Men of '92
Men of '92
Many years ago in Norton
There was quite a stir
For a college was to open
Not for him but her.
Women came from near and far
To learn and grow and give
To study and to party
Abundantly to live.
Then one bright September morning
Nineteen eighty-eight
Men arrived at Wheaton College
Students, not just dates.
Joining years of Wheaton women
Come the Wheaton Men
With no easy act to follow
If we try we can.
Here we stand the men of Wheaton
Proud and brave and few
We think once you know us
You'll find we're just like you.
Even though we're small in rank
We've only just begun
We join you Eliza's Daughters
We're Eliza's Sons.
Listen now
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
During Homecoming Weekend in the fall, the Gentlemen Callers brought the house down when they sang their signature song, "Men of '92," with special guest Interim Dean of Students Jack Kuszaj joining in. Written in 1988 by retired Dean of Students Sue Alexander and then-Assistant Director of Student Activities Kristen Renn, the lyrics pay homage to Wheaton's history as a women's college and its change to a co-educational institution, which graduated its first co-ed class in 1992.
In celebration of the 20th anniversary of both co-education and the creation of the all-male Gentlemen Callers a cappella group, led by Alexander Grover '09, the men will sing the song again during Commencement/Reunion Weekend in May. "Most a cappella groups don't have a song that is specifically about their group and college," said Grover, a music major.
"The song is important to us and to the campus because it represents the GCs, and everything we stand for-men at Wheaton, singing and having fun." Kuszaj notes how special the song is: "If you listen to the lyrics, 'We join you Eliza's daughters/ We're Eliza's sons,' the song adds men and connects them to Wheaton's legacy as a women's college. So it's a very moving song."