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"Hail to Chico State, she's our deal old alma mater, where our teams so great lead us on to victory! Rah! Rah! Rah! Where our men are square, and our fair co-eds our fairer. Come let us cheer for good old Chico State." -Chico State fight song

Chico State. She's my dear old alma mater (well, come December.)

So, with some photos by me, some by others, let me take you on a tour of this great university.

First things first, you must know that Chico State's official name is California State University, Chico. It is one of 23 schools in the CSU system. This means something very important: our governor can beat up your governor.

With that out of the way, let's get down to business.

This is the sign that sits at the entrance of the university, welcoming all those who come. Never mind there's just one sign, and it sits in front of one of over a dozen entrances. So, it welcomes all those who enter from Normal Avenue.

This building is Kendall Hall, when all the administrative offices are. This is also where newspaper editors pick up their meager stipends. Kendall is the oldest school building on campus, built in 1887. Actually, some of the building is the oldest school building, as a lot of it burned down in 1927.

I think it's important that I note the above logo, often referred to as the "flame logo.". You can see it on top of the sign, and there's also a stained glass window in Kendall Hall about the front doors that has it. It was designed by Chico State graphic design professor Gregg Berryman in 1972. According to a page on the Chico State site, "It was designed to suggest a flaming torch of learning, a growing plant or tree, a book or a scroll, or a human shape." Some other things that I might suggest it imitates is the backfield while in a wishbone formation, the end of a guitar, a spear about to hit the tail of a sperm whale or something ninja-ish.

All joking aside, I totally dig that logo.

This is the Bell Memorial Union, the building that houses the offices of Associated Students, a $24 million non-profit corporation which occasionally takes a break from being a $24 million non-profit corporation to be student government, which is what AS is supposed to be in the first place. Bonuses are that the sodas are cheaper and there's a banner for The Orion Online hanging in the breezeway. Check it out. It rocks.

Hiding behind those trees is Trinity Hall, which features the school bell tower. (that would be the part sticking above the trees) There are actually words to go with the tune the bell recording plays every half-hour, but I will not post them because nobody actually cares what the words to the bell tower tune are.

Here's another shot of Trinity, this time from the back. Those rose bushes in the corner are the edge of the George Peterson Rose Garden. If you are caught picking a rose in the garden, it is punishable by three weeks in jail, failing all your classes for the semester, and being tarred and feathered by all the vice-provosts. Or it could just be a $50 fine.

It's at this point that I bring up another interesting tidbit about Chico State's history: the name changes. When the school was founded in 1887, it was called the Northern Branch State Normal School of California (or Chico Normal School). In 1921 the name was changed to Chico State Teacher's College. This was shortened to Chico State College in 1935. Finally, the name became California State University, Chico in 1972. So, in other words, Sean "Puffy/Puff Daddy/P.Diddy/Diddy" Combs isn't alone in having an identity crisis.

Okay, back to the tour.

This is the Bidwell Mansion. This is where John and Annie Bidwell, the founders of Chico and donators of the land that Chico State is built on, made their home. John Bidwell ran for president of the United States as the candidate of the Prohibitionist Party in 1892, receiving more votes than any other candidate of that party. The students of Chico State repaid Bidwell by winning the much-more coveted ranking of Best Party School in the country from Playboy magazine in 1987. Administrators, not-so-serious students, and cartoon sitcom writers (I'm looking at you, Mike Judge and Seth McFarlane) have yet to let that die.

A popular rumor is that the Bidwell Mansion was used in the filming of Gone With the Wind. While many locations around campus were used, the mansion wasn't one of them. That might seem like a bummer, but frankly my dear, I don't give a damn.

This a cool little amphitheater on the edge of campus, by the Physical Science building. The stage and seats are divided by Big Chico Creek, which runs through campus. Once in a while, I'd have a class held out here. This was a good break, because while it looked as though I was paying attention, I couldn't hear a thing the professor was saying because of the running water.

More to come!