Corbella: How Rudyard Kipling wrote his way into lore of Canadian engineers
The entire ceremony took about 90 minutes — and would have been even longer had the 230 graduates of the Class of 2021 been presented their iron rings in person. The ritual was filled with lofty, poetic language and profound symbolism that left both me and Stephen with lumps in our throats, tears in our eyes and gratitude in our hearts.
Levert, a professional engineer and construction lawyer who lives in Canmore, is clearly also a skilled author and researcher. He has managed to write about a technical issue and preventable tragedy in such a compelling way, it’s safe to call his book a page-turner.
“The Ceremony had been solemn,” wrote Levert in the book’s prologue. “I had taken part in something memorable. … I felt nurtured. The Ceremony had changed my view of engineering, given me a new and different perspective on my chosen profession.
“Although my Obligation hangs on my office wall, I have to keep reminding myself that my ring is there as a symbol of my Obligation, that it is not a sign to the world that I am a Canadian engineer.”
The book tells two stories — the first is about how the ritual came into being and the second is about the collapse of the Quebec Bridge on Aug. 29, 1907, that killed 76 men, and shook the Canadian public.
The ritual would have never existed were it not for Canadian mining engineer and University of Toronto professor, Herbert Haultain.
Perhaps it was after he saw his brother swear the Hippocratic oath as a doctor, or because he admired the spirit of the so-called Girls in Green — early day occupational therapists who helped First World War Canadian soldiers recover from their physical and mental injuries — that he wanted to create a similar kind of “tribal soul” for engineers.
With the blessing of the Engineering Institute of Canada, Haultain and six other engineers, were tasked with coming up with an oath and ceremony.
Haultain and his committee knew they needed help in the writing of a proper ceremony and oath and in an act of sheer audacity Haultain decided to ask his favourite author, Kipling, if he would come up with a ceremony and oath for Canadian engineers.
Prof. Haultain’s letter asking Kipling — the world’s most renowned English-speaking author at that time — was dated Oct. 19, 1923.
“It would have taken five to 10 days for it to reach England,” writes Levert.
“Kipling’s response was dated November 9th. Haultain had been absent from his office for two weeks, and when he returned on November 27th, the package from Kipling was sitting on his desk. He opened it and couldn’t believe what he saw — it was beyond anything he had ever imagined or hoped for. It was titled “The Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer”. The text had been hand-written in Old English lettering by the great author himself. Haultain was speechless. He sat down and read every word, in awe of what the great Rudyard Kipling had accomplished. The package included the Obligation, the text and a description of the Ceremony, a detailed description of the Iron Ring and how it was to be worn, together with notes about the Ritual. Kipling preferred the word ‘Obligation’ to the word ‘Oath’ or ‘Creed’. The renowned author had taken less than two weeks to come up with the entire package.”
It wasn’t until May 1, 1925 — 96 years ago to the day that Tyrone took his obligation — that the first ritual was held at the University of Toronto.
An anvil and long links of rusted iron chains are incorporated into the ritual. I had intended on writing extensively about what I witnessed when at the end of the ceremony we were informed that “the business of the Ritual, while no mystery, is neither for the public nor the press,” so, I will honour that.
“There is a myth that prevails that the early Iron Rings were made from material salvaged from the steel wreckage of (the Quebec Bridge),” writes Levert. “There is no evidence of such a physical link. There is, however, an ethical link. The Obligation taken by the engineering graduate during the Ceremony acknowledges one’s own assured failures and derelictions; it recognizes human frailty and teaches humility. There was no trace of humility in any of the senior engineers involved with the design of the Quebec bridge. Their arrogance and absolute confidence in their work prevented them from realizing what the workers building the bridge already knew: that the bridge was failing under its own weight.”
Humility — recognition of how little they know — is a big part of the ritual, and perhaps its most moving.
“‘The Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer’ is uniquely Canadian and was copy-righted in Canada on June 5, 1926, as a literary, unpublished work by Rudyard Kipling, and the ring was copyrighted in Ottawa on June 29, 1949. Trademarks for the ring’s design were registered in Canada in 1961 and in the U.S. in 1965.”
In their correspondence with one another, Kipling wrote to Haultain: “That the ring is an allegory in itself. … Let us pray that it (the Ritual) will be a real success and a true aid to the calling and work of every Obligated engineer.”
Canadian engineers are recognized as among the best in the world. It appears that Kipling’s prayer was answered.