or are a hopeless few hanging on?

I was on campus for the last Bonfire ever in 1998 but I don't see any legit off campus options. This has not been on the forfront of my thinking for some time and I haven't posted here in 6 or 7 years. I have pretty much given up that it will ever exist on campus again. Is there some talk from any significant personnel at the University about this or is it dead and gone?

To be honest Aggiefan#1, I don't think it will ever burn on campus again. If it does, it will be many years down the line. As long as any of the parents of the 12 are around to say anything, the University won't allow it. I was a A&M fan/supporter up until a few years ago, when A&M showed that they don't care. I respect the University for its college education that students receive there but that's it. The way A&M sees it is if they allow it on campus, questions will be raised and it will make A&M look bad (god forbid that happen versus continuing a tradition that many students and Old Ags believe in). Aggie Bonfire stills burns to this day. It's still built by Aggies, for Aggies...Aggie Bonfire. It doesn't necessarily have to be burned on campus for it to be Aggie Bonfire, people are just use to seeing it there. Student Bonfire has done a great job passing the flame every year. I focus on Student Bonfire, not A&M. www.studentbonfire.com

It's not going to happen on campus again. Ever.

Nobody in this administration or any future adminstration ever wants to have to see another student covered in a white sheet and hauled away on a gurney.

The liability is just too great. Bonfire will continue, it just won't be on campus.

eventually even student bonfire will go away...and the whole thing will be a memory and a memorial on campus

...it is too bad, it was the most unique tradition in all of college football!

quote:

---

...it is too bad, it was the most unique tradition in all of college football!

---

And that's what makes its loss so painful. It could be resumed again, safely and economically but won't be because of the considerations discussed in this thread.

Bonfire construction isn't rocket science, nor should it cost the $2 million annually that President Bowen's commission estimated. Student Bonfire is an excellent bare-bones operation, professionally designed and fairly workplace disciplined--but the students get no credit because the establishment considers it a rogue operation.

West Point Aggie- What makes you think Student Bonfire will eventually go away? There is too much support for Bonfire for that even to be considered an option. Student Bonfire has been given so much support that I don't think students are even attempting to talk with the university anymore...just focusing on Student Bonfire and how to make it better and grow more each year. And what's weird is I'm not even an A&M student. I grew up around A&M and Bonfire and I have this much faith and support for it, so imagine how the students who participate in Bonfire feel...Build the hell outta Aggie Bonfire!

an interesting conversation here

SquareOne 07- How do you think Student Bonfire's future will be? It seems more and more people are getting involved, especially with increased support from the community and former students. Having more former students get involved is possibly the best thing because it shows Old Ags believe in the tradition of Bonfire, not necessarily Bonfire on campus. Old Ags can inform new people (not just freshmen) on the tradition and meaning behind it. With the way it's looking, every year, there will be less attention on getting Bonfire back on campus and more time and energy devoted to making Student Bonfire bigger and better every year. Besides, A&M has shown that they have made up their mind, so why waste time trying to convince them? I understand some people would say "to get it back on campus" but countless number of Aggies have tried for many years and have gotten nothing. A good point was made by a student on this forum. Current students and future students will know Bonfire as what it is now. They weren't around when it was on campus so they don't understand why so much time was devoted to trying to get it back on campus. They think this is how Bonfire has always been, or they won't "celebrate" if Bonfire were to return on campus. I say just leave A&M alone and devote the time to making Student Bonfire bigger and better! The way it's looking is Student Bonfire is the current and future home for Aggie Bonfire.

One of the primary reasons I see the future of Bonfire being bleak has nothing to do with the spirit and perseverance of the individuals involved. I personally know several of them and though we haven't always seen eye to eye on the matter of student bonfire and its future, I can say that I maintain a friendly relationship with all of them. They are without a doubt some of the most dedicated people to their cause I know.

That being said, I think the biggest threat to any sort of bonfire is the changing face of A&M's campus and the sorts of people that we're...drawing in. Bonfire, as I think of it, is an extremely blue collar kind of thing for the most part. A&M's campus isn't bringing those sorts of people in such masse anymore as they once were. Look no further than the wussification of campus we've all *****ed about before, the construction of massive housing projects like Zislander and 2818 place...places where you can sit down in the 100 person private movie theater with your friends and get hammered drinking mojitos...instead of trudging to the community bathroom every morning....instead of meeting at 545 to go have dinner together at Sbisa...instead of meeting at 5 in the morning on a 38 degree Saturday morning. The easy life, in my opinion, is encroaching on our ability to do the things that made A&M special.

I wasn't "roughing" it in any way during my first year of living in Crocker, but that experience sure as hell lent itself more toward a "Bonfire Culture" than some of the current situations we have now.

I know there are those old dorms carrying this tradition on and all of our hats are off to them...Crocker, Moses, Moore, Walton, FHK, etc...but how much longer are these dorms and their traditions going to last on campus? The tradition can't die, it's an Aggie thing, but we need a place to practice it, a place to recruit, a place to live together, and once A&M shifts away from those old dorms and continues to hammer down on shennanigans, the ability to practice our traditions together is whittled away.

Rather than focusing on bonfire returning to campus, why not focus on getting it back into Brazos County? I think this would amplify the participation and popularity. It need not be on campus to be bonfire, I think that's something we can all agree. But driving 30-45 minutes every weekend is surely a pain in the rear...especially for those solely coming out for burn.

SQ107- wow, great post. You're spot on. When bonfire was on campus, the climate you described was an increasing problem for Off Campus, but you still had the strong on campus (including Corps) involvement. I only wonder how much longer it will last.

Got to get the fire reasonably close to campus to even keep the off-campus fire alive. Surely some trust fund could be set to get some in perpetuity land reasonably close to campus. If something goes wrong, the TRUST gets sued.

The problem is that off-campus Bonfire has few friends among the influential people in Brazos County. The Eagle has been campaigning against Bonfire since before the 1999 tragedy. In those days, the newspaper was grinding its ax against alcohol abuse at burn.

The decision to hold burn despite the county-wide burn ban several years ago,in a venue where a number of the neighbors opposed Bonfire, reinforced the popular conception that student leaders tend to act irresponsibly. The next year the county judge was quick to condemn SB for missing several deadlines, and to announce he wouldn't approve a permit.

There was no track record of Bonfire opposition in Robertson County, and thanks to a sympathetic land owner, SB found a home.

Logistical difficulties are duly noted.

so if the death warrant was indeed signed back in 99, how much longer does bonfire in any capacity continue to exist?

Sims will never allow it to burn in Brazos county if he has his say.

LET'S GET HIM!

Forgive me for my lack of knowledge, but Sims is the County Judge? Is it an elected position? How long does he have? What are the other hurdles?

1) Political influence
2) Logistics
3) lawsuits
4) land in BCS area
5) majority opposition in BCS
6) School refusal to allow students orgs to participate in an official capacity

Are these correct? I know they are intertwined. Does SB have enough money to buy land? What about a donor? Are there any plans in the works for this? How much does the Alumni base help? I'm just curious. I'm looking for something to hold on to for hope.

mass gathering permit & the 2006 fiasco.

quote:

---

That being said, I think the biggest threat to any sort of bonfire is the changing face of A&M's campus and the sorts of people that we're...drawing in. Bonfire, as I think of it, is an extremely blue collar kind of thing for the most part. A&M's campus isn't bringing those sorts of people in such masse anymore as they once were. Look no further than the wussification of campus we've all *****ed about before, the construction of massive housing projects like Zislander and 2818 place...places where you can sit down in the 100 person private movie theater with your friends and get hammered drinking mojitos...instead of trudging to the community bathroom every morning....instead of meeting at 545 to go have dinner together at Sbisa...instead of meeting at 5 in the morning on a 38 degree Saturday morning. The easy life, in my opinion, is encroaching on our ability to do the things that made A&M special.

---

in my opinion, this was a problem with affected Bonfire regardless of 1999, and pretty much only sped up the process by a few decades.

=) I agree with squareone

...

To further my point, Jayci, my gf, and her roommate were at CiCis last night which was overrun by Fish Camp Counselors. They were all done up with the dyed green faux hawks and green fish net leggings and such.

quote:

---

the 2006 fiasco

---

there was a 2006 fiasco?

prob meant 2005

The talk about ever having it back on campus is a dying cause but the spirit of the off campus student bonfire can live on.

The off campus student bonfire organization seem to have taken a few steps in right direction to keep the organization alive and grow.

1) Moving burn site on the border line of the county line to Brazos County. That is great step forward from where it was a few years ago but with everything that is still in Brazos County that is all the leaders could do at this point. From what I hear there are not a standing line for burn sites and the Davis's offered their lands for just that. Now I am not saying it was the greatest but did the job.

2) The organization has started to buy equipment that is owned by the organization instead of borrowing. From the looks of it they own a trailer or two, truck, and a few tractors as of now, would only bet there is talk between the leaders ”reds” and the board about looking to buy land or saving to buy land. The price for about 50-100 acres around the area is not cheap and something like that you need either

a) Really good credit

b) Good amount of money for a down payment

Overall think if they work to make the main part of the core of student bonfire organization into a true company, the organization will gain the support it needs to move to closer the BCS area where it is not hard to have people come out for burn.

I say true company or business as you say is because in the past have had their ups and down in the money and yes being nonprofit helps now but I am pretty sure there is a lot of cost to keep a monster like that running from fuel to paper that cut cards cost. The other reason is to start looking to give more back then maybe what they are because I am pretty sure that nonprofit organizion have to give about 10-20% of their total income back out at the end of the year to stay nonprofit.




[This message has been edited by changinglife (edited 9/8/2009 12:39a).]

quote:

---

The talk about ever having it back on campus is a dieing cause but the spirit of the off campus student bonfire can live on. they have taken a step in the right direction being on the border line of the county line which at this time is the best they can do. That is great step forward from where if was a few years ago but from the looks of it they did all they could to get it to the point it was. From what I heard there not a standing line for burn sites and the Davis's offered there lands for just that. Now I am not saying it was the greated but better then nothing and what I also heard that was like site number 5 on the list that they had lined up for the first year there that didn't fall through. The organizion I believe is taking alot of steps in the right direction from when if started to being able to buy equipment after the cost for the year seeing how looks like they own a trailer,truck, anf a few tractors now, would only bet there is talk between the leaders and there board about looking to buy land or saving to buy land. I dont know if many have looking at the price for about 50-100 acres around the area cost for that is not cheap and something that you need to have a good amount of good credit built up for which the big ticket i think they have bought have helped that some. Overall think if they work to make the main part of the core of student bonfire organizion into a true company where it is built for the fish and students then they will last and the spirit of what the fire was suppost to do will last through the years.

---

I'm going to guess you were drunk, because that was the most incoherent post I think I have ever read on this board.

Can we get a translation? Or maybe some paragraphs.

It *is* a business. A tax exempt, non profit business.

And I second CC00.

this is actually 1 of his 2 excellent posts here recently

along with CC00 and Jayci...


What?

I think, after rereading that mess, this was my favorite "word"...

quote:

---

suppost

---

Probably because he seriously thought that was correct...

The punctuation looks pretty good though...

no it's not

what I meant by good was "present"

http://www.texasmonthly.com/blogs/burkablog/?p=4639

quote:

---

In the course of working on an oral history of the A&M Bonfire tragedy for our November issue—a story that will mark the tenth anniversary of the Bonfire tragedy, which claimed the lives of twelve Aggies—I had the opportunity to interview Rick Perry. During our conversation, the governor made an intriguing comment about the future of the tradition. “It’s really going to be interesting when Bonfire is reintroduced on the campus again, and it will be. I will not be surprised if it happens by 2011, maybe even 2010. I think Bonfire will be back on campus. The kids will have the experience again.”
How would Bonfire be brought back to campus, I asked the governor? “I’d leave that up to the board and the current administration to sit down and decide the safety parameters, the oversight, et cetera,” he said. “They are very capable men and women, and I trust their judgment.”

---

IT WILL BE BACK