▁recent ▁win . ▁The ▁first ▁on - camp us ▁A gg ie ▁Bon fire , ▁a ▁heap ▁of ▁tr ash ▁and ▁de br is , ▁was ▁burn ed ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 9 ▁to ▁generate ▁enthus ias m ▁for ▁a ▁variety ▁of ▁sport ing ▁events . ▁A ▁de cade ▁later , ▁the ▁focus ▁of ▁the ▁event ▁narrow ed ▁to ▁the ▁annual ▁rival ry ▁game ▁between ▁Texas ▁A & M ▁and ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Texas , ▁held ▁near ▁Thanks g iving ▁Day . ▁Little ▁information ▁was ▁recorded ▁about ▁the ▁early ▁Bon f ires ; ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 1 ▁Texas ▁A & M ▁year book ▁mentioned ▁the ▁" final ▁r ally " ▁of ▁the ▁students ▁before ▁the ▁game ▁against ▁Texas , ▁but ▁did ▁not ▁refer ▁to ▁a ▁bon fire . ▁Six ▁years ▁later , ▁the ▁school ▁year book ▁published ▁a ▁photograph ▁of ▁the ▁event . ▁ ▁F resh men ▁were ▁expected ▁to ▁build ▁the ▁early ▁Bon f ires ▁to ▁help ▁prove ▁their ▁worth . ▁For ▁almost ▁two ▁dec ades , ▁the ▁students ▁constructed ▁Bon fire ▁from ▁de br is ▁and ▁wood ▁acquired ▁through ▁various , ▁sometimes ▁ill ic it , ▁means , ▁including ▁appropri ating ▁l umber ▁intended ▁for ▁a ▁d orm itory ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 2 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 5 , ▁a ▁far mer ▁reported ▁that ▁students ▁carried ▁off ▁his ▁entire ▁bar n ▁as ▁fuel ▁for ▁Bon fire . ▁To ▁prevent ▁future ▁inc idents , ▁the ▁university ▁made ▁Bon fire ▁a ▁school - san ction ed