It was the year 1966. It was homecoming week and campus was buzzing while everyone was anxiously getting ready to embarrass Syracuse that weekend. Sue Paterno, in a light-hearted effort of good will to rally excitement for the game, secretly splashed the lion shrine with water based orange paint. This was all in good fun to stir the student body however a group of students from Syracuse would be less forgiving in their tarnishing of the lion. Later that week, on the evening November 2nd, 1966, a dispatch of six Syracuse students descended onto campus. On arriving to the Lion Shrine, they found it deserted with no sentinel on post. Unopposed, and equipped with a fire extinguisher filled with an oil based, permanent, orange paint, they vandalized the lion in a most sacrilegious gesture. The group of rambunctious scum bags were compromised when they were spotted trying to paint Beaver Stadium’s goal posts orange by campus police.

Any student or alumni of Penn State University knows that we have more than just school pride. We are borderline cultish in our exhibitions of school spirit. If Penn State was a cult, then the lion shrine would be our idol. Because of how passionate we are, any enemy of Penn State knows that a strike against the lion is the most outrageous thing they can do. Such an act challenges our ability to protect our most precious piece of culture and is a direct attack on our pride.

The events of 1966 angered us. Penn State vowed that we would not be made to feel so vulnerable again. In response to the outrage, Lion’s Gaurd was born.

Lion’s Guard is first and foremost, Penn State ROTC’s color guard and drill team. We present the flag for football games and most Penn State events, especially those that are military related like the POW vigil that was held two weeks ago. Every Tuesday we meet to work on flag detail, marching, and rifle movements. These things are pretty standard for any school’s color guard but what sets us apart from the others is our homecoming week tradition.

As you could probably guess, our names sake is from what we do during homecoming. Throughout the entire week leading up to the game, Lion’s Guard Staff take thirty minute shifts to keep the lion under constant vigilance and deter any would be vandals. We have been authorized to use all necessary force to deter any Michigan State students this week.

That last part was not true of course and the reality is, guarding the lion is more of a tradition now than anything. Guarding the lion yesterday night really reminded me what makes Penn State different from other colleges. No other school has the resounding pride and spirit that we do.

I have, by now, done three guard duties. For each of the shifts, I had to maintain my military bearing (no smiling) while remaining at the position of parade rest with rifle in hand. It is not a difficult task but one filled with tedium. To get through it you just need to find things to look at and remember to not lock your knees.