Scanned image of a page selected from Brownell Book, p.62

Also called the Commencement Book, the Brownell Book is an early 19th-century leather-bound record book. Inside the Book, there are details of Commencement exercises and degrees, graduation prayers in Latin, and signatures from more recent Trinity College presidential inaugurations.

Elected Bishop of Connecticut in 1819, Rev. Thomas Church Brownell was a founder and the first President of Trinity College. At the College's first Commencement in 1827, Brownell intended for students to place their hand on the Bible as they completed their graduation. College legend states President Brownell either forgot a Bible or could not find one and simply used this personal notebook.

Today, the Brownell Book remains a part of the college's Commencement ceremony, during which graduating seniors place a hand on the book.

The History of Trinity College (1967) by Glenn Weaver, pp. 25.

Digitized Copy of the Brownell Book.

“Commencement Book” now available for view in Digital Repository