Alma Mater

2017-Present

All Hail, Desert Hail!

All Hail, Desert Hail!
Her courage never fail.
Our voices proudly sing,
her hallowed halls shall ring.

Our praises fill the skies,
A pride which never dies.
Never shall we fail,
All Hail, Desert Hail!

1967-2016

Hail Desert High!

Hail, Desert Hail!
May Her Courage Never Fail.
Her Hallowed Halls Loudly Ring
As Our Voices Proudly Sing

Her Praise To The Sky,
And Her Heroes Do or Die,
So Join Us As We Sing
Hail Desert High!

Desert's Alma Mater"My dad, George E. Thompson, was the first music/band teacher at Desert when it was built. Our family moved to Edwards in 1953 when my father accepted a teaching position offered to him by Mel Curtis and we lived on base until 1971. He taught music at Desert until his death in 1978.

Dad wrote the alma mater in 1967. My graduating class, Class of '67, was the first class to sing it at graduation. Also, we were the first class to graduate in the newly constructed multi-purpose building (Scorpitorium). Our class gift was the painted Scorpion on the cement in front of the multi-purpose building you see today.

Dad was a very dedicated teacher who not only was the high school band leader but also had the German band, the dance band, and the pep band. He was much beloved by the students in the band." - Cydney (Thompson) Dawson '67

Fun Fact: Desert's fight song, On Wisconsin, was chosen by Mr. Thompson because he went to the University of Wisconsin.

Robert E. Alberti, Class of 1955, adds:

  • From day one in Fall 1951, DHS (then MDUHS) had a music/band teacher: Willard Knutson. 
  • From 1951 at least through 1955, Knutson established the school's music program, taught year-round (including summer band), and led the concert and marching bands, the pep band, the dance quintet, and the small "oom-pah" (German) band. All of us in the band were very excited to replace our street clothes for performances in 1952 with splendid purple and white uniforms, with smart officer-style caps.
  • Knutson wrote the first alma mater, "Standing Proudly in the Desert."