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[[File: | [[File:1T3_Cannon_Square.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Ye Olde Mighty Skule™ Cannon (current model c2013)]] | ||
The '''Skule™ Cannon''', also known as '''Ye Olde Mighty Skule™ Cannon''', is the official mascot of [[Skule]]™, the University of Toronto Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering. It is a hand-held custom-designed piece which is fired at many major University and Faculty events. The Skule™ Cannon has been in existence since at least 1936, and numerous Cannons have been commissioned over the years. Retired Cannons have often been presented to historically significant members of the Skule™ community, such as former Assistant Dean [[Malcolm McGrath]] and former Dean [[James Ham]]. | The '''Skule™ Cannon''', also known as '''Ye Olde Mighty Skule™ Cannon''', is the official mascot of [[Skule]]™, the University of Toronto Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering. It is a hand-held custom-designed piece which is fired at many major University and Faculty events. The Skule™ Cannon has been in existence since at least 1936, and numerous Cannons have been commissioned over the years. Retired Cannons have often been presented to historically significant members of the Skule™ community, such as former Assistant Dean [[Malcolm McGrath]] and former Dean [[James Ham]]. | ||
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===Hart House Cannons=== | ===Hart House Cannons=== | ||
The first cannons honoured with the title | The first cannons honoured with the title "Skule Cannon" were those in front of Hart House. In 1929, an Engineering caper resulted in the firing of one of the two cannons on the front lawn of Hart House. This however, demonstrated only 50% efficiency, as both cannons were supposed to blow. | ||
===Early Cannons=== | ===Early Cannons=== | ||
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The next day, the Cannon was fired outside UC's Junior Common Room, where their parliament was meeting. This was followed by a brief snowball skirmish. Due to this and the fact that we recovered the Cannon before they got to present it, UC declared war on SkuleTM on Friday, February 16. SkuleTM responded with a proclamation of hostilities on Tuesday, February 20. Plans for the permanent destruction of UC were published in the Toike Oike on February 23. UC was saved from certain destruction by an agreement to channel hostilities into the Hart House elections. These elections were, of course, dominated by SkuleTM. | The next day, the Cannon was fired outside UC's Junior Common Room, where their parliament was meeting. This was followed by a brief snowball skirmish. Due to this and the fact that we recovered the Cannon before they got to present it, UC declared war on SkuleTM on Friday, February 16. SkuleTM responded with a proclamation of hostilities on Tuesday, February 20. Plans for the permanent destruction of UC were published in the Toike Oike on February 23. UC was saved from certain destruction by an agreement to channel hostilities into the Hart House elections. These elections were, of course, dominated by SkuleTM. | ||
[[Image:Nov23.jpg|200px| | [[Image:Nov23.jpg|200px|left|thumb|Varsity article before the fateful game - interesting mention of what was fired out of the Cannon (Varsity, Nov. 23, 1944)]] | ||
[[Image:Nov28.jpg|200px| | [[Image:Nov28.jpg|200px|left|thumb|More from the Varsity (Varsity, Nov. 28, 1944)]] | ||
[[Image:Nov30.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Varsity ad placed by SkuleTM asking for the location of the Cannon (Varsity, Nov. 30, 1944)]] | [[Image:Nov30.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Varsity ad placed by SkuleTM asking for the location of the Cannon (Varsity, Nov. 30, 1944)]] | ||
[[Image:Dec1.jpg|200px|right|thumb|The thieves' response the next day (Varsity, Dec. 1, 1944)]] | [[Image:Dec1.jpg|200px|right|thumb|The thieves' response the next day (Varsity, Dec. 1, 1944)]] | ||
[[Image:Feb13.jpg|200px| | [[Image:Feb13.jpg|200px|left|thumb|SkuleTM Cannon found! (Varsity, Feb. 13, 1945)]] | ||
[[Image:Feb16.jpg|200px| | [[Image:Feb16.jpg|200px|left|thumb|SkuleTMmen recover the Cannon (Varsity, Feb. 16, 1945)]] | ||
[[Image:Feb16- | [[Image:Feb16-1BIG.png|200px|right|thumb|More Varsity commentary (Varsity, Feb. 16, 1945]] | ||
[[Image: | [[Image:Feb19BIG.png|200px|right|thumb|UC declares war on SkuleTM! (Varsity, Feb. 19, 1945)]] | ||
[[Image:Feb21.jpg|200px| | [[Image:Feb21.jpg|200px|left|thumb|Varsity commentary (Varsity, Feb. 19, 1945)]] | ||
[[Image:Feb21-1.jpg|200px| | [[Image:Feb21-1.jpg|200px|left|thumb|Varsity commentary (Varsity, Feb. 21, 1945)]] | ||
[[Image:Feb16.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Varsity resource/images/articles/cannon/timeline of events (Varsity, Feb. 21, 1945)]] | [[Image:Feb16.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Varsity resource/images/articles/cannon/timeline of events (Varsity, Feb. 21, 1945)]] | ||
[[Image: | [[Image:Feb22BIG.png|200px|right|thumb|Varsity commentary (page 2) (Varsity, Feb. 22, 1945)]] | ||
[[Image:Feb23.jpg|200px| | [[Image:Feb23.jpg|200px|left|thumb|Toike publishes plans for destruction of UC (with tactical maps) (Toike Oike, Feb. 23, 1945)]] | ||
===1949: Meds students steal the Cannon=== | ===1949: Meds students steal the Cannon=== | ||
The 1949 Chariot race, held on Thursday, February 3, had a good start. SkuleTM won the first heat, and the second heat was started by a blast of the Cannon. Then, disaster struck. The Cannon was grabbed by a Med student, beginning a huge brawl between all the parties present who wanted possesion of the Cannon - that is to say, everybody. Eventually a SkuleTMman managed to grab it and retreat to the Little Red Skulehouse. Even there, however, it was not safe from the thieving Meds. Two of them, standing just inside the door, took the Cannon from the exhausted engineer and made their way to the Medical building by a back route. The engineers quickly regrouped and entered the Meds building, but were prevented from recovering the Cannon by an overwhelming number of Meds. They took II Pre-Meds president Bob Sheppard captive, but were forced to release him later the same day. They replaced him by taking Bob Hetherington, Meds Society vice-president, from the frat where he lived. Hetherington was held hostage over the weekend while negotiations took place, and was traded for the Cannon at 17:30 February 7. On its return, the Cannon bore a blemish in the form of an inscription reading "Captured by Meds 5T2 3 Feb. 1949." | The 1949 Chariot race, held on Thursday, February 3, had a good start. SkuleTM won the first heat, and the second heat was started by a blast of the Cannon. Then, disaster struck. The Cannon was grabbed by a Med student, beginning a huge brawl between all the parties present who wanted possesion of the Cannon - that is to say, everybody. Eventually a SkuleTMman managed to grab it and retreat to the Little Red Skulehouse. Even there, however, it was not safe from the thieving Meds. Two of them, standing just inside the door, took the Cannon from the exhausted engineer and made their way to the Medical building by a back route. The engineers quickly regrouped and entered the Meds building, but were prevented from recovering the Cannon by an overwhelming number of Meds. They took II Pre-Meds president Bob Sheppard captive, but were forced to release him later the same day. They replaced him by taking Bob Hetherington, Meds Society vice-president, from the frat where he lived. Hetherington was held hostage over the weekend while negotiations took place, and was traded for the Cannon at 17:30 February 7. On its return, the Cannon bore a blemish in the form of an inscription reading "Captured by Meds 5T2 3 Feb. 1949." | ||
Front page of the Varsity | [[Image:Feb4-49.jpg|200px|left|thumb|Front page of the Varsity (Varsity, Feb. 4, 1949)]] | ||
Front page articles continued | [[Image:Feb4-1-49.png|200px|left|thumb|Front page articles continued (Varsity, Feb. 4, 1949)]] | ||
Varsity front page gloats about the Meds steal | [[Image:Feb7-49.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Varsity front page gloats about the Meds steal (Varsity, Feb. 7, 1949)]] | ||
Cannon returned (Varsity, Feb. 8, 1949) | [[Image:Feb8-49.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Cannon returned (Varsity, Feb. 8, 1949)]] | ||
The Toike account of the events (Toike Oike, Feb. 9, 1949) | [[Image:Feb9-49.jpg|200px|right|thumb|The Toike account of the events (Toike Oike, Feb. 9, 1949)]] | ||
===1949: U.C. steals the Cannon=== | ===1949: U.C. steals the Cannon=== | ||
The engineers had arranged for a photo shoot of the Cannon with a Varsity photographer, yet when they arrived at the meeting a group of U.C. students snatched the Cannon and fled in a car. In order to recover it, the CA Paul La Prairie assembled a large group of engineers in front of U.C. while some SkuleTMmen dressed as construction workers entered the building through a side door. These engineers set up proper construction barricades around the main staircase, and carefully removed the U.C. gargoyle from the newel post on the stairway. When word got out that the wooden gargoyle was missing, the CA was summoned to Dean Young and President Sidney Smith, to whom he assured that it would be returned safely in exchange for the SkuleTM Cannon. A truce was then arranged with U.C. to exchange the Cannon for the gargoyle on front campus. The Cannon was handed back, and the engineers presented the artsmen with a bag of sawdust, supposedly the remains of the gargoyle. While this happened, the gargoyle was being placed back in its post by the SkuleTMmen. | The engineers had arranged for a photo shoot of the Cannon with a Varsity photographer, yet when they arrived at the meeting a group of U.C. students snatched the Cannon and fled in a car. In order to recover it, the CA Paul La Prairie assembled a large group of engineers in front of U.C. while some SkuleTMmen dressed as construction workers entered the building through a side door. These engineers set up proper construction barricades around the main staircase, and carefully removed the U.C. gargoyle from the newel post on the stairway. When word got out that the wooden gargoyle was missing, the CA was summoned to Dean Young and President Sidney Smith, to whom he assured that it would be returned safely in exchange for the SkuleTM Cannon. A truce was then arranged with U.C. to exchange the Cannon for the gargoyle on front campus. The Cannon was handed back, and the engineers presented the artsmen with a bag of sawdust, supposedly the remains of the gargoyle. While this happened, the gargoyle was being placed back in its post by the SkuleTMmen. | ||
Meds claim "no secret society organized for the purpose of stealing the Skule cannon" (Varsity, Oct. 7, 1949) | [[Image:Oct7-49.jpg|200px|left|thumb|Meds claim "no secret society organized for the purpose of stealing the Skule cannon" (Varsity, Oct. 7, 1949)]] | ||
Skule auctions Meds building (Varsity, Oct. 25, 1949) | [[Image:Oct25-49.jpg|200px|left|thumb|Skule auctions Meds building (Varsity, Oct. 25, 1949)]] | ||
Results of Skule Auction (Varsity, Oct. 26, 1949) | [[Image:Oct26-49.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Results of Skule Auction (Varsity, Oct. 26, 1949)]] | ||
Skule cannon stolen | [[Image:Oct26-1-49.png|200px|right|thumb|Skule cannon stolen (Varsity, Oct. 26, 1949)]] | ||
Front page of the Varsity again | [[Image:Oct27-49.png|200px|left|thumb|Front page of the Varsity again (Varsity, Oct. 27, 1949)]] | ||
President Sidney Smith comments on the Cannon theft (Varsity, Oct. 28, 1949) | [[Image:Oct28-49.jpg|200px|left|thumb|President Sidney Smith comments on the Cannon theft (Varsity, Oct. 28, 1949) | ||
UC claims they will fire Cannon at float parade (Varsity, Oct. 28, 1949) | ]] | ||
Accounts of the float parade | [[Image:Oct28-1-49.jpg|200px|right|thumb|UC claims they will fire Cannon at float parade (Varsity, Oct. 28, 1949)]] | ||
Skule to exchange captive UC cheerleader and gargoyle for Cannon | [[Image:Oct31-49.png|200px|right|thumb|Accounts of the float parade (Varsity, Oct. 31, 1949)]] | ||
Cannon is finally returned (Varsity, Nov. 2, 1949) | [[Image:Nov1-49.png|200px|left|thumb|Skule to exchange captive UC cheerleader and gargoyle for Cannon (Varsity, Nov. 1, 1949)]] | ||
[[Image:Nov2-49.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Cannon is finally returned (Varsity, Nov. 2, 1949)]] | |||
===1950: First official firing of the Mark II Cannon=== | ===1950: First official firing of the Mark II Cannon=== | ||
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Originally compiled and edited by Alex Curelea. Subsequent edits by Mike Hawkins.'' <br/> | Originally compiled and edited by Alex Curelea. Subsequent edits by Mike Hawkins.'' <br/> | ||
''Contains material from Transactions of the Engineering Society, issues of the Toike Oike, Cannon, Varsity, Skulebooks, F!rosh Handbooks, and A Century of Skill and Vigour by Barry Levine'' | ''Contains material from Transactions of the Engineering Society, issues of the Toike Oike, Cannon, Varsity, Skulebooks, F!rosh Handbooks, and A Century of Skill and Vigour by Barry Levine'' | ||
===2013: 1T3 Cannon is Forged=== | |||
As adapted from the 2013 F!rosh issue of the Cannon newspaper: | |||
"A new Mighty Skule Cannon has been built and [was fired] for the first time during F!rosh Week 1T3. | |||
The [[Chief Attiliator]] at the time [later revealed to be David Belvedere] built a new Cannon to celebrate the 85th year of the Cannon, the 140th year of [[Skule]], and to replace the 1998 Cannon. The 1998 Cannon was in service for 15 years, the longest of any [[Skule]] Cannon thus far, and was replaced [due to] signs of wear. | |||
The 1T3 cannon is made from a high strength, rare type of stainless steel, and has been heat treated for maximum strength. It has new structural designs, stronger materials, and other specifications that make it the strongest, loudest, and mightiest [[Skule]] Cannon to date." This cannon cost $7,500 to manufacture and receives non-destructive testing annually to ensure its safety. | |||
===2023: The Mark 9 is Forged=== | |||
A new cannon was forged to celebrate the [[Skule]] sesquicentennial (150th anniversary). The Mark 9 was revealed as part of a multi-cannon salute on Founding Day (March 29, 2023), where 8 Skule Cannons were fired along King's College Road (a replica of the Mark 1, while present, was not fired)—the largest multi-Skule Cannon firing to date. This multi-cannon salute included appearances by several generations of [[Chief Attiliator | ex-Chief Attiliators]], spanning back decades, and involved months of planning and safety testing to ensure the older cannons could be fired safely at the event. | |||
In typical engineering fashion, the Mark 9 was finished well in advance of the deadline, with sanding and polishing the metal components of the carriage having been completed a full 15 minutes after the machinists were supposed to deliver the new cannon to Chief for the multi-cannon salute. This incredible punctuality was furthered by a 10-15 minute wait for the Myhal elevators upon arriving. | |||
The Mark 9 features a bronze barrel, along with bronze wheels and bronze plated hardware. It has a carriage made of charred and stabilised poplar, with a titanium base plate. Additionally, there is a piece of leather cut from an [[Leather Jackets | engineering leather jacket]] used on the carriage as well. | |||
==Further Reading== | ==Further Reading== | ||
* Levine, Barry, ''A Century of Skill and Vigour'' | * Levine, Barry, ''A Century of Skill and Vigour'' | ||
[[Category:Skule Trinity]] | [[Category:Skule Trinity]] [[Category:Mascots]] | ||