Nugalia

The Horae Scholasticae is the oldest school or college literary magazines in continuous publication in the United States, the first issue having appeared on June 1, 1860. Prior to the publication of the Alumni Horae in 1921 and The Pelican in 1945, the Horae Scholasticae also served to chronicle the School’s history and news of school life, as well as publishing the early literary efforts of many noted 19th-century authors such as Francis Marion Crawford and Owen Wister.

Many of the earlier editions of the Horae Scholasticae contained a column of newsy tidbits called “Nugalia” that encapsulated the day-to-day experience of student life at St. Paul’s School. The June 1st, 1935 edition of the Horae Scholasticae – a celebration of the first 75 years of publication – included this description of the Nugalia column:

The Nugalia (Lat., “stuffs,” “triffles,” “nonsense”) is one of the aboriginal columns of the Horae. In the early issues “The Rural Record”, the School log or diary, supplied a large part of the news.

In 1872 the name of the department was changed from “School Items” to “Items,” and in 1877 it took its present title “Nugalia.” The editors of those good old times embellished the scanty School notes with doggerel, puzzles, and current jokes.

In the spirit of the early editors of the Horae Scholasticae we have created a new feature located in the sidebar of Ohrstrom Blog. Throughout the year we will be publishing small but interesting excerpts gathered from past Nugalia columns and featuring them in the sidebar. Check back often for a regular bit of insight into the history of student life at SPS – and the occasional dose of doggerel!

Below is an archive of all Nugalia posts to date:

16 Oct 2013

March 17, 1888

by Sarah Ludwig | posted in: Nugalia | 0

Shaker sugar: About noon, on Friday, the 24th ult., some Shakers drove up to the school-house with candy that had been ordered on Washington’s Birthday. They disposed of their orders and considerable more beside.

24 Sep 2013

March 17, 1888

by Sarah Ludwig | posted in: Nugalia | 0

Key words: A great furor for type-writers seems to have arisen in the School. A large amount of writing is done on them every day.

4 Sep 2013

March 17, 1888

by Sarah Ludwig | posted in: Nugalia | 0

Technologically speaking: A telegraph line has been put in operation between two of the rooms in the Upper School.

3 Jun 2013

October 28, 1882

by Sarah Ludwig | posted in: Nugalia | 0

An episode: A joyous youth, a ball of leather, careening lightly o’er the heather. Two hands outstretched, a ball descending; a flash, a blow, a cry heart-rending. A wounded youth, a ball of leather, both resting on the heath together.

27 May 2013

December 17, 1887

by Sarah Ludwig | posted in: Nugalia | 0

Classical conditioning: It is said that the Romans had time to conquer the world because they did not have to study Latin grammar.