Campus Parade Honors 'Rascal,' Doctor of Canine Jurisprudence

"From 1933 to 1940, when Cumberland was in its original Tennessee home, Rascal regularly attended classes and Sunday morning Bible study..."

On March 11, Cumberland School of Law students paid their annual tribute to Rascal-the-dog ’35. From 1933 to 1940, when Cumberland was in its original Tennessee home, Rascal regularly attended classes and Sunday morning Bible study. He became such a popular fixture at Cumberland that in 1935 the school awarded him the honorary degree, doctor of canine jurisprudence.

Each year Cumberland students honor Rascal by parading their dogs, many in costume, across campus to Robinson Hall. This year, the procession of canines wound its way up Centennial Walk accompanied by a Dixieland band playing "When the Saints Go Marching In." After a brief memorial service led by Cumberland professor Howard Walthall, attendees enjoyed more music, a hotdog feast and an awards ceremony honoring canine participants in 10 categories, including Largest and Best-Dressed.

The full story of Rascal and Cumberland School of Law can be found in From Maverick to Mainstream: Cumberland School of Law, 1847-1997, by Cumberland professors David J. Langum and Howard P. Walthall (available in the Samford Bookstore).

Cumberland School of Law Samford Bookstore