TRADITION: Poly revives an old custom, eliciting pride among students and the Riverside community.
By Danijel Bilaver, Emma Carson and Caroline Iglesias, Staff Writers
On September 13, 2016, Poly Principal Dr. Michael Roe, Riverside Mayor Rusty Bailey, and Poly student Elsie Herman (12) reintroduced the alma mater to Poly students. Throughout institutions around the nation, the traditional alma mater serves as a hallmark of the school’s culture and values, and epitomizes school pride and integrity. Established in 1887, Riverside Poly High School has left an indelible mark on the surrounding community, and for nearly as long, the alma mater served as a shining beacon of Poly’s history— of connecting past history with current students.
In recent years, and for reasons unknown, Poly’s alma mater had seemingly dissipated into thin air, essentially ceasing to exist among the newest generation of Poly students. But after meeting with septuagenarian Poly alumni and hearing them “break into song,” Roe realized the importance of keeping the alma mater’s tradition alive.
“The one thing in our 130 plus years that this Poly community values is tradition. The alma mater connects every single class through the 130 years,” Roe explained.
Roe decided to take matters into bigger hands and consult with Rusty Bailey, Riverside’s mayor and a Poly alumnus. After meeting, both Roe and Bailey established a similar stance on reviving the alma mater. “Knowing the alma mater shows pride in our school and respect for what Poly has contributed to us, personally and communally,” Bailey said.
However, the revival became a reality when Herman joined the project. Roe explained that Herman’s involvement expedited the process and was integral in the project’s success. She designed and painted a mural of the alma mater, reconciling her vision and the administration’s standards. Once completed, it was unveiled at Poly’s Back-to-School-Night to roaring applause. “I thought it would be a good way to inspire more pride in the school,” Herman said.
The alma mater is here to remind people of not just Poly’s history, but Riverside’s history. It is important for the school to integrate the alma mater to represent all generations, old and new. “Traditions make life more meaningful,” Bailey said. The values that emerge from the tradition are ones to keep.