Charleston's Independent School Directory 2019-20

www.CharlestonsPrivateSchools.com | www.CharlestonSchoolDirectory.com | www.ed.sc.gov INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS CISD 172 Crossing the Cistern The History behind College of Charleston’s Graduation Traditions F eaturing Randolph Hall, the College of Charleston’s oldest building (1828) and giant live oaks draped in Spanish moss as a backdrop, the area surrounding the Cistern makes for a photogenic location to host a graduation. The College of Charleston (CofC) has held its spring commencement ceremonies on the Cistern — the name referring to the large, grassy, oval area fronting Randolph Hall — for nearly 90 years. Some of the Cistern’s graduation rituals are now established tradition, but where did they originate, and why did the Cistern become the go-to graduation spot? CISTERN HISTORY The Cistern was built in 1857, originally designed to collect rainwater from the roofs of Randolph Hall and BY COLIN MCCANDLESS the Towell Library to curb campus flooding and was used as a reservoir for drinking water and for fighting fires, according to Tony Meyer (Class of ’49), executive secretary emeritus of CofC’s Alumni Association. Graduation didn’t move to the Cistern until the early 1930s. Before that, it was held at Alumni Hall or various churches around downtown, noted retired CofC English Professor Emeritus and author of “A History of the College of Charleston (1936-2008)” Dr. Nan Morrison. “At that time, the Cistern was the whole world of the College of Charleston,” explained Morrison. A term was even coined called “cisternating,” which referred to hanging out at the Cistern. At one time, mandatory daily prayers were held at the College Chapel (now Alumni Hall), and, when chapel released early, students would gather afterward to socialize on the Photos courtesy of College of Charleston.