The Rubicon is the student newspaper at SPA, and Ibid is the yearbook. Both publications are very well known on campus and beyond, but what’s with their names?
To understand the reasoning behind the names, one must look into the history of SPA. “There were a lot of Greek and Roman influences in terms of the culture of the pedagogy of the school,” Director of Publications Kathryn Cambell said.
Though many of these influences have largely departed, they still remain in some key places. The Spartan mascot, The Rubicon, and the Ibid yearbook exemplify this long-lasting culture.
First off, though, The Rubicon has only been one name used for SPA newspapers. Before St. Paul Academy merged with Summit School, the boys’ military school newspaper was called Now and Then. “The paper came out every now and then— whenever the boys decided to publish an issue,” Campbell said.
Shortly after the merger, there was an intermediary newspaper for a few years, fittingly named The Emerger. Finally, The Rubicon came along in 1974. Currently, The Rubicon is on volume 49, meaning next year will be its 50th anniversary.
So, what does “Rubicon” actually mean? “The Rubicon is the river that Julius Caesar crossed, and it’s supposed to symbolize the point of no return and a kind of enlightenment that comes from venturing into the unknown,” Campbell said.
When The Rubicon was created, the SPA curriculum was very focused on the classics. Though Cambell doesn’t know how exactly the name was chosen, it was clearly a reflection of the school and its Greco-Roman influences. Perhaps the idea of venturing into the unknown was tied to journalism and investigative reporting, but the exact details of how and why the name was chosen may forever be lost to time.
However, the story of Ibid is a slightly simpler one. Currently on its 53rd volume, Ibid has been around for about half of the school’s history. Initially, the yearbook was run by parents and was unnamed. But, when taken over as a curricular piece, the school named it Ibid.
SPA taught Latin during this time, which was a driving force behind the naming of the yearbook. “Ibid is short for Ibidem, a Latin word that means ‘in the same place,’” Campbell said. “And, since everybody is supposed to be represented in the yearbook, it’s the story of the year. It’s [about] all of us being in the same place. In the book, but also in the school.”
Though she admits not many people think too deeply about the names, Campbell appreciates the unique school history they honor. “I think there’s a lot of value in having a name that’s distinctive. And The Rubicon definitely harkens back to the history. But, we’re also constantly reinventing what it means based on what we produce here,” she said.
Additionally, though, another important facet of the names has to do with branding. “Being The Rubicon is a brand that we’ve pretty well established. We have readership with RubicOnline all over the world.” Campbell said. “When we look at our Google Analytics, there are dots everywhere. When we’re doing a really effective job of teasing across social media, we have about 14,000 readers a month. So I think it would be a bad decision to change the name because it’s our brand and our reputation.”
Though publication names are often overlooked, likely because many of them are bland —The Post, The Times, etc. — The Rubicon and Ibid are standouts. These names reflect the complicated SPA history of the past and the continued development of their brand for the future.
The next time you pick up an issue of The Rubicon or get your Ibid yearbook, take a second to reflect on the history and meaning held within nothing more than a few letters on a cover.
