The other day someone asked what was up with that “Ring, Ching” thing that Pi Phis sing, say, tweet, and use in e-mails. It has also puzzled wait staff at hotels across the country when, as a group, grown women pick up their spoons and start singing, clanging on their water glasses or coffee cups.
In 1888, Louise “Lulu” Sawyers (Linn), a student at Iowa Wesleyan College, wrote the words to Ring, Ching, Ching in response to a request from The Arrow editor asking for song submissions to publish. It was sung to the tune of When I Was a Student at Cadiz. The adoption of Ring, Ching, Ching at the 1892 Lawrence, Kansas, Convention did much to encourage singing.
It was not until 1915 that Linn, living in Portland, Oregon, learned from Grand Vice President Nina Harris Allen that the words she had written some 27 years earlier had become famous as a Pi Phi song. Then the yellowed piece of tablet paper on which the poem was written was taken from an old college album. Linn presented the paper to the Pi Phi chapter at the University of Oregon. The framed paper is now located at the Pi Beta Phi Headquarters.
In 1933, Linn told The Arrow, “I remember quite well my freshman year, when with schoolgirl enthusiasm I wrote some words, never dreaming they would be sung beyond the walls of my own chapter, Iowa Alpha. If I had known that the song was going to be preserved in the hearts of many Pi Phis I would have made an effort to write something more worthwhile. When I was told that Ring, Ching, Ching was sung at all national conventions, I felt like making an apology for its poor construction.”
I had originally looked for the words to When I was a Student at Cadiz in the early 1990s when I was working on the first version of the Fraternity Heritage Manual. I could not find anything. A recent search not only found me the words, but there were a few YouTube sound bites. The tune is also called Spanish Guitar.
RING CHING CHING
When I was a student at college,
I belonged to the Pi Beta Phi.
I wore the gold arrow so shining,
The symbol of sisterhood ties.
Chorus
Ring ching ching—ring ching ching
Pi Beta Phi, Pi Beta Phi, Pi Beta Phi,
Ring ching ching — ring ching ching Pi Beta Phi — I belong to the Pi Beta Phi, Ring ching!
No longer a student at college,
I still love the name of Pi Phi.
I still wear the arrow so shining.
It brings back fond mem’ries to me.
Pi Beta Phi, Pi Beta Phi, Pi Beta Phi,
Ring ching ching — ring ching ching Pi Beta Phi — I belong to the Pi Beta Phi, Ring ching!
***
My Pi Phi friend Jane is wonderful at leading Pi Phis in song. It was so much fun spending time with her this past weekend.
Jane has three adult children (her daughter is a Pi Phi, too), including her 23-year-old non-verbal autistic son. Jane has started blogging about her educational adventures with her son. I encourage you to take a look at her blog http://janescoolschool.wordpress.com. Her lesson plans are fun and include a Le Fictitious Local Café story problem and a classical music component. I think you’ll find it highly informative, educational and enjoyable.
© Fran Becque, www.fraternityhistory.com, 2014. All Rights Reserved. If you enjoyed this post, please sign up for updates. Also follow me on twitter @GLOHistory and Pinterest www.pinterest.com/glohistory/
