Gilman History - The Rise of the Raiders

It’s a crisp Friday in late October. You drift off as Ms. Soden diligently explains the chain rule in your first-period calculus class. But then, you are jolted awake by a faint rumbling in the distance. As the rumbling grows louder and louder, you grow concerned. Is there a small earthquake? A nearby riot? Right when it seems as if the building is about to collapse, the Raiders burst through the door! You rejoice as desks are flipped and papers fly through the air. Now you are truly ready for the Gilman vs. McDonogh game tomorrow. 

The Raiders are deeply intertwined with Gilman culture, and are a staple tradition in the community. But how and when did the Raiders originate, and how have the infamous bandits progressed over time?  

The exact date of the Raiders' formation is unknown, as the group began as an anonymous organization and thus the founding is enshrouded in mystery, even in our own archives. However, the date can be traced back to sometime between 1969 and 1974. Mr. John Ward ‘75 has no recollection of the Raiders' existence when he arrived in sixth grade, but is confident the Raiders' were around for both his junior and senior years, leaving a five-year window. Ward recollects the early Raiders as a chaotic yet respectable group that brought a little joy in a troubling time, “creating a little bit of havoc among the coats and ties.” The earliest group garnered its notorious name from its original purpose: raiding assemblies. Ward recalled that the group would charge in during announcements or informal presentations, cause a ruckus, and then start a chant in the form of a rhythmic clap. As the audience clapped, the group would march to the stage and one senior member would lead a cheer. One chant that Mr. Ward remembers leading went as follows: 

I got that feeling… (crowd responds: oh yeah!) 

Deep down inside… (oh yeah!)

The Gilman Greyhounds… (oh yeah!)

Are going to ride…(oh yeah!)

Don’t want to be nasty… (oh yeah!)

Don't want to be crass… (oh yeah!)

The Gilman Greyhounds… (oh yeah!)

Are going to kick the Eagles in the… 

Outside of assembly, the Raiders struck in other ways. Often, they would decorate places “that maybe weren’t entirely appropriate to decorate” with Gilman fanaticism. Additionally, just as they do now, the Raiders would run through the middle and lower schools to rile up the younger guys for the game. Members would dress in wrestling tights, socks, sunglasses and masks, a cap, and blue towel capes. They would strike during recess, when their subjects were most wound up. Ward recalls a time when his classmate, Mr. Alex Brusilow ‘75, was raiding the lower school when “the little guys got ahold of him…and he came away without his cape!”

The Raiders have gone strong from the early ‘70s to today. Mr. John Schmick ‘97 has experienced the Raiders as both a student and as a faculty member. As a lower schooler, Mr. Schmick remembers hiding under a desk in terror after hearing the tumultuous screaming in the hallway, but immediately jumping up in excitement when he saw it was the Raiders. A reality that remains  today. When Mr. Schmick was a raider himself in the mid-90s, the effort turned tri-school when the squad raided Roland Park, and the girls returned the gesture. In Schmick’s words, “both times it did not turn out good.” Gilman’s endeavor turned tragic when the group got lost and ended up raiding the Roland Park Lower School, traumatizing the youngest Roland Park children. RPCS’s effort was similarly unsuccessful, as the Raiders received word of the planned attack and set up a trap. 

From the time Mr. Schmick was a student to today, the Raiders have played key roles in the Gilman vs. McDonogh pep rally as agents that “are hiding in trash cans, mowing the lawn, or maybe sweeping the grass, something silly like that.” When the McDonogh student or Eagle goes on his yearly reign of terror, the Raiders jump out and apprehend him to the tune of “Welcome to the Jungle.” From the late ‘80s until now, the Raiders have continued to play a prominent role in the pep rally and storming into classrooms. However, two years ago, the administration decided to forbid the Raiders from parading in Carey Hall, as the desk flipping and paper throwing was too chaotic and over the top for a high school classroom. 

Mr. Schmick said, “I think the Raiders are in a good place now. It causes much less consternation just raiding in the lower and middle schools. They are the guys that really care about it the most anyway, you know? Guys are excited in the upper school, but it’s more just a disruption to class than anything.” More than fifty years after Mr. Ward’s Raiders stormed into assemblies, the Raiders of today continue to serve roles in the pep rally and in firing up the lower and middle schools. 

Serving as a raider is one of the greatest experiences one can have at Gilman. Retired and current Raiders remember looking up in awe at the legendary group as lower schoolers and then finally being able to provide the same experience as upperclassmen. Cole Brown ‘18 recalled, “I remember being in the lower school and having the Raiders come by, it was the coolest and most exciting thing for us. Being a part of that as a junior was definitely a cool full-circle moment and a super fun way to stir up school spirit.” Spencer Oddo ‘26 (who may or may not currently serve as a Raider) shared Brown’s sentiment, saying, “I remember being a kid in the lower school and hearing the roars of the Raiders storming through the school and being the most excited I’ve ever been. It means the world to be able to do that now for the kids.” Furthermore, Mr. Edward Emala ‘13, Assistant Director of Athletics, likewise echoed the ability of the Raiders to bring the entire school together, “At first glance, the Raiders may seem like a group of cheerleaders and hype-men, but I think they represent something deeper, a very cool aspect of the school where cross-divisional connections and years worth of built-up excitement come together, especially around the McDonogh football game.”

In the words of Mr. Schmick, “It’s a really fun and unique tradition, and the boys love doing it. I think we should do it as long as we can.” From Mr. Ward in 1974 to the Raiders of today, the group has been riling up students of all ages for big games, most notoriously Gilman vs. McDonogh. As we eagerly await this year’s Gilman vs. McDonogh game in just a few days, we do so comfortably knowing that the Raiders will arrive to stir up spirit.