This presentation is intended to provide UNM students with a brief overview of the colorful history of the University of New Mexico. It was put together by Matthew Maez, UNM alumni and staff member. It is not meant to serve as the official history of the university but rather to highlight some of the interesting aspects of student life throughout the years. For a complete history of UNM, please visit Hodgin Hall, UNM's Alumni Center or the UNM Archives at the Center for Southwest Research.

The bulk of the information in this presentation was compiled from the following three sources:

"Miracle on the Mesa: A History of the University of New Mexico 1889-2003" by former UNM President William E. Davis

The UNM Alumni Website http://www.unmalumni.com

The personal stories told to and/or experienced by Matthew Maez

Albuquerque was little more than a village and railroad hub in 1880
ABQ traced history to arrival of Coronado in 1540
Spring 1889, four UNM families donated 20 acres of land two miles east of New Albuquerque (downtown)
Total population of Albuquerque was 6,000

UNM was founded at a time when Albuquerque was developing two separate identities. Old Town, the traditional center of Albuquerque, was located near the Rio Grande River and served as the social hub for the village's largely Hispanic and Pueblo communities.

New Town, located several miles east of Old Town, was largely constructed by and for the booming rail road that passed through town. This new community was primarily comprised of Anglo businessmen and railroad workers who were new to town.

The railroad was essential to the development of Albuquerque as a consequential city. Without it, the town was likely to remain a small agricultural community.

Where the railroad chose to lay tracks and hubs was of vital importance to communities in the west. Several towns tried to leverage the arrival of the railroad to boost the local treasury, a tactic that often failed. Instead of putting rail lines and buildings in central locations at top-dollar, the railroad would often establish lines on the outskirts of town to save money. When Albuquerque was selected as a major transportation hub, local leaders wisely decided to offer the companies fair prices. Although the line was located several miles away from Old Town, the location was still accessible and allowed for Albuquerque to grow without the threat of the station being relocated elsewhere.

Wrote section of territorial act establishing UNM in Bernalillo County
Spent 36 hours straight writing section
Declared that no religious requirements be part of process
Bill passed on February 28, 1889 in final moments of the session

On September 1, 1892, the University’s first building, Hodgin Hall opened.

There were 108 students in two departments, the Preparatory and Normal departments.

For eight years, Hodgin Hall housed all of the University programs. With no public high school in the Territory, few thought UNM would succeed.

The total cost of the building was $30,000. But the original design of Hodgin was poor and in 1904 local architect Edward Christy reported to the Board of Regents.

A number of legends have arisen over the years as to how The University of New Mexico got "Lobo" as its official nickname. When the university began playing football in 1892, the team was simply referred to as "The University Boys" or "Varsities" to distinguish themselves from the prep school kids.

The student body, at least as early as 1917, began to seriously explore the possibilities for both a mascot and a new name for the student newspaper, which was then called simply the "U.N. M. Weekly". Several names for the paper were suggested, including The Rattler, the Sand Devil, the Ki-yo-te and the Cherry and Silver. However, there was no single name that struck a responsive chord among the students and when school opened in the Fall of 1920 the U.N.M. Weekly was still there.

On Sept. 22, 1920, sophomore George S. Bryan, editor of the U.N.M. Weekly and student manager of the football team, was present at a Student Council meeting for the purpose of suggesting that the University teams be given a mascot name as at that time many universities had mascot names for their teams. Bryan suggested Lobo, the Spanish word for wolf, as the nickname. The name was enthusiastically received. The Oct. 1 issue of the student paper said, "The Lobo is respected for his cunning, feared for his prowess, and is the leader of the pack. It is the ideal name for the Varsity boys who go forth to battle for the glory of the school. All together now; fifteen rahs for the LOBOS."

After "Lobo" was adopted as the school's nickname in 1920, it was not long thereafter that a real Lobo became the mascot.

Bruno Dieckmann, class of 1902, and by 1920 a successful Albuquerque insurance and real estate agent, acquired the first Lobo for the University at his own expense. At the time he was treasurer of the Athletic Association and "one of the most admired men in town."

Elsie Ruth Chant, class of 1923, recalled, "All of the girls on campus wanted to be seen with him. He was an accomplished concert violinist as well as being a successful businessman, and he was rich. He drove a Stutz Bearcat convertible around town and all of the girls would compete to get rides with him. Sometimes he had five or six girls in the car, and when he finally got married, he left broken hearts all over campus. Anyway, he either caught it himself or he paid to have a wolf captured in the Mount Taylor area. The wolf was brought into the school and a student by the name of Bowman would take it on a leash to the football practice area."

Apparently, a government trapper named Jim Young caught a wolf pup on the Floyd Lee Ranch near Mount Taylor in western part of the state. The cub became the responsibility of the cheerleaders and it appeared in harness at every football game. However, in the late 20s, a child teased the wolf and the child was bitten at one of the games. UNM officials were forced to dispose of the wolf, as one historian put it, "for fear other ill-bred brats might become tempted to play with the wolf and bring a damage suit."

A live wolf has really never been a part of the athletics scene since. In the early 1960s a human mascot named "Lobo Louie" was created. A second mascot, Lobo Lucy" was created in the early 1980s. Both are now members of the school's cheerleading squad.

The most common origin of New Mexico's school colors dates back nearly 100 years. Apparently, the school colors in the early 1890s were black and gold. Ms. Harriet Jenness, a faculty member who taught drawing, delsarte (drama), penmanship and music, suggested a change in school colors because black and gold did not give a true feeling of New Mexico. She suggested the crimson evening glow of the majestic Sandia mountains to the east. The silver came from when students and faculty took picnics in the Sandias and noted the Rio Grande looked like a silver ribbon winding through the valley below. Her ideas were enthusiastically adopted by the faculty and staff. The crimson was later changed to cherry, the color of a Sandia sunset. Miss Jenness died in 1895, two years before the colors were adopted as "official."


From 1973-79, turquoise was integrated into the official school colors, at least, for the athletics teams. The football team wore turquoise jerseys at home during those years. Cherry and silver returned as the predominant colors in 1980.

For the University's 100th birthday in 1989, a new logo was designed and turquoise (teal actually) was the main color. An array of blues were used until President Richard Peck began encouraging departments to use the University's traditional colors, Cherry and Silver. His encouragement had mixed results. In June 2007, University Communication & Marketing Published University Identity Standards- A Manuel for Building a Stronger Identity. This booklet defined the University's standards and applications for the use of the University's seal and logo as well as the accepted "cherry" and "silver" palette.

The Alma Mater (in Latin means "Nourishing" or "Dear Mother") was a source of contention at UNM in 1947. The original Alma Mater was set to the tune of "Annie Lyle," which was an unpopular hymn with the student body for a long period of time.
The student body voted in a general election to change the Alma Mater and found Glee Club Director Craig Summers to oblige. Actually Mr. Summers and his father wrote the present Alma Mater three years before and called it "The New Mexico Hymn."

New Mexico, New Mexico
We sing to honor thee.
This golden haze of college days
Will live in memory.
This praise we sing will ever ring
With truth and loyalty
New Mexico, your fame we know
Will last eternally.

Hear it live at http://www.unmalumni.com/spirit-tradition.html