Tablet
The Trinity Tablet was a student-run literary magazine and de facto newspaper which could be considered the precursor to the Trinity Tripod. 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.
Following the Civil War, “College periodicals came to be regarded as necessary parts of college organization.” The Tablet was both a literary periodical as well as “devoted to college interests.” In March 1868, students were called to a “College Meeting” on the porch of Seabury Hall, whereupon they were told that a College paper called the Trinity Tablet had been created. The first editors were W. C. Brocklesby and J. B. Cheshire, both of the Class of 1869.
The initial issues had editorials, stories, and news regarding people and happenings about the College; there was also creative writing including poetry and fiction, and scholarly work. 1) However, “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.” 2) 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.” 3)
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.