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Trinity Tablet
The Trinity Tablet was a student-run literary magazine and de facto newspaper which could be considered the precursor to the Trinity Tripod, Trinity's student-run news publication. It included short stories; editorials; poetry; reviews of books, music, and curriculum; reminiscences of alumni; and news or goings-on about Trinity and other colleges. It was organized in 1868 and discontinued in 1908. The editorial offices were in 19 Jarvis Hall.
A 1931 Tripod article described how the Tablet was founded: “Following the Civil War, in 1868, a group of Trinity undergraduates, among whose number was Mr. John Brocklesby, later a member of the Trinity faculty, organized the Trinity Tablet as a college magazine. This was the first student publication (the Trinity Ivy being organized later in 1876), which continued its existence throughout 'the nineties' until 1908, four years after the organization of the Tripod. In the early years of the Tablet, football and the other major sports of today were either unknown or in their infancy. Undergraduate life centered for the most part around the College dorms and classrooms, and great emphasis was placed upon literary and debating activities.” 1)
According to the same article, “During the period of 1870-1890, the Trinity Tablet maintained a wide circulation, both in New Haven and in Hartford, and ranked as one of the leading college publications in New England, with the famous Harvard Advocate and others.” 2)
The writers of the Tripod article stated at the time that the Tablet would be “revived” after 20 years as a biannual publication. However, it appears that this was never brought to fruition, as the new Tablet was slated to appear on January 11, 1931 in place of the Tripod, but the Tripod was published as usual on January 13. No other appearances or mention of the Tablet occur after this point, and the Tripod continued on as the College's regularly-published, official student-run news publication.