Traditions of the University of Trinity College

The Traditions of the University of Trinity College are diverse and for the most part unique within the University of Toronto. Many of the traditions seem archaic and bizarre to outsiders, yet are a cherished part of daily life for many students within the college. The traditions themselves are of diverse and often obscure origins. The predominant sources are twofold; many of the earlier traditions are inherited directly from the Oxbridge universities in England, while many of the more recent traditions have their roots in periods and events in Trinity’s own history.

Traditions

Although traditions at Trinity College change over time, they continue to form an important part of the student experience.

Poorings Out

Until 1993 [ref], weekday dinners at Trinity College were punctuated by the tradition of "Poorings Out". This tradition was a tongue-in-cheek way of imposing "discipline" on errant male members of college. The name "Pooring out" relates to the "poor" behaviour of the targted student. Often spurious or humorous reasons would be given for a pooring out.

Under this tradition, members of second year would attempt to expel an "errant" student from the dining hall during the first 15 minutes of dinner. The targeted student would lie across the dinner table, and was usually defended by three fellow students who linked together to form a strong a defensive shell over the table and on top of the targeted student. Upon a publicly announced "call" as to the alleged transgression, the assembled members of second year would stampede from their seats to the defenders, where they were given one minute to pull the targeted student off the table. On the rare occasion that a defence did prevail for more than one minute, the defendant was permitted to leave the dining hall on his own feet. Otherwise, the head of second year (or delegate) would drag the defendant out of the hall.

In 1992 a campaign was organised against poorings out by a vocal minority of students who claimed victimisation. College authorities banned poorings out on the basis of legal liability in 1993.

Rather than simply disappearing, the tradition of the pooring out has merely evolved to suit the contemporary climate. Today, pooring out is an honour generally reserved for students elected to prominent positions in the college. Both men and women may now be poored out; however the actual practice is most often gender segregated. For example, a man of college is defended by men and poored out by men, while a woman of college is defended by women and poored out by women. On account of the administration’s aforementioned hostility to the practice, they are no longer supposed to take place on college grounds and are absolutely forbidden in Strachan hall. However, their actual form has changed little. The student selected to be poored out lays across a table while three of his fellow students lay across him to defend him. The assemblage is then rushed by the upper year students, who shred the gowns of all four on the table. Once a student has been poored out, they wear the remains of their gown bound as a sash.

College Songs

Met’Agona Stephanos

The college song, Met’Agona Stephanos, has been rewritten so many times that it now includes both Greek and Latin verses. The first Latin verse, Nimium Cervisi, was an epinikion, a victory ode sung after the annual steeplechase run on St. Simon and St. Jude’s Day, the 28th of October. It seems to originate from about 1895, while the rest of the song is at least twenty years older, possibly from as early as 1863, it having been the song of the Trinity company in the era of the Fenian raids. Reports that the Trinity College company, deployed in reserve as part of the Canadian contingent during the Niagara raid, mistakenly fired into a retreating company from University College are apocryphal. Alternately, Reed writes in his history of the college that there is some indication that the original Greek verses of the song were brought from a German university by a member of the faculty in the early years of the college. "Sanctum Hildiam canimus" is the St. Hilda’s verse and therefore cannot date from earlier than 1888. The verse beginning with “Chaire, kosme kambrias” was written in honour of Provost Seeley, who held the post from 1945 until 1957. Although this verse survived for decades after Seeley’s term ended, it is not in the version of the song that is sung in the college at present.

Επισκοπων

College Cheers

Salterrae

Who are we?
We are the Salt of the Earth,
So give ear to us!
No new ideas shall ever come near to us!
Orthodox! Catholic!
Crammed with Divinity!
[...] the dissenters,
Hurrah for old Trinity!''
This cheer, by far the most common of all Trinity cheers, may be heard by Trinity students at Any Number of annual events. It is most generally used when Trinity students are interacting as a group with the other colleges of the U of T or the rest of Toronto. ‘Who are we?’ is shouted to prompt the rest of the cheer. First years are not permitted to prompt this cheer.

Oh Really, Oh Rally

Oh really, oh rally
How beastly, how jolly
Trinity, Trinity,
Rah…
This cheer, which is usually recited in an English accent, is a parody of the college’s British heritage. The cheer is generally recited in a blasé tone with a wave of the wrist accompanying the last line.