In 1931 Yale University decided to establish residential dormitories and dining halls called Colleges, based upon the British model used in their Universities. In 1932, 1933, 1935, and in 1940, the first eight colleges were established and then subsequently in 1961 two more colleges were added. Each college is named for a person or a locality which has a particular connection to Yale University. Also, each college has is own coat of arms, usually borrowed from the family or the locality from which the college is named. Since their founding, each college has developed their own traditions and their own colors. Trumbull College was founded in 1933 and named for Jonathan Trumbull (1710-1785) who was the last Royal Governor of Connecticut, and then was the first Governor of the new State of Connecticut after the founding of the United States. He was the only Royal Governor to have made this distinction. Jonathan Trumbull was a friend and an advisor to General George Washington. His parent’s last name was originally Trumble and in 1765 they changed it to Trumbull. His father was originally from Ireland and because Trumbull was Protestant, probably Presbyterian or Congregationalist his ancestry would have come from the Protestant Settlement in Ireland, started by Queen Elizabeth I and continued under James I (of England and James VI of Scotland). Jonathan Trumbull graduated from Harvard in 1730 and briefly was a Congregational minister. A few years later, he established a trading company with his older brother, following in the same business as his father who had started a trading company in Lebanon, Connecticut. In 1732, his older brother was lost at sea, and Jonathan continued on in the business, studying law and eventually embarking on a remarkable legal career. His son, John Trumbull (1756-1843) was the well known painter of portraits and Revolutionary Battle scenes. The Trumbull College Coat of Arms is the Three Bulls heads and its motto in Latin is ”Fortuna Favet Audaci” which they translate “Fortune Favors The Brave”. Another translation could be “Fortune Black and White. One of the College’s traditions is “The Trumbull Crier” who, every week, shouts from the balcony of the College Dining Room, “It is Six O’clock in Trumbull College and All is Well”, and then makes announcements of upcoming events for the week. By the way, the dining plate used in the Trumbull College Dining Hall has the three Bulls heads on them. Also in the dining room is a Trumbull flag, which has the three Bulls heads on it. However, each one of the Bulls heads, is slanted to and pointing downward at an angle of about 45 degrees or less, on a Silver background. It hangs on a flag staff. Opposite the flag, there is a tapestry which has the full Turnbull Coat of Arms, with the motto in Latin. Another tradition is the “Running of the Bulls”, which is a race across the campus of Yale to celebrate the end of the school year with food, music and the race (for those who are able) of the “running of the bulls.” (As a footnote: I was stationed out of boot camp at Fort Trumbull in New London, Connecticut.)
Posted on: Tue, 18 Jun 2013 00:14:59 +0000
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