Trumbull College - College Traditions

College Traditions

• The phrase "We must consult Brother Jonathan" appears on the graduation certificates of the college.

• Assassins is a "deadly" game that draws shifty eyes all over campus, causing roommates to betray each other and even some Trumbullians to hide in showers. Although unofficially played since the late 1980s, the current incarnation of the Trumbull Assassin game was developed and run by Jon Gruenberg (TC '95).

• Cornhole has become increasingly popular among Trumbull seniors. The game involves throwing a series of four bean-bags across to the other team's board, scoring 1 point for each that remains on the board, 3 points if it falls through a hole in the middle. After both teams have gone, the difference between their points is taken, and that difference is awarded to the winning team.

• Trumbull Crier: Every town has a crier, and so does Trumbull. Every week, the Crier has traditionally shouted from the balcony of the cozy dining hall, "It's six o'clock in Trumbull College, and all is well!" and made announcements of upcoming events. The first Trumbull Town Crier was Jeremy Monthy (TC '95), who came up with the concept, made and wore the tricorn hat fitted with bull horns, and began each announcement, "Moo-ye, moo-ye."

• The Trumbulletin is Trumbull's tabloid magazine and the oldest residential college publication at Yale, although it has been waning as of late, with nary an issue in more than two and a half years.

• Rumble in Trumbull: Trumbullians combat with massive foam gloves. Favorite past Rumbles include Jews vs. Gentiles and various competitions among suites. The traditional master vs. dean match, however, has not taken place within the past few years.

• Pamplona: Trumbullians celebrate the end of Spring classes with food, music, competitions, and the Running of the Bulls.

• Potty Court Frisbee: A game popular in the 1970s and 1980s played in the Potty Court by two teams of two players each. The general idea was to try to throw a frisbee through the wrought iron arch at the one end of the courtyard from the other arch while the other team's two players tried to stop it. Defenders could stand on and lean out from the low stone wall next to each arch, and could hang from the arch, but could not touch the walkway under the arch. The attempts alternated between the teams with a scoring system that gave more points for getting the frisbee through the smaller gaps in the arch.

To discourage defenders from committing to defense of the arch before the opponent threw, the thrower could also score a point for a shot that hit the wrought iron fencing next to the arch. The first team to get seven points won. The game included arcane terminology for the different point levels, including a "Grundel" for a more difficult throw. Other than the frisbee, the only other equipment used were leather gloves (optional) for hanging from the sharp wrought iron. A 1970 Yale Daily News article gives an overview of the game and profiles some early enthusiasts.

• Running of the Bulls: A raucous run through Cross Campus and Trumbull's traditional rival college, neighboring Berkeley. It usually occurs on the day of Pamplona.

• Trumbull seniors annually paint the Potty Court Statue prior to graduation. The class of 2008 painted the statue to look like Yale College then-Dean (now Provost and President-Elect) Peter Salovey.