Trinity's alma mater is “’Neath the Elms,” sung to the tune of “On the Banks of the Old Tennessee,” written by Chapel organist, Augustus P. Burgwin, Class of 1882, M.A. 1885.

Image courtesy of Trinity College Archives

Burgwin was sent home to Pittsburgh on suspension in May of his senior year. While enjoying a summer evening singing barber-shop ballads, Burgwin and friends heard a Black man playing guitar and singing. Burgwin retold the story 50 years later: “There came to us gently wafted on the breezes a really beautiful melody never before heard by any of us; 'On the Banks of the Old Tennessee,'” which is a Black spiritual (African American folk song). After hearing the tune, Burgwin superimposed the lyrics “'Neath the Elms of our old Trinity.”

The song first appeared in the April 1, 1882 Trinity Tablet. At the time “'Neath the Elms” was written, the College was planting the first rows of elm trees on the main quad under the direction of the Trustees and Frederick Law Olmsted.

The Tablet's author explained that the song, among others, was written after a College meeting on March 8:

It was decided to reconsider Trinity's representation in the 'American College Song Book,' now in course of preparation at Chicago. A committee was appointed, consisting of Messrs. Young, McCrackan, Burgwin, Ball, and Hotchkiss, to prepare the requisite number of college songs and secure their insertion. The committee immediately went to work to make the selection and have decided upon three of the four tunes necessary. Two of the number are from the collection of German 'Folk Songs' with which every Trinity man to-day is familiar. The third and fourth have been sung in College for some time. To all of these, new words have been set.

The phrase “'neath the elms” is also often used to denote time spent as a student at Trinity, as in, “I spent four years 'neath the elms….” —-

Listen: "'Neath the Elms" sung by the Trinity College Chapel Singers

The Trinity Tripod, 10/18/1963.

The Trinity Tripod, 05/31/1933.

Trinity Tablet, 05/20/1882.

Trinity Tablet, 04/01/1882.