The University's first seal

The Senate appointed a sub-committee on 3 March 1851 to propose a device for a corporate seal.

A month later the governing body adopted, with "certain alterations", a design submitted by Marshall Claxton to which it added the motto "Virtutem Doctrina Paret" (Let Teaching Promote Excellence), taken from the design of the runner up.

The winning design featured a seated female figure, representing the Spirit of Learning. She held out a laurel wreath over the kneeling figure of a boy, portraying youth. A Common seal was engraved with this design.