In 1901, Fred Lewis Pattee, then a professor at the college, recognized the institution’s lack of a “distinctly State College song,” noting that larger universities had adopted their own songs that represented togetherness and victory. “Without a college song there can be no real nucleus for sentiment, there can be no natural outlet for refined feeling, for loyalty, for enthusiasm, for devotion to alma mater,” Pattee wrote in the April 1901 issue of Free Lance, a precursor of the Daily Collegian. In that same issue he suggested the words that would later become the Penn State alma mater, though he encouraged other readers to submit their own ideas. Pattee’s words were to be sung to the music of “Lead Me On,” a song by Cauviere in the College Hymnal that was traditionally sung at commencement.
According to the Penn State University Archives, Pattee’s song made its debut at the June 1901 alumni dinner during Commencement Week. After it was sung, Gov. James Beaver, president of the Board of Trustees, stood and proclaimed it “the official song of Penn State.”
Today, the alma mater is nearly identical to Pattee’s original version, save for a few edits. The last two verses of Pattee’s original six have been omitted from today’s alma mater. Additionally, several words were updated to reflect the co-ed nature of the college: “at Boyhood’s Gate” was changed to “at Childhood’s Gate,” and “molded into men” was changed to “Dear Old State.”