Skule (engineering society)
Skule is the common name for the University of Toronto Engineering Society (also known as EngSoc). Founded in 1885, it is the oldest engineering society in Canada, and also one of the largest, with roughly 5000 members as of 2007. Its membership includes all full- and part-time undergraduate engineering students of the University of Toronto Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering.
History and Traditions
Origin of Name
The name Skule was first used during the time when the Faculty was called the of Practical Science (SPS). Students preferred the abbreviation Skule, claiming it was the "metric spelling" of School. The name was trade-marked by the Engineering Society in 1984,[1] and students in the Faculty commonly refer to one another as "Skulemates".
Toike Oike
The phrase Toike Oike comes from an Irish janitor in the original SPS building (the "Skulehouse") named Graham. Whenever students were working late in the labs and he had to close up the building, he would tell them to "take a hike", which sounded like "toike oike" due to his Irish accent. Students of the day then used this as the original inspiration for the words of the of Skule Yell. Toike Oike is variously pronounced toy-kee-oyk or toyk-oyk, and is also the name of the Engineering Society's humour newspaper, which has been in print since 1911.
Skule Yell
The name Toike Oike is also used to refer to the Skule Yell, the cheer of the University of Toronto Engineering Society and likely the oldest surviving tradition of Skule:
- Toike Oike! Toike Oike!
- Ollum te Chollum te Chay!
- Skule™ of Science, Skule™ of Science
- Hurray! Hurray! Hurray!
- We Are (we are!), We Are (we are!), We Are the Engineers!
- We Can (we can!), We Can (we can!), Demolish Forty Beers!
- Drink Rum (straight!) Drink Rum (straight!) And Come Along With Us,
- For We Don’t Give a Damn For Any Damn Man Who Don’t Give a Damn For Us!
- Yaaaay SKULE™!!
The original Skule cheer was:
- Who are we? Can’t you guess?
- We are from the SPS
- S-C-H-O-O-L!!
At that time, there was a much stronger sense of spirit and rivalry among the different colleges and faculties at the University of Toronto. Each had their own distinctive cheer or yell, used to loudly proclaim their superiority at every possible occasion. Both Skule and the rest of the University recognized the original as an inadequate cheer, so the first four lines of the Toike Oike cheer were proposed by A. G. Piper and adopted in 1897. The new yell was first performed at a Theatre Night, a major campus-wide event for all faculties held on Halloween.
The last four lines of the yell are essentially the chorus of Godiva's Hymn, and were first added on November 25, 1905 during the procession from Rosedale Field to the King Edward Hotel following a victory of the University of Toronto rugby team over the Ottawa Rough Riders. During the game, Casey Baldwin, a Skuleman, had made a spectacular play in the last minutes to win the dominion championship for the university.
Godiva's Hymn and Godiva Week
- Main article: Godiva's Hymn
Like many other universities, Skule students frequently sing Godiva's Hymn (or the Engineer's Hymn) and revere Lady Godiva . The first week of classes in January following Christmas holidays is designated Godiva Week, and features numerous events, competitions and activities[2]. The Lady Godiva Memorial Bnad (sic), a "white noise brigade", also draws its name from this tradition.
Mascot
Ye Olde Mighty Skule Cannon, the official Skule mascot, is (unusually), an actual cannon. A Cannon Guard led by the "Chief Attiliator" protects the Cannon, which has been historically a target for attempted theft by other engineering schools. While many other schools have attempted to steal the Cannon no other university has ever successfully stolen the Cannon, however it has been successfully stolen numerous times by University College.
Musical groups and bands
Skule Brass Band
Skule Choir
Every year the Skule Choir, led by Malcolm McGrath, puts on a Christmas concert, usually located in Knox College Chapel with Malcolm McGrath on the main pipe organ and the Skule Brass Quintet.
Skule Brass Quintet
Skule Stage Band
See also
References
External links
- University of Toronto Engineering Society Website
- The Toike Oike, humour newspaper
- The Lady Godiva Memorial Bnad
- Skule Nite, an annual musical comedy revue produced by and starring Skule students.
- Skule Traditions