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| Trinity College's first campus was located in downtown [[hartford|Hartford]] on the site of the present State Capitol Building. Initially named [[washington_college|Washington College]], the campus consisted of three buildings. For 50 years, "College Hill" was a defining feature of downtown Hartford until the City purchased the land to build the State Capitol. The three College buildings were demolished in 1878, and Trinity moved to its current location on [[summit_campus|Summit Street]]. Today, Trinity Street marks the "front entrance" of the old College campus. | Trinity College's first campus was located in downtown [[hartford|Hartford]] on the site of the present State Capitol Building. Initially named [[washington_college|Washington College]], the campus consisted of three buildings. For 50 years, "College Hill" was a defining feature of downtown Hartford until the City purchased the land to build the State Capitol. The three College buildings were demolished in 1878, and Trinity moved to its current location on [[summit_campus|Summit Street]]. Today, Trinity Street marks the "front entrance" of the old College campus. |
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| The College's site was chosen from a pool of three towns: Hartford, Middletown, and New Haven. During a fundraising campaign, Hartford pledged far more than other towns, and in a [[trustees|Trustees]] vote on May 6, 1824, Hartford won with nine votes (against Middletown's five and New Haven's two). A committee was appointed to select the site of the College, and the men chose a 14-acre piece of land called the Whiting-Seymour place, "on West street fronting Buckingham Street about one-hundred rods west of the South Meetinghouse." The lot was purchased for $4,000. | The College's site was chosen from a pool of three towns: Hartford, Middletown, and New Haven. During a fundraising campaign, Hartford pledged far more than other towns, and in a [[trustees|Trustees]] vote on May 6, 1824, Hartford won with nine votes (against Middletown's five and New Haven's two). A committee was appointed to select the site of the College, and the men chose a 14-acre piece of land called the Whiting-Seymour place, "on West street fronting Buckingham Street about one-hundred rods west of the South Meetinghouse." The lot was purchased for $4,000 (about $106,000 today). |
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| Washington College's first term of classes began September 23, 1824, but the college buildings were still under construction, so course instruction began in the basement of the Baptist Meeting House at Temple and Market Streets, and a private house on Main Street was taken over as a dormitory. | Washington College's first term of classes began September 23, 1824, but the college buildings were still under construction, so course instruction began in the basement of the Baptist Meeting House at Temple and Market Streets, and a private house on Main Street was taken over as a dormitory. |
| The students were noisy and often took to venturing into the city and playing music or singing, their favorite pastimes. In an unprecedented move, faculty brought down an edict forbidding all singing, which kicked off a struggle between themselves and the raucous and rebellious students. As students became more disobedient and destructive, faculty became stricter, which only worsened their behavior in a vicious cycle that continued for months. The students (primarily freshmen) hung skeletons in front of the Chapel, brought kittens to chapel, tore down bulletin boards, participated in forbidden [[rushes|hat rush]], plugged gas burners, rang the bell late at night, and lit bonfires. ((Scrapbook of Charles W. Freeland)) In March 1878, the students went on a rampage tearing down bulletin boards, rendering the College [[bell|bell]] defunct, and skipping or "cutting" mandatory chapel. Freshmen participated in a forbidden [[rushes|hat rush]] and lit bonfires. The students skipped classes and marched through Hartford, singing. As a result, many students were fined, suspended, or had their scholarships revoked. As Pynchon stated in his report, this behavior continued even after the move to the new campus, with administrators struggling to contain it. | The students were noisy and often took to venturing into the city and playing music or singing, their favorite pastimes. In an unprecedented move, faculty brought down an edict forbidding all singing, which kicked off a struggle between themselves and the raucous and rebellious students. As students became more disobedient and destructive, faculty became stricter, which only worsened their behavior in a vicious cycle that continued for months. The students (primarily freshmen) hung skeletons in front of the Chapel, brought kittens to chapel, tore down bulletin boards, participated in forbidden [[rushes|hat rush]], plugged gas burners, rang the bell late at night, and lit bonfires. ((Scrapbook of Charles W. Freeland)) In March 1878, the students went on a rampage tearing down bulletin boards, rendering the College [[bell|bell]] defunct, and skipping or "cutting" mandatory chapel. Freshmen participated in a forbidden [[rushes|hat rush]] and lit bonfires. The students skipped classes and marched through Hartford, singing. As a result, many students were fined, suspended, or had their scholarships revoked. As Pynchon stated in his report, this behavior continued even after the move to the new campus, with administrators struggling to contain it. |
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| At the same time, the student body suffered two tragic deaths. Joseph Mosgrove Truby, Class of 1879, died on September 15, 1877 "after a very brief illness." ((Trinity Tablet, 12/08/1877)) A pew end in the Chapel is dedicated to him, and "represents...young Truby sitting at his desk at the College with the hour-glass almost run out and his candle guttering in its socket." ((Trinity //Reporter//, September 1940)). Edward Ingersoll Warren, Class of 1880, died of peritonitis on April 8, 1878, after being sick for several days. On Monday, May 21, [[staff|James Williams]] ("Professor Jim"), died after nearly 60 years of service to the school. Other students that spring season suffered from pneumonia and pleurisy, but recovered. | At the same time, the student body suffered two tragic deaths. Joseph Mosgrove Truby, Class of 1879, died on September 15, 1877 "after a very brief illness." ((Trinity Tablet, 12/08/1877)) A [[pew_ends|pew end]] in the Chapel is dedicated to him, and "represents...young Truby sitting at his desk at the College with the hour-glass almost run out and his candle guttering in its socket." ((Trinity //Reporter//, September 1940)). Edward Ingersoll Warren, Class of 1880, died of peritonitis on April 8, 1878, after being sick for several days. On Monday, May 21, [[staff|James Williams]] ("Professor Jim"), died after nearly 60 years of service to the school. Other students that spring season suffered from pneumonia and pleurisy, but recovered. |
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| A final commencement was held on the old campus in 1878, after which the College Hill buildings were quickly demolished. Though none of the stones used in the old buildings were incorporated into the Summit Campus buildings, a large piece of Portland brownstone was made into a headstone for Williams. The October 5, 1878 //Tablet// also describes "relic hunters" who collected wood, metal, and stone, but "perhaps the most interesting of all are the canes made from the old staircases. The owner of one of these possesses a genuine treasure." | A final commencement was held on the old campus in 1878, after which the College Hill buildings were quickly demolished. Though none of the stones used in the old buildings were incorporated into the Summit Campus buildings, a large piece of Portland brownstone was made into a headstone for Williams. The October 5, 1878 //Tablet// also describes "relic hunters" who collected wood, metal, and stone, but "perhaps the most interesting of all are the canes made from the old staircases. The owner of one of these possesses a genuine treasure." |
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| Where College Hill once imposed itself over the Little River, the State Capitol building stands on its foundations. In 1923, the year of Trinity's Centennial, a tablet was erected in one of the Capitol's porticoes memorializing Trinity's original location. | Where College Hill once imposed itself over the Little River, the State Capitol building stands on its foundations. In 1923, the year of Trinity's Centennial, a tablet was erected in the State Capitol's East portico facing Trinity Street, memorializing the College's original location. |
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| ===== Bits and Pieces ===== | ===== Bits and Pieces ===== |
| Though it has been stated occasionally that no trace of the old campus remained once it was demolished, there are a few bits and pieces that surfaced. | Though it has been stated occasionally that no trace of the old campus remained once it was demolished, there are a few bits and pieces that surfaced. |
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| * The old chapel bell, much chagrined by students and the subject of pranks, was moved to the new campus. However, it does not appear that it was ever used, and was gifted to the Cheshire Academy in 1884. ((Trinity Tablet, May 18, 1878)) | * The chapel [[bell|bell]], much chagrined by students and the subject of pranks, was moved to the new campus. However, it does not appear that it was ever used, and the Cheshire Academy purchased it in June 1883. |
| * The Class of 1872 gifted the old campus a [[sundial|sundial]], which was a fixture that traveled to the new campus. It was located on the quad by the end of Seabury Hall. At some point in the late 19th century, it fell into disrepair and disappeared. A large sundial, the gift of the Class of 1888, was installed near [[williams_memorial|Williams Memorial]] as a replacement. | * The Class of 1872 gifted the old campus a [[sundial|sundial]], which was a fixture that traveled to the new campus. It was located on the main quad in front of Seabury Hall. At some point in the late 19th century, it fell into disrepair and disappeared. |
| * The [[old_gymnasium|old gymnasium]], which was both adored and despised by students, was dismantled, relocated, and reassembled on the new Trinity campus. It stood until 1896, when a fire destroyed it. | * The [[old_gymnasium|old gymnasium]], which was both adored and despised by students, was dismantled, relocated, and reassembled on the new Trinity campus. It stood until 1896, when a fire destroyed it. |
| * The capital surmounting one of the columns in the façade of the old Seabury Hall was formed into the credence table in the Chapel of Perfect Friendship in the Trinity College Chapel when it was completed in 1932. | * The capital surmounting one of the columns in the façade of the old Seabury Hall was formed into the credence table in the Chapel of Perfect Friendship in the Trinity College Chapel when it was completed in 1932. |
