Tufts' Mascot, Jumbo the Elephant
This cache is being placed by two members of the
Tufts University graduating class of 2008 during the week before
our commencement. We hope it will be enjoyed by Jumbos for years to
come as well as bring visitors to our beautiful campus. You will
find it cache near the entrance to the Tisch Library on the Tufts
Medford/Somerville Campus. The cache is aptly named for its
location on the campus of a prestigious university and proximity to
a library. Beware of muggles, as this is a popular gathering spot.
It is an Altoids tin starting with a log and pen, a key ring,
NASCAR Cafe token, and a dollar coin (for the FTF).
History
Tufts College was founded in 1852 by Universalists as a
non-sectarian institution. The land, on Walnut Hill, was donated by
Charles Tufts, a brickmaking magnate. The university's motto is
pax et lux, meaning 'peace and light'. In 1954, the name
was changed to Tufts University. Jean Mayer became the school's
president in 1976 and transformed it into an international research
university. The Mayer Campus Center is named after Jean and his
wife, both of whom were loved and respected in the Tufts Community.
(Source and more info, Wikipedia)
The schools mascot is Jumbo the Elephant, P.T.
Barnum's prized elephant. The word 'jumbo' originates from his
name. Jumbo was a very popular attraction for the circus. He was
crushed by a locomotive in a train yard in Ontario (according to
Barnum, while saving the life of a young elephant named Tom Thumb).
Jumbo's anatomy was donated to various institutions for study while
the hide was stuffed and continued to tour with the circus. The
hide was donated to Tufts in 1889, but was destroyed in a fire in
1975. The ashes remain in a Peter Pan Crunchy Peanut Butter jar in
the office of the Tufts Athletic Director. (Source and more info,
Wikipedia)
Getting here
By the T: Take the red line into Davis Square and enjoy a nice walk
up College Ave to the campus. There are also several buses that
service the area (visit MBTA.com
for details).
By car: If you have a Somerville parking permit,
you can park on the streets adjacent to the campus. If without, you
can try to find parking on
Boston Ave or
Packard Ave.
While You're Here
-Check out the view from the
roof of the library, its especially good on a clear day.
-Visit the
gravity stone and contemplate how you might harness gravity as
a free power in order to reduce airplane accidents. (info)
-See the
cannon, a replica from the USS Constitution which students
paint various messages on (post a pic of the current design!)
A Tufts Joke
Q: How many Tufts
students does it takes to change a lightbulb?
A: Two, one to change the bulb and one to tell everyone else how
they did it just as well as any Harvard student could.