The Victoria College, 1925-2000: A Tradition of Excellence

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The rooms in the Boys’ Dormitory
were cozy.
band members. He hit upon the idea of “having
something unique that nobody else has.” The
uniforms were designed as pirates’ clothing,
consisting of “turbans with dangling glass rings
that the metal shop cut out,” sashes, shirts with
“sorta baggy sleeves and tight at the wrist and
open throat.” The 1951 edition of the Pirate, the
college yearbook, noted that the costumes were
“slick uniforms.” Whatever views the annual
staff and Collins may have had, they did not
coincide with Stormont’s. The dean had not
been enthusiastic to the band director’s proposal
to purchase the uniforms but, nevertheless,
gave his approval. When the band made its first
appearance during a football game between the
college and Allen Academy, someone in the
stands exclaimed, “Who are they? They look
like Aunt Jemimas.” “That did it,” Collins
remarked. “Dr. Stormont decided we would
have military uniforms.” 25
The band director also came up with the idea
of having a pirate ship for the band members. He
remarked that “since we were so small, instead of
marching on the field, we would come out on
this ship.” “However, the coaches,” Collins said,
“were reluctant to let any vehicle on the field.”
They were concerned that the contraption would
tear up the playing field. Collins dropped his
notion and “settled for the uniforms.” 26
Because the college administration did not
wish to rely solely upon media advertisements
as a recruiting tool, Collins was hired during the
summer months “to get the word out.” He
recalled that on such an outing Sweet Home was
on his itinerary. Collins “drove out in the field
and there was a prospect whose grandfather was
working in the field, and he was sorta in charge
of whether she went to college or not.” When
the young lady was approached about entering
Victoria College, the grandfather said, “Oh, that
girl doesn’t need to go to college. Why she will
end up getting married, and it will just be a
waste.” Collins typically encountered such an
attitude on his sojourns in the rural areas. 27
Traditionally, colleges and universities in
Texas have homecoming activities during the
football season. Victoria College was no exception.
On November 9, 1950, the college held its
first homecoming, a daylong affair that included
an evening tilt with Laredo Junior College. As
usual, a pep rally was conducted at the college
assembly. Frank H. Crain, Jr., a former Victoria
Junior College student who went on to become a
state district judge, gave an exhilarating speech
76 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, 1925-2000