Regents' Seal
The antique lamp on the regents' seal represents the metaphysical sciences; the telescope, the physical sciences; the plow, the industrial arts; and the palette with brushes, the fine arts. The Latin motto means "a common bond for all the arts."

School Colors
Because the University's colors varied during the early years, William Watts Folwell, first president of the University, appointed English instructor Augusta Norwood Smith to choose permanent school colors. Smith, "a woman of excellent taste," according to Folwell, chose maroon and gold, the University's colors today. First used sometime between 1876 and 1880, the colors were not officially approved by the regents until March 1940.

School Songs
"Hail! Minnesota" was written by Truman Rickard, a member of the class of 1904, for use in a class play. A second verse was written by University student Arthur Upson in 1905. In 1945, the song became the official anthem of the state of Minnesota. The "Minnesota Rouser," sung at most University athletic events, was written by Floyd M. Hutsell in 1909 in response to a contest sponsored by the Minneapolis Tribune. Hutsell, a Minneapolis choir director and voice teacher, won $100 in the contest to choose a fight song for the University.

Back to table of contents