6020-1-72dpi.htmlThe Library of Congress. Historic American Sheet Music. "Don't Take My Darling Boy Away"
http://scriptorium.lib.duke.edu:80/
dynaweb/sheetmusic/19101920/@Generic_
_BookTextView/5480?DwebQuery=dont+take+my+darling+boy+away+Library of Congress. Historic American Sheet Music. "The Dream of A Soldier Boy"
http://scriptorium.lib.duke.edu:80/dynaweb/sheetmusic/1910-1920/@Generic_
_BookTextView/6350?DwebQuery=dont+take+my+darling+boy+away+Library of Congress. Historic American Sheet Music. "For Your Country and My Country"
http://scriptorium.lib.duke.edu:80/dynaweb/sheetmusic/1910-1920/@Generic
__BookTextView/9010?DwebQuery=dont+take+my+darling+boy+away+Library of Congress. Historic American Sheet Music. "Hurrah for the U S A"
http://scriptorium.lib.duke.edu:80/dynaweb/sheetmusic/1910-1920/@Generic__
BookTextView/13662Select three of the sheet music pieces to analyze and answer the following questions:
1. Identify the titles, authors, and publication date of each piece.
2. What theme (s) is being stressed in each piece?
3. Each sheet music piece refers to what historic event?
4. Are some of the same values and/or themes stressed in the sheet music pieces also stressed in football "fight" songs? Explain and give examples.
5. Are there similarities between preparing men for war and preparing men to play a football game?
Activity 3: Famous Nebraska Writers
a. Access the following web sites:
Kingwood College Library. American Cultural History
1900-1909 Books and Literature
http://www.nhmccd.edu/contracts/lrc/kc/decade00.html1910-1919 Books and Literature
http://www.nhmccd.edu/contracts/lrc/kc/decade10.html1920-1929 Books and Literature
http://www.nhmccd.edu/contracts/lrc/kc/decade20.htmlb. Access one or more additional web sites, thorough your own research, about Marie Sandoz and Willa Cather.
c. Review summaries of excerpts of the following novels:
Marie Sandoz: "Old Jules", etc.
Willa Cather: "One of Ours", "My Antonia", "O Pioneers", etc.d. After reviewing the preceding materials, answer the following questions:
1. During what time periods did Mari Sandoz and Willa Cather live? What key historical events occurred during their height of their writing careers? Did any of the key historical events affect the content of their novels? If so, give examples.
2. What common values were stressed by each author during their writing careers? Would the Nebraska football team of the first one-half of the twentieth century share any of those values? If so, give some examples.
3. Analyze the following quote by Willa Cather about Nebraska football in segment one of the video "Cornhusker Century":
"It is one of the few survivals of the heroic...it arouses only the most simple and normal emotions...Of course it is brutal. So is Homer brutal and Tolstoi...A good football game is an epic, it rouses the oldest part of us."4. Who are Tolstoi and Homer? What is an epic?
Suggested correlation with Nebraska Standards:
Activity 1:
Social Studies/History Standard 8.2.7. Students will develop skills for historical analysis, such as the ability to a. Identify, analyze, and interpret primary sources, such as artifacts, diaries, letters, photographs, art, documents, newspapers, contemporary media, and computer information systems.
Social Studies/History Standard 12.3.17. Students will develop skills for historical analysis, such as the ability to: a. Analyze documents, records, and data, such as artifacts, diaries, letters, photographs, journals, newspapers, and historical accounts.
Reading/Writing Standard 12.1. By the end of the twelfth grade, students will locate, access, and evaluate resources to identify appropriate information, i.e. electronic resources such as CD-ROM and online resources; using software programs such as word processing and multimedia presentations to synthesize, and present information.
Activity 2:
Social Studies/History Standard 8.2.7. Students will develop skills for historical analysis, such as the ability to a. Identify, analyze, and interpret primary sources, such as artifacts, diaries, letters, photographs, art, documents, newspapers, contemporary media, and computer information systems.
Social Studies/History Standard 12.3.17. Students will develop skills for historical analysis, such as the ability to: a. Analyze documents, records, and data, such as artifacts, diaries, letters, photographs, journals, newspapers, and historical accounts.
Reading/Writing Standard 12.1. By the end of the twelfth grade, students will locate, access, and evaluate resources to identify appropriate information, i.e. electronic resources such as CD-ROM and online resources; using software programs such as word processing and multimedia presentations to synthesize, and present information.
Activity 3:
Social Studies/History Standard 8.2.7. Students will develop skills for historical analysis, such as the ability to a. Identify, analyze, and interpret primary sources, such as artifacts, diaries, letters, photographs, art, documents, newspapers, contemporary media, and computer information systems.
Social Studies/History Standard 12.3.17. Students will develop skills for historical analysis, such as the ability to: a. Analyze documents, records, and data, such as artifacts, diaries, letters, photographs, journals, newspapers, and historical accounts.
Reading/Writing Standard 12.1. By the end of the twelfth grade, students will locate, access, and evaluate resources to identify appropriate information, i.e. electronic resources such as CD-ROM and online resources; using software programs such as word processing and multimedia presentations to synthesize, and present information.
Social Studies/History Standard 12.3.17. Students will develop discussion, debate, and persuasive writing skills, focusing on enduring issues and demonstrating how divergent viewpoints have been addressed and reconciled, such as: problems of intolerance toward racial, ethnic, and religious groups in American society.
Reading/Writing Standard 12.1. By the end of the twelfth grade, students will locate, access, and evaluate resources to identify appropriate information, i.e. electronic resources such as CD-ROM and online resources; using software programs such as word processing and multimedia presentations to synthesize, and present information.
Web Sites:
EdSITEment. Scroll to Art and Culture and then to the subtopic "Music"
http://edsitement.neh.gov/lessonplans.htmlHusker Century. "The Events."
file://H:\PEngelhard\husk_cent\Pioneer\hc_events\hc_events.htmlKingwood College Library. American Cultural History. Scroll to the subheading "Music"
http://www.nhmccd.edu/contracts/lrc/kc/decade30.htmlLibrary of Congress. American Memory Fellows Program.
http://learning.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/index.htmlLibrary of Congress. American Memory Fellows Program. "Guide for Writing A Reform Song"
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/lessons/99/sing/guide.htmlLibrary of Congress. American Memory Historic American Sheet Music. 1850-1920
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/award97/ncdhtml/hasmhome.htmlLibrary of Congress. Historic American Sheet Music.
http://scriptorium.lib.duke.edu/sheetmusic/about.htmlLibrary of Congress. Historic American Sheet Music. "Brought Back Victory Again"
http://scriptorium.lib.duke.edu/sheetmusic/a/a60/a6020/a6020-1-72dpi.htmlThe Library of Congress. Historic American Sheet Music. "Don't Take My Darling Boy Away"
http://scriptorium.lib.duke.edu:80/dynaweb/
sheetmusic/1910-1920/@Generic
__BookTextView/5480?DwebQuery=dont+take+my+darling+boy+away+Library of Congress. Historic American Sheet Music. "The Dream of A Soldier Boy"
http://scriptorium.lib.duke.edu:80/dynaweb/
sheetmusic/1910-1920/@Generic__
BookTextView/6350?DwebQuery=dont+take+my+darling+boy+away+Library of Congress. Historic American Sheet Music. "For Your Country and My Country"
http://scriptorium.lib.duke.edu:80/dynaweb/
sheetmusic/1910-1920/@Generic__
BookTextView/9010?DwebQuery=dont+take+my+darling+boy+away+Library of Congress. Historic American Sheet Music. "Hurrah for the U S A"
http://scriptorium.lib.duke.edu:80/
dynaweb/sheetmusic/1910-1920/@Generic__BookTextView/13662National Archives and Records Administration. The Digital Classroom.
http://www.nara.gov/education/teaching/analysis/analysis.htmlCD-ROM:
NebData on CD-ROM. Information from the Nebraska State Historical Society Notable Nebraskans. Willa Cather
Printed Sources:
Arnold, Marilyn. "The Other Side of Willa Cather." Nebraska History. Vol. 68. No. 2. Summer, 1987, pp. 74-82.
Brown, Sheldon. "The Depression and World War II As Seen Through Country Music." Social Education. Vol. 49. No. 7. October, 1985, pp. 588-595.
Davis, John Kyle. Nebraska Studies. Lincoln: The Nebraska Department of Education, 1983.
Larsen, Lawrence H. and Barbara J. Cottrell, The Gate City A History of Omaha. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1997.
Olson, James C. and Ronald C.Naugle, History of Nebraska. 3rd Edition. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press,1997.
Walsh, Thomas R. Changing Nebraska. Lincoln: Instructional Materials Council, 1986.
Video:
Nebraska Educational Telecommunications. Heritage Library Tapes
Willa Cather Remembers
Mari Sandoz: Her Life and Works
World of Willa Cather
Bookbeat: Mari Sandoz
Cornhusker Football Rosebowl 1941
Willa Cather America
Scarlet and Cream SingersNETCHE Instructional Videotapes http://netche.unl.edu.
Music in Time
Songs of the Plains: The Story of Mari Sandoz
Singing Cather's Song
Willa Cather: A Pictorial Memoir
Willa Cather Remembered
Willa Cather: The Writer and the Word
