Summertime is the time for idle chatter, so, Tenants, let's talk about our mascot, the Scone.
It certainly has its charms, but I'm thinking it might be too . . . um . . . inanimate for our purposes.
Perusing the creatures of the bestiary (as one does when one is a medievalist), it seems to me that the Magpie might be good fit, since it is likened to a poet. Here's what Pliny the Elder has to say about it:
"they become fond of some words, and not only repeat them but can be seen to ponder them. To learn a word they must hear it said often, and if a word is too difficult for them to learn they may die. When they forget a word they cheer up greatly when they hear it spoken."
Let us hope that our own poets never encounter words that are too difficult. And try this: when you see Jim or MaryAnn in the hallway looking melancholy, shout out a few forgotten words to see if it perks them up.
This is a great idea. The problem with having an inanimate mascot is that Dr. Ballentine just stands there in that scone costume, the butter slowly dripping off him, and makes the cheerleaders do all the work.
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