All Over Albany

The pedagogy penguin

This illustration of the pedguin is from university literary publication, The Penguin. Brian shared it on Twitter this week. We think the pedguin projects quite a sophisticated air as he or she sips tea.

A stray bit that of local history that made us smile this week...

UAlbany's current mascot is a dog, specifically a Great Dane named Damien. But for a few decades last century -- when UAlbany was called the New York State College for Teachers and the State University of New York College of Education at Albany -- the mascot was a penguin.

Or, rather, it was the "Pedguin." From a UAlbany News item:

Then came 1948-49, and someone realized that another name for "teachers" -- "pedagogues" -- could be shortened into a new and catchy sports nickname: "Peds." It was used first in a State College News basketball game write-up on Dec. 3, 1948, and became dominant. Again, however, it was a nickname without a mascot.

That inanimate situation ended on May 13, 1949, when it was announced that the student body had chosen "Pedguin," a penguin-like figure designed by Paul Kirsch '51, as school mascot. In both scholarly and cuddly manifestations -- drawn, sewn (on patches), stuffed and, in late '50s and early '60s basketball games, costumed -- the Pedguin remained the college's mascot until a new university identify cried out for something beyond the symbol of the teacher.

Yes, the pedagogy penguin. Prepare to be schooled!

The school switched over to the Great Dane in 1965 via a contest that asked students for submissions. Belated congrats to Kathy Earle '57 who suggested the Great Dane because of its "proud bearing and imposing stature."

UAlbany timeline
By the way: There's a good timeline of UAlbany history online that tracks the charts the various names of the school and other developments.