326 Redo's The Kettering Bulldog

[nikeairmancurry]

326 Shows Kettering University That We Have Arrived

...Isn't that graffiti? Correct me if I'm wrong... but isn't that kind of against what FIRST does? Defacing public property seems kinda un-gp to me... But if you guys had permission, that's cool.

[KTorak]

Originally Posted by 114ManualLabor

...Isn't that graffiti? Correct me if I'm wrong... but isn't that kind of against what FIRST does? Defacing public property seems kinda un-gp to me... But if you guys had permission, that's cool.

I'm assuming its a spirit rock of some sort which is there for students to place 'graffiti' on as opposed to buildings, sidewalks, etc.

[nikeairmancurry]

We have an engineer wh owent to the school and said that its a spirt rock and its okay by the school to spray paint it. We actually got to just after a anyother group was finished.

[M. Mellott]

I'm a GMI/Kettering grad, and yeah, it's a spirit rock of sorts that probably has more coats of paint then I care to imagine. The only people who would have been upset is some fraternity that probably repainted it that night.

I thought about doing this myself while at the Kickoff with some of the kids from Team 48, but we toured the new Mott Engineering Building and never go to that side of the campus. Also, in the "old days", we did it under cover of darkness--made it seem more sinister and covert that way.

Way to leave the FIRST mark--nice job!!

[Swan217]

Originally Posted by M. Mellott

I'm a GMI/Kettering grad, and yeah, it's a spirit rock of sorts that probably has more coats of paint then I care to imagine. The only people who would have been upset is some fraternity that probably repainted it that night.

I thought about doing this myself while at the Kickoff with some of the kids from Team 48, but we toured the new Mott Engineering Building and never go to that side of the campus. Also, in the "old days", we did it under cover of darkness--made it seem more sinister and covert that way.

Way to leave the FIRST mark--nice job!!

There would be no fraturnity repainting last week. It's 10th week and A Section - they don't have lives in A-Section, especially when they're busy playing Halo instead of studying for finals :-P

The ThunderChickens got the bulldog (named General Determination) a few KK's ago (2003). Here are pics, and one of my personal favs of the bulldog as well - DJ Determination (with headphones).



p.s. - I have many friends in A-Section. I just have to give 'em hell every once in a while.

[M. Mellott]

Well, now that I know it's almost tradition, we have to come back next year!!

...and leave A-section alone, I'm sure they're just all good students...we, err, I mean, they're good people!!

[JaneYoung]

How did General Determination get its name?
It is so cool.

[Cynette]

Originally Posted by JaneYoung

How did General Determination get its name?
It is so cool.

That's a great question! The "General" came from the original name of the school "General Motors Institute." And it definitely takes determination to get through the school! The big statue is reasonably new (1990 ish) but for the longest time the students have been practicing their powder metal and other casting skills by making a miniature version bulldog of their own. (and 25 years later, mine is still on display at my house!)

I did take a minute to see if there was anything one the Kettering Website about his history and all I found was a place where he was called our Athletic Mascot! That made me smile as I proudly wear the Alumni sweatshirt "Kettering University Football - Undefeated since 1919!"

[M. Mellott]

I was at GMI from '90 to '94 (and I still have my PM bulldog as well!), so I can add a little anecdotal history here...

You may have noticed, but the General is based on the old-style hood ornament of the Mack heavy truck company. It seemed like the statue got painted once every day or two (sometimes more) for a variety of reasons, everything from "Unit" pride from one of the Unit groups in the underclassmen Residence Hall to advertising a weekend party at one of the fine fraternities. On rare occasions, he's even been set on fire (ususally involving a lot of TP).

Two major incidents happened to the General while I was in school...

In the summer of '90, he was run over and overturned by a Duece-and-a-half (i.e Army 2.5-ton, 6-wheeled truck) left abandoned in the old parking deck. We knew this because the truck had been left at the scene of the crime. He was later fixed up and remounted his sentinel position.

Sometime in late '92 or '93, things got out of hand during one of those late-night burnings when a couple of mattresses and a couch were added to the blaze (again, from evidence left behind). Unfortunately, while the many layers of paint would protect the concrete core from a paper fire, the intense heat and duration of a real fire weakened the concrete until it crumbled ala the Twin Towers. Our school was without a mascot for many months until Mack came through again and donated a new statue of their legendary bulldog in late '93 or early '94, but this time he was made of reinforced concrete and fiberglass. As I recall, it was a race to see who could be the first group to apply that first coat of spray paint!

...and he's been there ever since.