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rushes

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rushes [2023/05/12 19:59] – [Rushes] bant07rushes [2025/01/14 18:11] (current) – bant07
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 Prevalent at American colleges and universities during the late 1800s and early 1900s, “scraps” between the college classes often took the form of "rushes." Trinity College students participated fully in these rushes, which over the years included various iterations. The general premise of these rushes involved a contest between the freshman and sophomore classes, with the winners earning bragging rights or certain privileges and the losers typically having to follow some rule(s) imposed by the winners. Rushes could take place any time of year but historically were held during the fall semester (Bloody Monday in September) and on St. Patrick's Day in March. Bloody Monday rushes were followed by an annual parade of students downtown to the State Capitol, the site of the old College, where they would sing [[alma_mater|'Neath the Elms]]. At other times, rushes were often followed by some type of celebration that included beer. Prevalent at American colleges and universities during the late 1800s and early 1900s, “scraps” between the college classes often took the form of "rushes." Trinity College students participated fully in these rushes, which over the years included various iterations. The general premise of these rushes involved a contest between the freshman and sophomore classes, with the winners earning bragging rights or certain privileges and the losers typically having to follow some rule(s) imposed by the winners. Rushes could take place any time of year but historically were held during the fall semester (Bloody Monday in September) and on St. Patrick's Day in March. Bloody Monday rushes were followed by an annual parade of students downtown to the State Capitol, the site of the old College, where they would sing [[alma_mater|'Neath the Elms]]. At other times, rushes were often followed by some type of celebration that included beer.
  
-Predating rushes, the students enjoyed scraps over a [[compensation_day|football]], which was banned in the 1870s due to a student being seriously injured.+Predating rushes, students played football matches; in the 1870s, a serious student injury led to the [[compensation_day|abolishment]] of the game, and rushes soon took their place. 
 ===== Bulletin Board Rush ===== ===== Bulletin Board Rush =====
-Mention of the Bulletin Board rush first appeared in a Trinity College publication in 1900, and in 1904 in the second issue of the //[[tripod|Tripod]]//, the rules of this rush were explained. Members of the freshman class challenged the sophomore class to a push rush later in the evening by writing the challenge on pieces of paper which the freshmen would attempt to stick on the bulletin board (which was guarded by sophomores). It was typical for the freshmen to win this rush -- all they needed was one piece of paper to stick to the board. In later years the Bulletin Board Rush involved the freshmen attempting to touch the board for 10 seconds.+Mention of the Bulletin Board rush first appeared in a Trinity College publication in 1900, and in the second issue of the //[[tripod|Trinity Tripod]]// in 1904, the rules of this rush were explained. Members of the freshman class challenged the sophomore class to a push rush later in the evening by writing the challenge on pieces of paper which the freshmen would attempt to stick on the bulletin board (which was guarded by sophomores). It was typical for the freshmen to win this rush -- all they needed was one piece of paper to stick to the board. In later years the Bulletin Board Rush involved the freshmen attempting to touch the board for 10 seconds.
 ===== Cane Rush ===== ===== Cane Rush =====
-[{{ ::cane_rush_1890.jpg?400|Victorious Class of 1893 in front of Jarvis Hall after the March 17, 1890 Cane Rush ('92 vs. '93). Photo credit: Trinity College Archives}}]+[{{ ::cane_rush_1890.jpg?400|Victorious Class of 1893 in front of Jarvis Hall after the March 17, 1890 Cane Rush ('92 vs. '93). Photo credit: [[https://www.jstor.org/stable/community.21972095|Trinity College Archives]]}}]
  
 One of the earliest rushes at Trinity College--popular in the 1880s and 1890s--was the “cane rush,” which became a St. Patrick’s Day tradition (though in earlier decades cane rushes took place at different times of the year). Members of the freshman class would line up facing [[jarvis_hall|Jarvis Hall]], with one man holding tight to a walking cane; the object was to deliver the cane to a junior’s room. Members of the sophomore class formed a defensive line opposite the freshmen, with the goal of capturing the cane and delivering it to the room of a senior. If the freshmen succeeded, they won the privilege of carrying canes at that year’s commencement ceremony. The whole student body would be present for the event, after which everyone would spend the rest of the day at Hublein’s, a local [[hartford|Hartford]] restaurant. One of the earliest rushes at Trinity College--popular in the 1880s and 1890s--was the “cane rush,” which became a St. Patrick’s Day tradition (though in earlier decades cane rushes took place at different times of the year). Members of the freshman class would line up facing [[jarvis_hall|Jarvis Hall]], with one man holding tight to a walking cane; the object was to deliver the cane to a junior’s room. Members of the sophomore class formed a defensive line opposite the freshmen, with the goal of capturing the cane and delivering it to the room of a senior. If the freshmen succeeded, they won the privilege of carrying canes at that year’s commencement ceremony. The whole student body would be present for the event, after which everyone would spend the rest of the day at Hublein’s, a local [[hartford|Hartford]] restaurant.
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 Having found success at other colleges, the football rush came along in the fall of 1909 after the abolishment of the bulletin board rush and the push rush, which were considered too dangerous. The football rush took place on the regular football field, with a football set in the center of the field. Freshmen lined up under one set of goal posts, with sophomores lined up under the other set at the opposite end of the field. At the signal, both classes rushed toward the ball in order to take possession of it; the winners were those in possession of the ball after a designated amount of time had passed. Having found success at other colleges, the football rush came along in the fall of 1909 after the abolishment of the bulletin board rush and the push rush, which were considered too dangerous. The football rush took place on the regular football field, with a football set in the center of the field. Freshmen lined up under one set of goal posts, with sophomores lined up under the other set at the opposite end of the field. At the signal, both classes rushed toward the ball in order to take possession of it; the winners were those in possession of the ball after a designated amount of time had passed.
 ===== Hat Rush ===== ===== Hat Rush =====
-This rush began with a member of the Freshman class donning a high hat on his head, thereby inviting members of the Sophomore class to a chase to capture the hat. The 1876 //[[tablet|Tablet]]// describes the freshmen as having chosen the hat-wearer "on account of his splendid physique and great capabilities for running." The custom was for the freshman wearing the hat to run from the front of the [[seabury_hall_old_campus|chapel]] onto Mulberry Street, to a place where he would hide the hat. The remaining members of the freshman and sophomore classes would engage in a fight along the way, with the freshmen trying to keep possession of the hat, and the sophomores trying to take it away. Juniors and seniors were there to join in the fun and see to fair play.+This rush began with a member of the Freshman class donning a high hat on his head, thereby inviting members of the Sophomore class to a chase to capture the hat. The 1876 //[[tablet|Trinity Tablet]]// describes the freshmen as having chosen the hat-wearer "on account of his splendid physique and great capabilities for running." The custom was for the freshman wearing the hat to run from the front of the [[seabury_hall_old_campus|chapel]] onto Mulberry Street, to a place where he would hide the hat. The remaining members of the freshman and sophomore classes would engage in a fight along the way, with the freshmen trying to keep possession of the hat, and the sophomores trying to take it away. Juniors and seniors were there to join in the fun and see to fair play.
 ===== Push Rush ===== ===== Push Rush =====
 The Push Rush is mentioned in the //Tablet// as early as 1869. Members of the freshman and sophomore classes (coached by the juniors and seniors) lined up on opposite sides of one another, thirty yards apart, standing four abreast, and as deep as there were members of the class. With arms locked around one another, at the signal, the two groups would begin marching toward one another, slowly at first, and then more quickly until at their meeting they had gained speed, crashing into each other, trying to push the other side back. The winners were the class with the best of three "pushes." The Push Rush is mentioned in the //Tablet// as early as 1869. Members of the freshman and sophomore classes (coached by the juniors and seniors) lined up on opposite sides of one another, thirty yards apart, standing four abreast, and as deep as there were members of the class. With arms locked around one another, at the signal, the two groups would begin marching toward one another, slowly at first, and then more quickly until at their meeting they had gained speed, crashing into each other, trying to push the other side back. The winners were the class with the best of three "pushes."
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 ===== Sources ===== ===== Sources =====
-[[https://digitalrepository.trincoll.edu/w_books/4/|The History of Trinity College]] (1967) by Glenn Weaver.+[[https://digitalrepository.trincoll.edu/w_books/4|The History of Trinity College]] (1967) by Glenn Weaver.
  
-[[https://digitalrepository.trincoll.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3193&context=tripod|Trinity Tripod]], 03/14/1922.+[[https://www.jstor.org/stable/community.29392095|Trinity Tripod]], 03/14/1922.
  
-[[https://digitalrepository.trincoll.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3135&context=tripod|Trinity Tripod]], 03/16/1920.+[[https://www.jstor.org/stable/community.29391537|Trinity Tripod]], 03/16/1920.
  
-[[https://digitalrepository.trincoll.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3047&context=tripod|Trinity Tripod]], 05/22/1917.+[[https://www.jstor.org/stable/community.30935865|Trinity Tripod]], 05/22/1917.
  
-[[https://digitalrepository.trincoll.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2662&context=tripod|Trinity Tripod]], 09/27/1910.+[[https://www.jstor.org/stable/community.30701152|Trinity Tripod]], 09/27/1910.
  
-[[https://digitalrepository.trincoll.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2613&context=tripod|Trinity Tripod]], 09/24/1909.+[[https://www.jstor.org/stable/community.30575550|Trinity Tripod]], 09/24/1909.
  
-[[https://digitalrepository.trincoll.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2316&context=tripod|Trinity Tripod]], 09/27/1904.+[[https://www.jstor.org/stable/community.30509885|Trinity Tripod]], 09/27/1904.
  
-[[https://digitalrepository.trincoll.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1110&context=tablets|Trinity Tablet]], 10/07/1876.+[[https://www.jstor.org/stable/community.32643086|Trinity Tablet]], 10/07/1876.
  
-[[https://digitalrepository.trincoll.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1014&context=tablets|Trinity Tablet]], 09/20/1869.+[[https://www.jstor.org/stable/community.31659990|Trinity Tablet]], 09/20/1869.
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rushes.1683921547.txt.gz · Last modified: 2023/05/12 19:59 by bant07