School Song -- an "Oh baby" story
Peter Shenkin
Big Louis <bigl...@aol.com> wrote:
>"Science High our school that towers,
>seeking truth and light.
>All for thee our hearts and powers,
>Solemnly unite (Oh, baby).
When I started at Science in the Fall of '60, the school song was
under an official ban. It seems that some miscreants in the previous
graduating class had sung "Oh baby" at their graduation ceremony,
which "The Powers That Be" did not deem decorous. By the way,
graduation was then held at the Loew's Paradise on the Grand Concourse;
I wonder where they hold it now. Anyway, "They" decided that nobody
would sing the school song for several years, and when they revived
it nobody would know about "Oh baby", and everything would be cool.
What they didn't count on was that one of my classmates, Ruth Tuttlman,
had a brother in the previous class. When we'd gather early in the
AM in the courtyard before the doors opened, Ruth would teach us
the school song. It didn't matter if we didn't know all the words.
What was important was to know where the "Oh baby" came.
Finally, during our senior year ('63), "They" called a special
senior assembly. Hy Remsen started it off by saying something like,
"I bet you didn't know that Bronx Science had a school song. Well,
we do, and we're going to teach it to you today." So they started
to teach us the words, and the first time we were asked to sing
it through, it sounded something like this:
Mutter, mutter, mutter blah-blah,
Mutter, mutter, blah,
Mutter, mutter, mutter, blah-blah,
Mutter, mutter, blah, ***OH BABY***
...
Definitely one of the high points of my Bronx Science years.
-P., '63.
--
**************** In Memorium, Minnie Pearl, 1913-1996, RIP *****************
*** Peter S. Shenkin, Box 768 Havemeyer Hall, Chemistry, Columbia Univ., ***
*** NY, NY 10027; she...@columbia.edu; (212)854-5143; FAX: 854-4213 ***
*** MacroModel home page: www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/chemistry/mmod/mmod.html***
Audrey Feldman
(Peter Shenkin) writes:
>
>In article <4hjcnq$3...@newsbf02.news.aol.com>,
>Big Louis <bigl...@aol.com> wrote:
>>"Science High our school that towers,
>>seeking truth and light.
>>All for thee our hearts and powers,
>>Solemnly unite (Oh, baby).
>
>When I started at Science in the Fall of '60, the school song was
>under an official ban. It seems that some miscreants in the previous
>graduating class had sung "Oh baby" at their graduation ceremony,
>which "The Powers That Be" did not deem decorous. By the way,
>graduation was then held at the Loew's Paradise on the Grand
Concourse;
The second verse - and I remember because I was in the class of June
1960 - the miscreants who sang "oh baby" at graduation. The powers
that be were certainly unhappy with us. And - we didn't wear caps and
gowns because the feeling was that we would have that chance when we
graduated from college. So the boys wore suits, and the girls wore
pastel colored shirtwaist dresses. Anyone out there remember that?
"Harken how the chorus heightens
As our praises soar
Thru the years your glory brightens
Science ever more"
I think that's close. Anyone there who remembers?
Audrey Strong Feldman, class of 1960
Louis Hopfer
>The second verse - and I remember because I was in the class of June
>1960 - the miscreants who sang "oh baby" at graduation. The powers
>that be were certainly unhappy with us. And - we didn't wear caps and
>gowns because the feeling was that we would have that chance when we
>graduated from college. So the boys wore suits, and the girls wore
>pastel colored shirtwaist dresses. Anyone out there remember that?
>
>"Harken how the chorus heightens
>As our praises soar
>Thru the years your glory brightens
>Science ever more"
>
>I think that's close. Anyone there who remembers?
>
>Audrey Strong Feldman, class of 1960
I had half of the second verse but was too unsure to post before. I
believe that the second verse started "Harken now...."
Of course now I can't get it it out of my head!!!
John Mullervy
Last YEars was at the JAvits Center.
--
John Mullervy
<mull...@cnct.com> http://www.bxscience.edu/~mullervy
<mull...@bxscience.edu>
Stephen J. Brown
I'm fairly certain the school song had not yet been banned in 1960-61.
Here's why:
Anyone remember "The Coal Creek Trio?" The group consisted of Joe
Popper, Riki Brand and Steve Brown (that's me). We were all class of 62,
more or less. The group formed in Fall 1960 and performed in at least
two "assemblies" as a "musical interlude." Our self-proclaimed specialty
was "folk music," and good old Mr. Rensin thought it would be just dandy
to have us sing a ditty or two. On the first occasion, we did our
officially sanctioned two numbers (one of which was probably This Land
is Your Land, I'm sorry to say), and then segued into "Science High...,"
incorporating a resounding "O baby" at the appropriate moment. We had
lots of of audience help.
Mr. Rensin was apoplectic, in large part because this had all happened
so many times before at graduations and assemblies, and he was, after
all, the *author* of those memorable lyrics....
We were blacklisted for most of the following year, but were granted a
reprieve in spring 1962 (senior year), having solemnly promised *never*
to transgress again...but, once on stage, we knew that we had nothing
left to lose, and did the school song yet again...but this time, on good
behavior, we simply stopped playing and singing after "solemnly unite."
Unfortunately, the audience had promised nothing, and shouted the awful
words for us.
And, as I recall (tho it could certainly be revisionist history, or
creeping memory loss), THAT was when the ban was invoked. Any help from
classmates would be appreciated...:)
Peter Shenkin
>I think I'll have some fun and claim a little credit here.
>
>I'm fairly certain the school song had not yet been banned in 1960-61.
>Here's why:
>And, as I recall (tho it could certainly be revisionist history, or
>creeping memory loss), THAT was when the ban was invoked. Any help from
>classmates would be appreciated...:)
I remember Joe Popper and Ricki Brand. Maybe I'd recognize you if
I saw you. But I started at Science in Fall of '60 (I was in the
class of '63), and I'm reasonably sure the ban was in effect already
at that time. But I can't say I'm positive. I am sure that Ruth
Tuttleman used to gather little groups together outside school before
the doors opened and teach us the song, especially where the "Oh Baby"
came, and I do remember that she learned it from her brother, who
had been in an earlier class.
My guess is that your incident occurred *during* the ban. If
everyone joined in with the "Oh Baby", this might just be a tribute
to Ruth's diligence and high-minded purpose.
-P.
--
**************** In Memorium, Minnie Pearl, 1913-1996, RIP *****************
*** Peter S. Shenkin, Box 768 Havemeyer Hall, Chemistry, Columbia Univ., ***
*** NY, NY 10027; she...@columbia.edu; (212)854-5143; FAX: 678-9039 ***
Norm Elias '61
> In article <4hjcnq$3...@newsbf02.news.aol.com>,
> Big Louis <bigl...@aol.com> wrote:
> >"Science High our school that towers,
> >seeking truth and light.
> >All for thee our hearts and powers,
> >Solemnly unite (Oh, baby).
>
> When I started at Science in the Fall of '60, the school song was
> under an official ban. It seems that some miscreants in the previous
> graduating class had sung "Oh baby" at their graduation ceremony,
> which "The Powers That Be" did not deem decorous. By the way,
> graduation was then held at the Loew's Paradise on the Grand Concourse;
> would sing the school song for several years, and when they revived
> it nobody would know about "Oh baby", and everything would be cool.
>
> What they didn't count on was that one of my classmates, Ruth Tuttlman,
> had a brother in the previous class. When we'd gather early in the
> AM in the courtyard before the doors opened, Ruth would teach us
> the school song. It didn't matter if we didn't know all the words.
> What was important was to know where the "Oh baby" came.
>
> Finally, during our senior year ('63), "They" called a special
> senior assembly. Hy Remsen started it off by saying something like,
> "I bet you didn't know that Bronx Science had a school song. Well,
> we do, and we're going to teach it to you today." So they started
> to teach us the words, and the first time we were asked to sing
> it through, it sounded something like this:
>
> Mutter, mutter, mutter blah-blah,
> Mutter, mutter, blah,
> Mutter, mutter, mutter, blah-blah,
> Mutter, mutter, blah, ***OH BABY***
> ...
>
> Definitely one of the high points of my Bronx Science years.
>
> -P., '63.
> **************** In Memorium, Minnie Pearl, 1913-1996, RIP *****************
> *** Peter S. Shenkin, Box 768 Havemeyer Hall, Chemistry, Columbia Univ., ***
I graduated class of '61 at the Paradise. I remember the first "Oh baby" occurring during an assembly on the part of a tiny handful of enthusiasts. The next day the incensed faculty reprimanded the entire school as we entered and awaited the start of classes in the auditorium and cafeteria. That reprimand is what made us all permanent "Oh baby" advocates. We didn't try to sing it at graduation but the idiots in charge were so concerned that they added a trumpet solo to those three notes played by the school band.
The ban was in effect at every class reunion since then and each time we revisited the school auditorium the students we met had little if any knowledge that there even was an original school song. Each time we told those few students the "Oh baby" story and sang it for them accompanied on the piano by one of our classmates.
I regret the pain Mr. Rensin and Mz. Lawler experienced at our hands but I fault the entire faculty for failing to recognize that ours was an act of enthusiasm for our school not an act of rebellion. We rebelled only over their failure to welcome our acceptance of Hy Rensin's composition as our own property and as a living tribute to him and our Alma Mater, our school that still towers reaching truth and light. They've deprived our successors but for us, our hearts and powers still solemnly unite.
OH BA-BY
rasp...@gmail.com
Milton Spivack "61