by Margaret Schell

G eorgia College & State University had a few alma maters over the years; however, Ruth Sandiford Garrard ('65) brought the most recent one to life with music. 

The university’s alma mater’s lyrics were written by Margaret Meaders (’26). Music was added later, thanks to a class assignment for composing alma mater music. Garrard was in that class. She took up the challenge, hoping to provide many generations with a song they could cherish for years to come. 

In 1965, Garrard turned in her assignment. It became the music for Georgia College’s alma mater, still used today. She received an A. 

“When I graded assignments, it was obvious that Ruth’s was the best,” Lucy Underwood, the late professor emerita of music education said in a Georgia College video. “When you write an alma mater, it should be straight forward and easy to sing. If you want people to participate, you need to give them something they can handle.” 

It’s the only music Garrard ever wrote, but she loved the music department and all its professors, especially Underwood.

“I worked hard on the accompaniment to the alma mater to show her I could do it,” said Garrard, who majored in music education with a double emphasis in piano and voice. “Writing this music was more from the influence of Lucy Underwood than what I learned in piano.” 

Creating the music to the alma mater with piano took Garrard a few days to pin down the winning harmony. 

“I came up with a melody first,” she said. “Then, I created not just one harmony, but four. I wrote it in the style of a hymn.”

Georgia College reintroduced the alma mater at the beginning of the school year in 2014. Garrard and her husband, Lamar, attended the ceremony. Dr. Wendy Mullen sang the Alma Mater and was accompanied by a violinist and pianist.

After she graduated, Garrard taught music to students in grades one through seven in DeKalb County. Then, she taught fifth- through seventh-grade math at John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School in Augusta, Georgia from 1986 until 2003. She also accompanied the music theater class at DFA. Garrard played piano and did children’s music at her church. Now, she fills in as a church pianist and teaches piano.

“Music enhances the learning experience,” Garrard said. “I’ve always thought it was important. The ‘Mozart effect’ theorizes the more you play classical music for young children, the more their learning increases.”

“Although students may not remember certain things, they’ll remember words to songs,” she said. “Adding music is a better way to learn. The main things I remember are sung.” 

Garrard also sang in the a cappella choir during her four years in college and traveled with them during spring break. She attended choir reunions until Dr. Max Noah’s passing.

“They were always good reunions,” she said. “The beautiful thing about Georgia College was that these alumni were from all over the place. It was good to see that. I loved that opportunity. We still made a beautiful sound after all those years."

Music has always been important to Garrard. She wishes for it to have the same effect on the Georgia College community as it has had on her.