Texas Almanac, 1968-1969 Page: 77
[706] p. : ill. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this book.
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TEXAS FLAG, SEAL, SONG
spirit of respect and reverence which all
Texans owe the emblem."
In addition to the foregoing from the
statute of the Forty-third Legislature, Acts
of the Legislature of 1917 (third called ses-
sion, p. 81), provide a penalty for disfigur-
ing the Texas flag in any way, using it for
advertising or commercial purposes by print-
ing on it, or the flagpole, or otherwise.
Texas Flag Pledge
A pledge to the Texas flag also was adopt-
ed by the Forty-third Legislature and from
1933 until 1965 that pledge was used. It con-
tained a phrase, "Flag of 1836," which was
historically incorrect, as Texas did not have
a flag in 1836. On April 3, 1965, Gov. John
Connally signed an act of the Fifty-ninth Leg-
islature officially designating the pledge to
the Texas flag as follows:
"Honor the Texas Flag.
I pledge allegiance to thee,
Texas, one and indivisible."
Other Symbols
State Seal.-The seal of the State of Texas
consists of "a star of five points, encircled
by olive and live oak branches, and the words
'The State of Texas'." (State Constitution,
Art. IV, Sec. 19.) The state seal is a slight
modification of the Great Seal of the Repub-
lic of Texas, adopted by the Congress of the
Republic, Dec. 10, 1836, and readopted with
modifications in 1839.
State Descriptive Name.-Texas is known
as the Lone Star State, a designation de-
rived from the single star in the flag.
State Citizenship Designation.-The people
of Texas usually call themselves Texans.
However, the designation, Texian, was gen-
erally used in the early period of history.
State Motto.-The state motto of Texas Is
"Friendship." The word, Texas, or Tejas,
was the Spanish pronunciation of a Caddo In-
dian word meaning "friends" or "allies."
(Acts of 1930, fourth called session of Forty-
first Legislature, page 105.)
State Tree.-The pecan is the state tree
of Texas. The sentiment that led to its offi-
cial adoption probably grew out of the re-
quest of Gov. James Stephen Hogg that a
pecan tree be planted at his grave. (Acts of
1919, Thirty-sixth Legislature, regular ses-
sion, page 155; also Acts of 1927, Fortieth
Legislature, page 234.)
State Flower.-The state flower of Texas
is the bluebonnet, also called buffalo clover,
wolf flower, "el conejo" (the rabbit). Scien-
tifically it is Lupinus subcarnosus, as adopt-
ed by the Legislature. A very similar species
of the bluebonnet, Lupinus texensis, is also
popularly accepted as the State Flower. The
bluebonnet was adopted as the State Flower,
on request of the Society of Colonial Dames
In Texas, by the Twenty-seventh Legislature,
1901. (See acts of regular session, p. 232.)
State Bird.-The mockingbird (Mimus
Polyglottos) is the officially recognized state
bird of Texas, adopted by the Legislature at
the request of the Texas Federation of Wom-
en's Clubs. (Acts of 1927, Fortieth Legislature,
regular session, page 486.)
There has been no official adoption by
the state of any animal other than the mock-
ingbird. However, the Longhorn, adopted by
University of Texas; the Mustang, adopted
by Southern Methodist University; the Horned
Frog, adopted by Texas Christian Univer-
sity, are rather widely recognized as spe-
cifically "Texan," and as being common
property of all Texans. The chaparral bird,
also known as the roadrunner and Paisano
(Spanish for "countryman") is a favorite
and was the adopted bird of the Centennial
Exposition of 1936.
State Holidays.-Texas has two state holi-
days and several special observance days.
The two holidays are Independence Day,
March 2, and San Jacinto Day, April 21. (See
index for list of Texas holidays and special
observances.)State Song.-The state song of Texas is
"Texas, Our Texas." The music was written
by William J. Marsh, Fort Worth, Texas, and
the words by Mr. Marsh and Gladys Yoakum
Wright, also of Fort Worth. It was adopted
as the result of an award offered by the Leg-
islature. (Acts of 1929, first called session,
Forty-first Legislature, page 286.) Its text
follows:
TEXAS, OUR TEXAS
Texas, our Texas! All hail the mighty State!
Texas, our Texas! So wonderful, so great!
Largest and grandest, withstanding every
test;
O empire wide and glorious, you stand su-
premely blest.
Chorus
God bless you, Texas! And keep you brave
and strong.
That you may grow in power and worth,
throughout the ages long.
Texas, O Texas! Your freeborn single star,
Sends out its radiance to nations near and
far.
Emblem of freedom! It sets our hearts aglow.
With thoughts of San Jacinto and glorious
Alamo.
Texas, dear Texas' From tyrant grip now
free,
Shines forth In splendor your star of destiny!
Mother of Heroes! Welcome your children
true.
Proclaiming our allegiance, our faith, our
love for you.
-Words by Gladys Yoakum Wright and Wil-
liam J. Marsh. Music by William J. Marsh.
The adopted song of the University of
Texas, "The Eyes of Texas," is also frequent-
ly sung at public gatherings. It is usually
sung by a standing audience and has a meas-
ure of recognition as a state song. Origin of
this song is as follows: William Lamdin
Prather, president of the University of Texas,
1899-1906, frequently said to the students,
"The eyes of Texas are upon you." A uni-
versity minstrel, as a prank when President
Prather was present, sang a song, using this
phrase, which had been written by a student,
John Lang Sinclair, to the tune of "I've Been
Working on the Railroad (Levee)." Grad-
ually it became the adopted song of the uni-
versity and is now popular throughout the
state.
THE EYES OF TEXAS
The eyes of Texas are upon you
All the livelong day.
The eyes of Texas are upon you
You cannot get away.
Do not think you can escape them,
At night or early in the morn,
The eyes of Texas are upon you
Till Gabriel blows his horn.
U.S. Flag
The colors in the flags of both United
States and Texas mean as follows.: courage
(red), purity and liberty (white) and loyalty
(blue). The committee, headed by Oliver
Jones, which in 1839 wrote the recommenda-
tions for the present Lone Star Flag of
Texas, specified that the meanings should
be peace (white), war (red) and friendship
(blue). However, this part of the recommen-
dation was not adopted by the Texas Con-
gress, and the meanings of the colors in the
national and state flags are commonly ac-
cepted as being identical.
Sa!ute to National Flag
The flag should be saluted when passing
in parade by the civilian removing hat and
placing at left shoulder while standing at at-
tention. Women salute by standing at atten-
tion and placing right hand over heart.
Pledge to Flag of United States
With right hand over heart: "I pledge al-
legiance to the flag of the United States of
America and to the Republic for which it
stands. One Nation under God, indivisible,
with liberty and justice for all."
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Texas Almanac, 1968-1969, book, 1967; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth113809/m1/79/: accessed May 5, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.