Many years before the Parade Ground became a hot spot for tailgaters, it was most often to review and inspect the University ROTC. The University military community returned to that tradition Thursday for the celebration of Chancellor’s Day.
“Every weekend, the cadets formed up on this ground and had a parade just like we did today,” Col. Ken Bankston said. “They would line this entire field, and that’s why it was called the Parade Ground.”
A tradition that dates 147 years back to LSU’s inception as a military school, Chancellor’s Day is the annual inspection of the troops by the chancellor.
“It goes back to when LSU was a military school and the chancellor was the commander of the troops,” said 1983 University graduate Maj. Alan Clark. “It’s a neat tradition.”
The University remained a military school until the Vietnam War broke out in the late 1960s. Before that, all freshmen and sophomores were forced to enroll in ROTC. Chancellor’s Day – along with the Memorial Tower, the LSU Tiger mascot and the cannons – is among the remnants of the LSU’s military past.
“It’s part of the University’s heritage,” said Corps Commander Cadet Col. Julian Cheramie, political science senior. “If you don’t have this, people forget it was a military university.”
Several University dignitaries, Scotch Guard and Silver Wings were in attendance. O’Keefe, the event’s honoree, addressed the crowd before his annual review.
“It’s a real delight to see Air Force and Army units spending time together,” said the former U.S. Secretary of the Navy under President George H. W. Bush. “As a former naval person, this does my heart well.”
O’Keefe said Chancellor’s Day is an important University tradition.
“These are folks that are part of the rich, rich history of our nation in which citizens volunteer to protect all of us. And that’s what they’re on their way to do,” O’Keefe said. “To stop and recognize that is important.”
Laura Leach, member of the LSU System Board of Supervisors, said “I really admire these young people who are involved in ROTC, and I’m happy to be here to support them.”
For many participants, the ongoing war in Iraq gave the event new meaning.
“To put this big, old flag out here, and to do things like that, events like this are multiplied times ten in times of war,” Cadet Col. Julian Cheramie said.
“It’s always important to support the troops, whether we’re at war or not,” said Kathleen Elstrott, animal science senior and Scotch Guard commander. “We’d like to see more people out here.”
Bankston said Chancellor’s Day is an important chance to support the ROTC.
“This is a great program in which the University shows their support for the cadets and what they’re going to do when they get on active duty,” Bankston said.
—–Contact Sarah Yokubaitis at [email protected]