Alumni of East Texas State have been clamoring for the return of some of the school’s beloved traditions since the name was changed to Texas A&M-Commerce in 1996. The university announced one of those traditions, the Victory Bell, will return when the Lions host Grambling on Saturday in their home opener.
The Victory Bell dates back to 1895 when William Leonidas Mayo moved East Texas Normal College from Cooper, Texas, to Commerce following a fire that destroyed the original site. Legend has it, Professor Mayo used the bell to call students to class. If Mayo had his way, the Victory Bell would likely have never appeared at any football game.