Five Cool Things About UofT Law You Probably Didn’t Notice

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Flavelle House - Chimneys

1. Flavelle House Has at Least Nine Chimneys

Flavelle House - Chimneys
Flavelle House has how many chimneys?

Flavelle House was built in 1902 by Canadian millionaire, businessman, industrialist, and philanthropist Sir Joseph Wesley Flavelle (1858-1939). He was, interestingly enough, not a lawyer. During WWI he was appointed chairman of the Imperial Munitions Board and corrected the mismanagement of ammunition sent overseas. For that great work he was granted a baronetcy, a title which is styled “Sir” like a knight, but ranks above almost all knighthoods. Upon his death in 1939, he left his Queen’s Park mansion to the University of Toronto. Since his mansion was built in 1902, it used fireplaces to heat the building, hence the nine chimneys.

2. Jean Fraser’s Dog

Flavelle House - Dog
Jean Fraser’s Dog

As much as we all love the Trailblazers exhibit showing famous female UofT Law grads, nothing compares to this amazing action shot of Jean Fraser’s dog jumping into a lake.

3. There Is an Apple Tree. You Can Eat the Apples 

Flavelle House - Apple Tree
Warning: UV is not liable for any injuries caused by eating apples off this tree of unknown origin

Beside the pathway on the South-East side of Flavelle House, you will find an apple tree that regularly produces delicious edible apples every September. Its origins remain a mystery. When asked about the history surrounding the tree, Prof. Arnold Weinrib, UofT Law’s longest-serving current faculty member, had no idea where it came from. Local apple enthusiast Jon Bega believes that the tree may have been planted a group of werewolves. When pressured, Mr. Bega admitted that he actually made that last part up. And that he had been drinking.

4. Stephen Waddams Had a Rocking Goatee in 1967

Flavelle House - Waddams
Professor Waddams circa 1967

Prof. Stephen Waddams is a renowned legal academic famous for his masterful study of contract law and in 1967, when he graduated from this law school, he had a baller goatee. However, when he became a professor a year later in 1968, Prof. Waddams’ goatee had mysteriously disappeared. Prof. Waddams was unavailable for comment (I was too afraid to ask him) but the going hypothesis is that crusty old Dean MacDonald, in an effort to fill the big shoes left to him by Dean Wright, cracked down on Prof. Waddams’ anti-majoritarian facial hair and shaved it off himself. We can only hope that Dean Moran will not make a similar mistake with local facial hair aficionado Prof. Sanderson.

5. There Is a Free Phone That Totally Works

Flavelle House - Free Phone
Finally, something ‘free’ for that $27k tuition!

Have a call you need to make but your battery is dead? The SLS funds a telephone that is free for all UofT Law students to use. It is located in a small hallway across from the washrooms in the basement of Flavelle. SLS President Albert Lin, when interviewed about this phone, stated that he didn’t know it existed. He also asked where it was. The sign beside the phone stipulates that preference is given to law students for use of the phone and the maximum call time is five minutes. Its phone number is 416-978-3624. If you’re really bored, give it a call during class and see if anyone picks up.

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