The Atlas Obscura Podcast Rites of Passage (Classic)
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Oct 13, 2025 Michelle Cassidy, the Places editor for Atlas Obscura, shares captivating insights about unique university traditions. She reveals the intriguing history of Gallaudet University's rat funeral, a whimsical rite of passage for first-year students. Transitioning to Cornell University, listeners discover the charm of its apple vending machine—a quirky tradition that connects students to local orchards and supports the Society of Horticulture. Both stories highlight the rich tapestry of college life and its delightful oddities.
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Gallaudet's Rat Funeral Tradition
- Gallaudet first-year students historically adopted class rats and held funerals to mark moving on from preparatory status.
- The ritual evolved into burying fake rats in tiny coffins with eulogies and inscribed grave markers around campus.
Symbolic Origins Of The Ritual
- The rat funeral likely grew from 19th-century college mock funerals that celebrated finishing difficult requirements.
- It symbolically marked the end of one academic stage and the start of the next for students.
Tradition Adapted, Not Abandoned
- The tradition persisted even after the preparatory program ended, transferring to freshmen and adopting new practices.
- The ceremony retained solemn elements while stopping the use of real rats in the 1980s.