The traditional showcase for school spirit is a football game, but since Brandeis stopped hosting those more than 40 years ago, the student body has been infamously devoid of such sentiment. But given the average Brandeis student's dismal attendance record for other sports' games, perhaps it's time to look for our collegiate pride outside of Gosman. So, how about Goldfarb?That's right, the library.

Deep in the bowels of the main library-well, on the second floor-lie the University Archives, home to most senior theses, University publications, dozens of special collections and other books, microfilm and papers collecting climate-controlled dust. But how can one of the least-visited places on campus reinvigorate our dwindling school spirit?

History.

As a university only in its 57th year, we don't have much of it-certainly not compared to some of our storied neighbors. Yet very little is known by the student body about Brandeis' early years. While enough time has gone by for a campus mythology to arise (Spingold and Slosberg aren't supposed to be a top hat and piano, contrary to what Admissions' tour guides may tell you), campus fact, much of it interesting, has regrettably been forgotten.

As part of the New Student Orientation 2006 Core Committee, I investigated Brandeis' history for a program-taking place next Wednesday-celebrating the sesquicentennial of Justice Louis D. Brandeis' birth. Conducting research in the Archives, I came across a number of factoids and tidbits that bolstered my pride for this University-how it was initially, how far it's come and what it's capable of doing.

Albert Einstein came close to being a founder of the University. A wishing well once stood somewhere in the Science Quad. Ridgewood Quad is named after a street it bordered. In the early years of the University, students put on an annual cross-dressing, musical escapade called Hi, Charlie. Tuition started off at $500 per year. The Castle Commons was once the primary hang-out spot on campus.

There used to be a Brandeis drinking song. Let's bring that back. If any alumni read this and know the melody, please write to me. Or even better, if anyone wants to write a new tune for the ballad, that would be reinvigorating. And then, the melody could waft through the Stein on two dollar-draft days, as students 21 and older replace paper-induced anxiety with beer-induced school spirit.

Advocating the use of our history as a source of pride probably does little to alter the impression of Brandeis as an academically oriented university; in general, the more bookish colleges lack the spirit of Pac-10 schools, but this can be our own brand of Brandeis pride. It would only add to the University's signature, charming quirkiness.

In another 58 years, what contributions of Brandeis' current student body-beyond Liquid Latex, that is-will be remembered? What lasting impact will we, the students of the mid-oughts, make? Who among us will be mentioned in future admissions tours?

Understandably, it's a weird concept to think about, how the present will affect the future-especially given our age bracket's supposed propensity toward seeking instant gratification. But in considering the past half-century of Brandeis' history, I saw lots to be proud of, so let's top it.