University of Toronto Engineering Society - Skule Yearbook (Toronto, Ontario Canada)

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The Engineering Society has been, since its beginning, the centre of student activity in the faculty. It plays a very different role now, however, than it did in its first years of existence. The Society was founded in 1 885 as a “learned society”, and for the first three years had as its President, ‘Johnie’ Galbraith, who was then the Principal of the School of Practical Science. The sole purpose of the Engineering Society at that time was to hold regular meetings at which technical papers were presented by students, professors, and professional engineers. Before long, however, the Society began sponsoring other student services and activities. The Engineering Stores, for instance, began as the only library in the faculty in 1 889, and by the turn of the century it was operating as a “Supply Department”, selling drafting paper and equipment at cost. The first Skule Dinner was held in 1890, and the first Skule At-Home, a grand scale dance since replaced by the Cannonball, was held in 1911. The infamous engineering newspaper, the Toike Oike, made its first appearance on the day of the Engineering Society elections in 1911. Since then it has been published every now and then, which in 1973 means about ten times a year. Over the past century there have been many different forms of student involvement that have provided fun and enjoyment in the faculty. At one time the Society had its own orchestra, the Toike Oikrestra, which played regularly during the Skule year at dinners, meetings, and dances. It was not until 1948, however, that the much loved Lady Godiva Memorial Band came into existance. Now of course, the LGMB is Skule’s great ambassador of fun and frivolity at just every event and occassion in the faculty, university, and city. What would the openning of the subway in 1966, or Expo in Montreal in 1967, or the installation of President Evans in 1972, or the many hockey and football games have been without the humour and entertainment of the LGMB. There are and have been many traditions, activities, and happennings that all form a valuable part of the past one hundred years of Skule, too many to mention. The most important thing, however, that began in the very early years and is still predominant in the faculty is the sense of fun and light-hearted enjoyment that accompanies everything that we do. We can look back on a century of great achievements in the field of engineering and applied science, on a century of leadership in our academic and professional endeavours, and also on a century of good will and friendship amongst students, staff, alumni, and all those that we have had the opportunity of dealing with. Our only hope in 1973 is that the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering (Skule) will enjoy the second hundred years as much as it has the first. Scott Jolliffe President 197273. The new chariot race trophy - awarded for the first time in 5T0. (The Stores 1925 previous trophy was stolen by Meds.)

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ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF SKULE One hundred years of engineering at Toronto and what have we got to show for it? A few buildings on the south end of campus, sixteen thousand alumni, two hundred professors, five hundred courses, two thousand students, and reams of paper, documents, old Toikes, and faculty calendars, some dating as far back as 1871. But more important than all of this, we have a romantic history spiced with a delicate mixture of fun, seriousness, success, and spirit that compliments and even overshadows anything that can be said about the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering. On March 29, 1873 Royal Assent was given to an Act of the Provincial Legislature which established the School of Practical Science. The origins of Skule, however, can be traced back even farther, to 1871, and a brick building on the corner of Church and Adelaide Streets. This building was the home of the College of Technology which was set up on Valentines Day of 1871 for the purpose of giving evening lectures in engineering. These evening classes continued to be held downtown after 1873 until the famous Old Red Skule House was build on the St. George campus in 1877. When the school was moved up to the university in 1878, full-time lectures began, and a diploma program was set up. In the first year there were si) students and four staff members. This of course was only the very beginning; the years to follow brought a continual increase in the number of staff, students, and engineering courses offered. By 1900, when the name, School of Practical Science, was changed to Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering, there were some five hundred students enrolled in Skule. Without a doubt, the Old Red Skule House is the one thing that is most emblematic of Skule and its one hundred year history. Even though it was torn down several years before anyone now in Skule had come to the faculty, for most it is understood to have been the centre of the Skule spirit. Apart from the fact that it was once The Engineering Building, it had many other characteristics for which it will always be remembered. Its third floor for instance contained a large drafting room which, with all the tables pushed to one side, became the site of the very first chariot races. Most significant, however, was the fact that it was located directly across from the medical buildings, which for many years cultivated a great rivalry between the two faculties. A story told by W.J. Smither (’04) is an excellent example of this rivalry. It seems that in 1901 the Duke of York with his wife, the present Queen, was to visit the university. For the occassion a special flag pole to fly the Royal Standard was erected in front of the medical buildings. This was not the most suitable location for such a flag pole, however, as any engineer could see. And so, the morning after it had been installed, all that remained of the pole on the meds ground was a stump showing some clever axe work. The main part of the pole was standing in front of the Old Red School House, this being the proper place for it. Naturally the meds students disagreed and it became obvious that the only way to settle the difference was to have a scrap (scraps were very common in those days and often proved to be the best way to settle just about everything — and besides, they were fun). In the end Skule won the scrap, but meds got the pole.

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CENTENNIAL BALL One hundred years of Engineering. What better reason for a party could there be. None! Hence the Centennial Ball, a Ball to end all Balls, came to be. The word was spread far and wide to members of this faculty, both past and present, that Hart House was to be the scene of the celebration and what a celebration it was. The House resounded with the sound of five musical bands and the LGMB and the Skul spirit flowed throughout the House. Many Alumni, Professors, and members of the University at large were on hand to celebrate with the students. Among the special guests were Dr. J. Evans, the President of the University and of course Dean Ham. Throughout the House were decorations, some were pictures of our Skule and its traditions, others were the Clubs entries in the Intercourse Competi- tion. Easily the most outstanding decoration was the huge model of the old red “Skulehouse” which covered one whole end of the Great Hall. It provided the background for the highlight of the evening, which was of course the performance by the LGMB and the presentation of the Awards. It was here our “Skule” Cannon was presented to Dean Ham, who fired it for the last time, as thanks for his many contributions to this faculty. It was here also that our new “Skule” Cannon almost didn’t fire for the first time. All in all the Centennial Ball was a very fitting celebration commemorating one hundred years of Engineering. The dancing, singing and drinking continued on into the night. And when the “Skulemen” left they carried with them the pride of being an Engineer. Also a few of them carried the Mechanical Chariot with them. Oh well, Engineers will be Engineers.