The Origin of the MSU Alma Mater
M.S.C. Freshman basketball coach Bernard Traynor      MSU Shadows, the school's Alma Mater, was written in 1927 by Bernard Traynor. Traynor spent 1925 through 1927 in the M.S.C. Athletic Department as line coach and assistant head football coach and coach of the freshman basketball team. After leaving M.S.C. he went on to be an attorney in Chicago.

     The song is sung to music of Gaetano Donizetti, the Sextet from his opera Lucia di Lammermoor.

The words to MSU Shadows
MSU, we love thy shadows
When twilight silence falls,
Flushing deep and softly paling
O'er ivy covered halls;
Beneath the pines we'll gather
To give our faith so true,
Sing our love for Alma Mater
And thy praises, MSU.

When from these scenes we wander
And twilight shadows fade,
Our mem'ry still will linger
Where light and shadows played;
In the evening oft we'll gather
And pledge our faith anew,
Sing our love for Alma Mater
And thy praises, MSU.


The photograph of Mr. Traynor comes from the 1927 MSU Annual The Wolverine.



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