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conic_sections [2023/01/27 16:54] amatavaconic_sections [2025/02/06 17:09] (current) – [Sources] bant05
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-{{tag>traditions}} +{{tag>traditions students}} 
-====== Conic Sections ====== +====== Burial of the Conic Sections ====== 
-Begun by the Sophomore Class in 1846the "Burial of the Conic Sections" celebrated the completion of the Conics section coursea particularly difficult class that marked the end of the mathematics curriculum but "was the one with the greatest mortality rate in the College."+[{{ :img_8630.jpg?400|A broadside advertising the "Concrematio Conicorum," June 151857. Photo courtesy of the College Archives, student scrapbooks.}}]
  
-The "secret ritual," which over the years began to include the whole student bodytook place at midnight at the end of first termIt was also referred to as the "Burning of Anna Lytics," the "Conflagratio Conicorum,the "Concrematio Conicorum.+The "Burial of the Conic Sectionswas a tradition which celebrated the completion of a particularly difficult mathematics class that covered the geometric concept of "conic sections," or sections of conesThe class marked the end of the mathematics curriculumbut "was the one with the greatest mortality rate in the College.Taking the course was a requirement of Trinity College studentsdating back to 1824 when the school was still called [[washington_college|Washington College]]
  
-While at first the ritual entailed tossing textbook into a fire, it became more elaborate with each passing year. Participants wore white garments and masksand carried torches and white cone bats. A casket containing "Conicswas carried in the front of a procession and a eulogy was delivered. Invitations were sent to the friends of the students, and it is estimated that on one particular occasion, around 300 or 400 spectators attended. By the 1850s, public announcements were posted and printed programs were provided+Begun by the Sophomore Class in 1846 (despite the fact that it was Junior year course)the "secret ritual,which over the years began to include the whole student body, took place at midnight at the end of first term. It was also referred to as the "Conflagratio Conicorum" or the "Concrematio Conicorum.
  
-In the 1860sthe Trinity curriculum altered the math course and renamed it "Analytical Geometry," of which conic sections was one partIn turn the ritual was re-dubbed the "Burning of Anna Lytics,and advertised as an all-night cremation and burial ceremony in 1863. By 1869, the ceremony was tamed down and made public college event rather than late-night outing, to which the public was invited and the ceremony, held in the rear of the College buildingssupposedly attracted over 1,000 attendantsStudents played "music" on instruments such as the fish horn, cowbell, dishpan, and "musical comb" giving rise to the official musical group, the [[calithumpian_band|Calithumpian Band]].+While at first the ritual entailed tossing a textbook into a fireit became more elaborate with each passing year. Participants wore white garments and masksand carried torches and white cone batsA casket containing "Conicswas carried in the front of a procession and a eulogy was delivered. Invitations were sent to the friends of the studentsand on one particular occasionit is estimated that around 300 or 400 spectators attendedBy the 1850spublic announcements were posted and printed programs were provided
  
-After the campus moved from [[old_campus|Downtown]] to [[summit_campus|Summit Street]], the Trinity students of the 1880s and 1890s began to leave behind old traditions in order to begin new ones. Sometime in the 1880s, the "Burning of Ana Lytics" was forgotten, and an attempt to revive it ("Burning of Mechanics") fell flat. +In the 1860s, the Trinity curriculum altered the math course and renamed it "Analytical Geometry," of which conic sections was one part. In turn, the ritual was re-dubbed the "Burning of Anna Lytics" and advertised as an all-night cremation and burial ceremony in 1863. By 1869, the ceremony was tamed down and made a public College event rather than a late-night outing. The public was invited and the ceremony, held in the rear of the College buildings, supposedly attracted over 1,000 attendants. Students played "music" on instruments, such as the fish horn, cowbell, dishpan, and "musical comb," giving rise to the official musical group, the [[calithumpian_band|Calithumpian Band]]. 
 + 
 +After the campus moved from [[old_campus|downtown]] to [[summit_campus|Summit Street]], the Trinity students of the 1880s and 1890s began to leave behind old traditions and establish new ones. Sometime in the 1880s, the "Burning of Anna Lytics" was forgotten, and an attempt to revive it ("Burning of Mechanics") fell flat. 
  
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 ===== Sources ===== ===== Sources =====
  
-[[https://digitalrepository.trincoll.edu/w_books/2|Trinity College in the Twentieth Century: History]] (2000) by Peter Knapp, p. 19+[[https://digitalrepository.trincoll.edu/w_books/2|Trinity College in the Twentieth Century: History]] (2000) by Peter and Anne Knapp, p. 19.
- +
-[[https://digitalrepository.trincoll.edu/w_books/4|The History of Trinity College]] (1967) by Glenn Weaver, pp. 51, 108, 134, 151, 163.+
  
-[[https://digitalrepository.trincoll.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2961&context=tripod|Trinity Tripod]], 04/07/1916.+[[https://digitalrepository.trincoll.edu/w_books/4|The History of Trinity College]] (1967) by Glenn Weaverpp. 51, 108, 134, 151, 163, 224.
  
-[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conic_section]]+[[https://www.jstor.org/stable/community.30928211 |Trinity Tripod]], 04/07/1916.
  
-[[https://digitalrepository.trincoll.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1412&context=bulletin]]+[[https://www.jstor.org/stable/community.36595744 |Statement of Washington College]], 1824.
  
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conic_sections.1674838493.txt.gz · Last modified: 2023/01/27 16:54 by amatava