Mary Dauterman

At the Bob Bullock Museum, I was astounded by how much Texas pride was crammed into one space. The place was enormous, with three stories of history—three floors worth of bragging rights. I was especially impressed with the since of “go get ‘em!” spirit expressed in the “Spirit of Texas” film. The passion behind men fighting at the Alamo, the bravery of settlers moving West to Texas, and the communal spirit in the rebuilding of Galveston all shape what makes Texas this special place.

What makes Texas so unique is its overwhelming since of pride, a thing Dobie hoped us to realize and embrace. Dobie used the longhorn as a symbol of this spirit, a creature linked strongly to its homeland, to its herd. This is the perfect symbol to a school representative of the state as a whole. The longhorn symbolizes freedom, devotion, and strength. It evokes memories of “a time when Texas was truly a wild country, no urban sprawl encroaching on the land,” (Oltersdorf, 895). Thus, the longhorn stands as a point of remembrance, for what Texas once was at its ideal state.

Dobie felt his “purpose in life from the time of his return to the university in 1921 was to show the people of Texas and the Southwest the richness of their culture,” (813). We should all strive to carry on the “Dobie tradition” (Ransom, 812): to feel a sense of pride in our Texas heritage, traditions, and legends; to never forget our roots.