Class Yells, Class Colors, and Class Flowers: University of Rochester Archives

For several decades before and after the turn of the 20th century, students at the University devised "yells" to build class spirit, and chose colors and flowers to represent themselves.
Listed below are the class yells (apparently adopted only by the College for Men) and class flowers (unique to the College for Women) and class colors (used by both), as found in the Interpres and Croceus yearbooks.

postcard with pennant

(early 1900s postcard with fabric sew-on patch)

Class year	Class yell	Class color
1883	(none)	Bronze
1884	(none)	Cardinal
1885	Eighty-fi-yi-ki-yi-zip-boom-Ro-ches-ter	Old gold, white and magenta
1886	Rah-rah, rah, Rochester, Eighty-six	Pink and olive green
1887	Hi-yi-yip-si-ki-boom, Eighty-seven	Royal purple and white
1888	Rah-rah-rah, Whoop-la-la Eighty-eight	Peacock blue and bronze
1889	Rah-rah-rah, Rah-rah-rah, Rah-rah-rah, Eighty-nine	Scarlet and silver
1890	Zoo-zoo-zi-se-yi-yi, Ninety	Straw and Cardinal
1891	Hoi-hi-hi-X-C-I, Ninety-one	White, orange, black
1892	Rah-rah-rah, Zoo-zoo-zoo, Hi-yi-yi, Ninety-two	Red, black and orange
1893	Boom-a-la, Boom-a-la, Zip-ra-ree, Whoop it up for Ninety-three	Boreal and light blue
1894	Boom-a-ling Boom-a-ling Hic-ki-kor X-C-I-V, Ninety-four	Crimson
1895	Hoi-loi-toi, Hi-yi-ki, Zip-boom-zi Ninety-five	Yale Blue
1896	Hoi-hoi-hoi, Rip-rah-rix Rahoo-Rahoo, Ninety-six	Orange
1897	Zip-Boom-Rah! Zip-Boom-Rah! '97! - '97! Rah! Rah! Rah!	Royal Purple
1898	Boom-a-ling, Boom-a-ling, Zip-rah-zate, Hi-Yi, Hi-Yi, Ninety-eight	Crimson
1899	Lux-dux, Lex-rex U. of R., X-C-I-X	Lilac
1900	Undeviginti Centum! Wah! Sumus Populus! Rah, rah, rah!	Yale blue
1901	Hi-Yi Ki-Yi! Rip Rah Run! Rochester, Rochester! 1901	Maroon and yellow
1902	Zip-a-la, Zip-a-la, Sis-boom-ah, '02 - '02, Rah, Rah, Rah!	Green
1903	Slam-bang, Ziz-Flop, She wickety-wickety, wickety-pop Swish-swash, Kazoo, Kazee, Rochester, Rochester, ‘03	Royal Purple
1904	Hobble- gobble, Razzle-dazzle, Rip-Rah-Roar, U of R., Nineteen Four	Royal Purple and old Gold
1905	Rip-Ram, Slapety Bang, Hippety, Zippety, Kive, Ra, Ho, Rochester, 1905	Black and Holly Red
1906	HiYi, KiYi, Rip, Rah, Rix Rochester, Rochester, 1906	Olive Green and Dandelion Yellow
1907	Boom-a-rah, Boom-a-rah, Boom-a-rah, Reven Rochester, Rochester, 1907	White and maroon
1908	Kan able an able an able ate, Kan able an able an able ate, Ho Wo Ho Wo Nought eight, Nought eight	Cherry Red and Steel Gray
1909	U-Rah, U-Rah, U-Rah, Rine; Rochester, Rochester, Nineteen Nine	Blue and White
1910	Bing Bang Ben Bing Bang Ben, Ricka Racka Rochester Nineteen Ten	Old Gold and Blue
1911	Son of a gun, Son of a gun, 1-9-1-1	Salt brown and royal blue
1912	Zippity zelf, Zippity zelf, U. of R., 1912	Colors green and white
1913	Gen-e-see Gen-e-see 1-9-1-3 Gen-e-see Gen-e-see 1-9-1-3	Maroon
1914	Boom-jig-a-roar, Boom-jig-a-roar, 1-9-1-4	Green and white
1915	Zippity-zive, Zippity-zive, 1-9-1-5	Maroon and white
1916	Hoo-rah, Hoo-rixx One-nine-one-six.	Red and blue
1917	Rickety rax, cola, coleen, Rochester, Rochester, Seventeen	Purple and gold
1918	Ki-yi-hoi-hi-zip-zate-1-8 Ki-yi-hoi-hi-zip-zate-1-8	Blue and gold
1919	Rax-reen-rax-reen-Nineteen-Nineteen Rax-reen-rax-reen-Nineteen-Nineteen	Orange and blue
1920	Hi-Rap-Zip-Zo-1-9-2-0 Hi-Rap-Zip-Zo-1-9-2-0	Green and white
1921	Kill-a-Hun, Kill-a-Hun, 1-9-2-1 Kill-a-Hun, Kill-a-Hun, 1-9-2-1	Black and white Note: The students of the class of 1921 were freshman in the fall of 1917; the US entered World War I on April 6, 1917.
1922	Ho-Hi-Zip-Zoo 1-9-2-2 Ho-Hi-Zip-Zoo 1-9-2-2	Blue and yellow
1923	Skidoo-Skidee, Skidoo-Skidee, 1-9-2-3	Blue and yellow
1954	Hobble- gobble, Razzle-dazle, Rip-Rah-Roar, U of R, U of R, Fifty-four
1955	Zippity-Doo, Zippity-Dive We¹ve got the class; We¹ve got the drive! U of R, U of R - '55!	Blue and yellow
1957	Eenee, meenie, miny, mo, We’re the class that’s on the go First on earth, first in heaven, U of R, U of R, fifty-seven!	Blue and yellow
1958	'58 of U of R We're the class that's up to par, Full of loyalty and spirit, So let's let the whole world hear it-- We're better than Good! We're better than Great! U of R, U of R, '58! We're better than Good! We're better than Great! U of R, U of R, '58!	Blue and yellow
1959	We're the class that's got the spirit Everywhere you go you hear it Integration* is the sign U of R, U of R '59!	*In 1955 the College for Women moved from the Prince Street Campus to merge with the College for Men on the River Campus. The class of 1959 was the first coeducational class. The preferred term, rather than merger, was "integration."
1960	Let's go 6 and o, let's go 6 and o, We're the class that's on the ball, We're the class that's best of all, We're the class that's really nifty We're the class of 1960!
1961	We're the class that is the best, Remember us, forget the rest, With all the pep and all the fun, We're the class that gets things done, U of R, U of R, '61!
1962	Yellow and blue, yellow and blue, We're the class of sixty-two. We're the class that's on the top, We're the class that will not stop. There is nothing we can't do, U of R, U of R, sixty-two.
1963	Above the banks of the Genesee Dwells the class of '63. Full of vigor, full of fight, We're the class that's dynamite. 1-9-6-3, U of R, U of R, '63!
1964	Open the door Bow to the floor Here comes the class of '64 Ready to fight Ready to shout Ready to put all others to rout We've got talent We've got more U of R, U of R '64!	Blue and yellow You can see '64 alums Henry Simon and Jerome Siegel "yelling" at Meliora Weekend 2014 here: http://youtu.be/I74J-9b9FgU
1965	We've got power, we've got drive We're the greatest class alive, We will bring this great school fame, Listen now and hear our name, Ever forward we will strive- U of R, U of R, '65!	Blue and yellow
1966	We're the class forever strong, Can't be beat-- Can't go wrong, We're the class with all the zest, We can take it-- We're the best, We are smart-- Know all the tricks U of R, U of R--'66	Blue and yellow
1967	L-X-V-I I U of R--hear our cry, We're the class, strong and steady Come what may, we'll e'er be ready. Fighting always, fierce and bold For the dandelion gold, Hear ye, hear ye, all our brethren U of R, U of R, '67!	Blue and yellow
1968	We’re terrific, we are great, We’re the ones who really rate, We are stalwart through and through, U of R, we’re true to you! We’re the greatest, it’s our fate, U of R, U of R, '68!	Blue and yellow
1969	Yellowjackets, all are we Living by the Genesee United by our loyalty UR in our memory*	*incomplete
1970	By the banks of Genessee, We’re the Class of ‘70! We’re the best you’ll ever find, Any place or any time. We’re the class that’s on the go, We’re the class that’s in the know, We’re the best for all to see, U of R, U of R, '70!
1971	We’re the class of seventy-one We’re the envy of everyone We’re the class who’s on the go We’re the ones who are in the know We’re the pride of the U of R There’s no doubt that we’ll go far Doing work or having fun We’re the class of seventy-one br>
2015	Not just one 'Jacket We're the whole Hive! Feel the Sting Of 20-1-5!	Blue and yellow

Class year	Class flower	Class colors
1909	(none)	Yale blue and white
1910	Daffodil	Purple and gold
1911	Black-eyed Susan	Blue and gold/blue and brown
1912	Fleur de lis	Green and white
1913	Sweet pea	Maroon and white
1914	Daisy	Gold and white
1915	Poppy	Red
1916	Lily of the valley	King blue and gold
1917	Yellow rose	Purple and gold
1918	Daisy	Yellow and white
1919	Yellow rose	Green and gold
1920	Yellow daisy	Royal blue and old gold
1921	Black-eyed Susan	Black and white
1922	Marigold	Brown and gold
1923	Fleur de lis	Purple and white
1924	Daffodil	Green and gold
1925	Sweet pea	Orchid and silver
1926	Aster	Garnet and silver
1927	(none)	Green and silver
1928	Poppy	Red and black

Questions?
Melissa S. Mead
(John M. and Barbara Keil University Archivist and Rochester Collections Librarian)