Duane Rendle is the Dean of Students at St. Michael’s College. Originally from Victoria, BC, Duane completed his BA at the University of Victoria in 1993, and then came to U of T to complete a Master of Industrial Relations. While attending U of T, Duane served as a don at St. Michael’s College and became very involved in student life. In 1998, St. Mike’s hired Duane to serve as their Dean of Men, a precursor to his current position.
Ceremonial Splendour
Over the past 22 years, I have had the great pleasure of watching our students graduate from a unique vantage point—that of the convocation beadle.
What, pray tell, is a beadle? That is a very common question and the same one I asked in the spring of 1999 when I first assumed the role. The beadle (sometimes spelled “bedel”) is an officer at a college responsible for ushering students into a formal ceremony, ensuring they are seated, and leading them back out when the ceremony concludes. Beadles are easily distinguished from the students by their academic regalia and, most notably, the presence of a large mace resting firmly against their shoulder.
The mace has been a symbol of university authority since the 11th century. It was originally intended as a weapon (!), presumably to fend off the rabble who begrudged the pomp and pageantry of the academic elites. Mercifully, such incidents were rare—so rare that universities began to adorn the mace, transforming it from a tool of combat into a ceremonial sceptre.
The University of Toronto mace was handcrafted in London, England and is constructed of gold-plated silver. It was a gift from Lt.-Col. Eric Phillips (chair of the Board of Governors from 1945 to 1964) and was unveiled at the June 1951 convocation. Since then, tens of thousands of graduands have witnessed the mace being reverently carried into Convocation Hall to officially commence their graduation ceremonies.
Under the mace’s crown is a cushion that bears the coat of arms of George IV, the sovereign who granted the university’s first charter in 1827. As the mace is turned, a series of panels reveal the cipher of King George IV, then the arms of Canada, of Ontario, and the University of Toronto. Additional images of crosses, maple leaves, fleurs-de-lys and beavers pay homage to U of T’s cultural and religious influences.
(At the Baccalaureate Mass preceding the convocation ceremony, I lead the graduands into St. Basil’s Church with the St. Michael’s mace. Please see the accompanying video to learn more about it.)
Serving as the beadle is easily the best perk of being the Dean of Students. Prior to the ceremony I am invited to the Chancellor’s reception, where I get to hobnob with academic dignitaries and the honorary degree recipients. Over the years I have met many well-known Canadians from the worlds of politics, the arts and academics, but I think my favourite encounter was with the irascible Rex Murphy, of The National Post fame. Mr. Murphy seemed genuinely interested in finding out what a dean of students actually does, and his east coast charm made me feel like I was chatting with the fellow on the next barstool, rather than a Canadian icon.
Leading the academic procession into Convocation Hall is always exhilarating. When the organ chimes and we begin our measured walk down the main aisle, every eye in the hall turns to watch the spectacle. In decades past, our procession was accompanied by the clicking of countless cameras and the light of 1,000 flashes; now though, most choose to silently record the grand entrance using a variety of handheld devices. Once the stage is ascended, I gently place the mace in its ornate cradle atop the beautifully carved table, where it serves as a silent witness to the crowning achievement of each graduating class.
As the ceremony concludes and the second stanza of “O Canada” begins, I take my cue to retrieve the mace from its holder and lead our newly minted graduands out of the hall and into the throng of well-wishers that await. But for me, my job is just beginning. Over the years I have made it a practice to linger in the crowd for as long as the Chancellor’s Office will permit, to congratulate families, shake the hands of the graduands, and pose with them in photos with the magisterial mace. Over the past two decades I have had the honour of being included in countless portraits, and I am always grateful to be included in such an intimate family moment. This, for me, is the highlight of convocation day and, after a respite necessitated by the pandemic, I cannot wait to return to campus and fulfill the hallowed duties of the beadle once again.
Read other InsightOut posts.