Traditions of the Corps of Cadets
Each day at 5 p.m., the campus comes to a halt as the college
pays respect to the American flag and our country's heritage.
NGCSU is one of only a handful of universities with permission
from the Department of the Army to raise and lower the flag
daily. The cannon is sounded, retreat is played, and the echo
bounces off the distant hills. This ceremony represents the
spirit of service to community, state, and nation that is
alive and well at North Georgia College & State University
-- since 1873 a place of outstanding education, growth, leadership
and tradition.
The Retreat Ceremony
 The
Retreat ceremony, which is believed to date back to the crusades,
honors our nation's flag at the end of the day. A formation
is held, and the call is blown, late in the afternoon just
prior to the firing of the sunset gun and the lowering of
the national flag. In earlier days in the Army, it was the
custom for a fife and drum corps to march through the streets
of a camp or garrison playing loudly, and each soldier was
required to "repair to his tent or quarters" and
remain therein. Nowadays soldiers come out of their quarters
and stand in formation in a ceremony while the flag is being
lowered. The retreat parade, in which a formal parade is combined
with the retreat ceremony, is one of the most inspiring army
traditions.
The Retreat ceremony consists primarily of four events: the
sounding of the bugle calls "retreat" and "to
the colors," the firing of the cannon, the rendering
of the proper respect to the colors through a hand salute,
and the actual lowering of the flag itself.
Bugles were first used to control the movement of troops
in battle. The armies of Gideon and Saul may have been the
first to make military use of them. At the end of a day’s
battle the bugle would sound "Retreat" as a signal
to the troops that hostilities would cease for the evening
due to the coming of darkness. Here at NGCSU, we utilize a
pre-recorded bugle call over the Memorial Hall speakers to
signify the end of another duty day and to render honor to
our nation's flag.
After the initial bugle call of retreat, the cannon is fired.
The cannon has long served a traditional role in the honoring
of dignitaries, heads of state, and our nation. The bugle
call of "to the colors" is then sounded.
For many centuries men of arms have used the salute, not
only as a gesture of greeting, but also to express mutual
trust and respect. The custom of saluting with the right hand
dates back to days of early history, when all men bore arms,
and all strangers were possible enemies. In the age of chivalry,
Knights were mounted and wore steel armor that covered the
entire body, including the head and face. When two friendly
Knights met, they lifted their visors and exposed their faces
to the view of the other. This was done with the right hand,
the left being used to hold the reins. It was a significant
gesture of friendship and confidence, since it exposed the
features and also removed the sword hand from the vicinity
of the weapon. Armed men other than Knights usually wore no
visor. On appropriate occasions they held up their right hand,
palm open. This gesture proved that no weapon was held in
the hand indicated that the meeting was a friendly one. The
hand salute between military personnel is simply an extension
of this age-old custom. Its use as an expression of respect
is the basis for our saluting the colors of our country to
which we have pledged our allegiance.
And finally we have the "colors" themselves. In
the early Roman armies, a company size unit of 120 men was
called a maniple. Each maniple would use a handful of straw
on the end of a pole as a rallying point in battle. This straw
standard was eventually replaced by symbols such as bears,
globes, and dragons. Each Legion had an eagle standard, which
was carried by a Knight and was considered sacred. During
the Middle Ages, Knights carried pennants or banners on the
shaft of their lances for identification. At the beginning
of the 17th century when armies were adopting the regimental
system, it was decided to assign colors to each regiment.
So the colors originated as a means of battlefield identification
and continued to perform this function for many years. Today’s
modern armies no longer use flags for this purpose; however,
each nation of the world has adopted their use for its individual
distinction of nationality. During the ceremony of lowering
the flag, all persons present should face it, stand at attention,
and salute. Men not in uniform should remove their headdress
with the right hand and hold it over the left shoulder, with
the hand over the heart. Men without headdress and women should
respond by standing at attention, and placing the right hand
over the heart.
History of the NGC Crest
 The
North Georgia College Crest was designed by Captain Raymond
C. Hamilton, NGC Professor of Military Science and Tactics
from 1929-1930. The design of the Crest, which was to be incorporated
into a Distinctive Badge, was first approved by the Adjutant
General on 11 August, 1937, with a prototype badge designed
and approved on 21 February, 1938. A metal and enamal Distinctive
Badge was also authorized in the original approval by the
AG, but no prototype was submitted for approval until several
years later.
The shoulder cloth insignia in use on Cadet uniforms today
was approved by the Adjutant General on 17 March, 1950. On
26 May of the same year, a sample metal and enamal crest was
also approved by the AG for use in the corps. This "Old
Style" crest, featuring the NGC Coat of Arms on a round
white background surrounded by a scroll bearing the name and
location of the college remained in use until the mid 1960's.
On 14 June 1965, the Department of Heraldry approved the
version of the crest as it is used today and also as it now
appears on the unit standard. The design consists of a Boar's
Head mounted on a yellow shield. The yellow represents the
gold that is found around the hills of Dahlonega, and the
Boar's Head, which is taken from General James Edward Oglethorpe's
Coat of Arms, represents hospitality. The design above the
shield consists of a blue and yellow wreath, and the Cherokee
Rose (the state flower of Georgia) superimposed on gold crossed
muskets which represent the schools historic ties to the Infantry.
On a scroll underneath the shield are the words "Truth
and Wisdom", which are taken from the school motto.
The Boar's Head
 The
symbol of the Boar's Head and the North Georgia College Corps
of Cadets have become inextricably linked since the approval
of the ROTC Department Crest by the Adjutant General on 11
August, 1937.
The Boar's Head is an especially fitting symbol for the Corps
of Cadets, not only because of its roots in state history
(it was a part of the family crest of James E. Oglethorpe,
founder of Georiga), but also because the Boar's Head represents
hospitality, for which the South is noted. The Boar's Head
is also a symbol of tenaciousness for when provoked the Boar,
can become a ferocious adversary. This fighting spirit is
deeply embedded in the North Georgia Corps of Cadets.
Although the design of the Corp's Crest has gone through
several changes, the Boar's Head has remained constant, just
as has the sense of honor, devotion to duty, and desire to
be the best has remained constant in the Corps. On 1 October,
1986, the Corps was officially designated the Boar's Head
Brigade. In the years to come, the Corps will continue to
live up to the tradition of the Boar's Head.
The North Georgia College & State University Arch
 It
was over 50 years ago, Fall Quarter, the senior class of 1951
began planning their senior class project. The class of '51
wanted to leave a landmark at North Georgia - namely the arch
for the east of town entrance to campus. The Arch wasto be
built in memory of and dedicated to the Class of 1950. The
Class of 1950 lost 5 men in the Korean War, all within one
year of graduating. The class advisor, the late Newton "Daddy"
Oakes, spearheaded the memorial project by collecting money
throughout the year.
Spring Quarter, the class found themselves shy of the amount
needed for building supplies and labor. Classmate Dan Patiflo
called on his brother to build the arch. Accepting the offer
and donating the remaining amount needed for building supplies,
construction began late Spring Quarter. Classmates of '51
volunteered the labor, carrying water from the Barracks once
located where the Student Center sits today, mixing the mortar
to lay the bricks, and class advisor Daddy Oakes laid the
first brick. It's original form was erected - two pillars
connected across the top with a cast iron arch and the words
"North Georgia College" stretched between the pillars.
Lights were placed to always shine upon the name. To the left
and right fence-like hedges were planted to further reveal
the tangible results of a goal, reached by sheer teamwork.
A few years later, in respect for the class of 1951 and the
upperclassmen, the cadet corps required freshmen to walk around
the entrance (a passage was made in the hedges for the freshmen)
until they became upperclassmen. It is a privilege and a tradition
to walk under the Arch. Many leaders, scholars, and classmates
who have sacrificed their lives deemed themselves privileged
to have trod beneath this Arch.
The Arch has also seen change, but remains standing as testament
to the strength of NGCSU. It protects the schools traditions,
it welcomes visitors, it bids farewell to those who leave,
and always leaves the door open for their return. Joe Kanaday,
class of '51 president, rallied his classmates in the summer
of 1989 to raise money to restore the arch. The tarnished
metal and brickwork were sandblasted and the lighting and
electronics were replaced, bringing a luster to the Arch once
again.
In 1995, the hedges were removed and brick wings were added
to the arch and a doorway for the freshmen was constructed
in the east section of the Arch. On February 19, 1997, the
Arch was unveiled with the school's redesigned seal reflecting
the new name of the institution, North Georgia College &
State University.
Over forty-eight years later the Arch is a vibrant symbol
to tradition. It is now a historic landmark that embodies
the Esprit De Corps, dreams, teamwork, and a constant reminder
of the sacrifices made by those who came before us.
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