Oh, WOW...

untangel4 · February 19, 2004

I can't believe there's a listing for this particular YUCCA... I work in the Exes office, and we have several yearbooks displayed behind my table-desk... This is one of them... I'd have to say it's one of my favorites... If you look closely, the eagle is not only wearing a football helmet... but it has a CIGAR in it's beak... (look directly below his eye, their picture is a little fuzzy)... Now, remember... this is all Pre-Photoshop days, which makes that one really awesome eagle!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...6&category=1136

Edited February 19, 2004 by untangel4

eagle60 · February 19, 2004

I remember those kind of helmets. They were leather on the sides and some kind of plastic on top. In fact I had one as a kid back in the 40's. Shortly thereafter the all plastic helmets took over the market but a few teams, kind Notre Dame, still kept the all leather ones.

My younger brother had one of the all leather helmets and I tended to take him on head first! Somehow he eventually grew taller than I was so I guess no harm was done. When I get my new hp photo scanner 1000 up and working I can show you a closeup.

UNTLifer · February 19, 2004

Where did the name "Yucca" come from?

untangel4 · February 19, 2004

Yucca is some sort of desert plant... Not sure why it was chosen...

The Aerie's History Webpage says this:

Although the North Texas Normal College opened in 1890, the first yearbook was not published until 1905 and was called The Cottontail.

The next year the yearbook name was changed to The Yucca through a school wide vote. Yucca is for a cactus that is indigenous to Texas.

The tradition of The Yucca lasted until 1974.

The University had a small "Senior’s Yearbook" called Wings that was published in 1977, 1979, and 1980.

The current name, Aerie, was chosen in 1982. We celebrate our 21st anniversary in 2003.

GMG!

CMJ · February 19, 2004

I'm pretty sure there were Yucca's around the campus back in the day. I have several old Yucca's (one dating back to 1917) that promininetly disply the plant. We had no mascot until the 20's, so they had to pick something to name the Yearbook after.

AustinTalon · February 19, 2004

If you keep your eyes open, you'll still see some Yucca plants on campus.

If you go to Willis Library, they have a great collection of most of the yearbooks. I think they even had a Cottontail but no Wings.

UNTLifer · February 19, 2004

I remembered seeing the yucca plants on campus back in the late 60's and 70's when I would go up to my Dad's office. I just never understood why they named it after a desert plant and not something referring to an eagle.

Edited February 20, 2004 by UNTLifer