A Collection of College Words and Customs Part 10

The following extract from the laws of Harvard College, pa.s.sed in 1734, shows that this term was formerly used in that inst.i.tution: "No scholar shall be _put in or out of Commons_, but on Tuesdays or Fridays, and no Bachelor or Undergraduate, but by a note from the President, or one of the Tutors (if an Undergraduate, from his own Tutor, if in town); and when any Bachelors or Undergraduates have been out of Commons, the waiters, at their respective tables, shall, on the first Tuesday or Friday after they become obliged by the preceding law to be in Commons, _put them into Commons_ again, by note, after the manner above directed. And if any Master neglects to put himself into Commons, when, by the preceding law, he is obliged to be in Commons, the waiters on the Masters' table shall apply to the President or one of the Tutors for a note to put him into Commons, and inform him of it."

Be mine each morn, with eager appet.i.te And hunger undissembled, to repair To friendly _b.u.t.tery_; there on smoking Crust And foaming Ale to banquet unrestrained, Material breakfast!

_The Student_, 1750, Vol. I. p. 107.

b.u.t.tERY-BOOK. In colleges, a book kept at the _b.u.t.tery_, in which was charged the prices of such articles as were sold to the students. There was also kept a list of the fines imposed by the president and professors, and an account of the times when the students were present and absent, together with a register of the names of all the members of the college.

My name in sure recording page Shall time itself o'erpower, If no rude mice with envious rage The _b.u.t.tery-books_ devour.

_The Student_, Vol. I. p. 348.

b.u.t.tERY-HATCH. A half-door between the b.u.t.tery or kitchen and the hall, in colleges and old mansions. Also called a _b.u.t.tery-bar_.--_Halliwell's Arch. and Prov. Words_.

If any scholar or scholars at any time take away or detain any vessel of the colleges, great or small, from the hall out of the doors from the sight of the _b.u.t.tery-hatch_ without the butler's or servitor's knowledge, or against their will, he or they shall be punished three pence.--_Quincy's Hist. Harv. Coll._, Vol. I. p.

584.

He (the college butler) domineers over Freshmen, when they first come to the _hatch_.--_Earle's Micro-cosmographie_, 1628, Char.

17.

There was a small ledging or bar on this hatch to rest the tankards on.

I pray you, bring your hand to the _b.u.t.tery-bar_, and let it drink.--_Twelfth Night_, Act I. Sc. 3.

BYE-FELLOW. In England, a name given in certain cases to a fellow in an inferior college. At the University of Cambridge, Eng., a bye-fellow can be elected to one of the regular fellowships when a vacancy occurs.

BYE-FELLOWSHIP. An inferior establishment in a college for the nominal maintenance of what is called a _bye-fellow_, or a fellow out of the regular course.

The emoluments of the fellowships vary from a merely nominal income, in the case of what are called _Bye-fellowships_, to $2,000 per annum.--_Literary World_, Vol. XII. p. 285.

BYE-FOUNDATION. In the English universities, a foundation from which an insignificant income and an inferior maintenance are derived.

BYE-TERM. In the University of Cambridge, Eng., students who take the degree of B.A. at any other time save January, are said to "_go out in a bye-term_."

Bristed uses this word, as follows: "I had a double disqualification exclusive of illness. First, as a Fellow Commoner.... Secondly, as a _bye-term man_, or one between two years. Although I had entered into residence at the same time with those men who were to go out in 1844, my name had not been placed on the College Books, like theirs, previously to the commencement of 1840. I had therefore lost a term, and for most purposes was considered a Freshman, though I had been in residence as long as any of the Junior Sophs. In fact, I was _between two years_."--_Five Years in an Eng. Univ._, Ed. 2d, pp. 97, 98.

_C_.

CAD. A low fellow, nearly equivalent to _sn.o.b_. Used among students in the University of Cambridge, Eng.--_Bristed_.

CAHOOLE. At the University of North Carolina, this word in its application is almost universal, but generally signifies to cajole, to wheedle, to deceive, to procure.

CALENDAR. At the English universities the information which in American colleges is published in a catalogue, is contained in a similar but far more comprehensive work, called a _calendar_.

Conversation based on the topics of which such a volume treats is in some localities denominated _calendar_.

"Shop," or, as it is sometimes here called, "_Calendar_,"

necessarily enters to a large extent into the conversation of the Cantabs.--_Bristed's Five Years in an Eng. Univ._, Ed. 2d, p. 82.

I would lounge about into the rooms of those whom I knew for general literary conversation,--even to talk _Calendar_ if there was nothing else to do.--_Ibid._, p. 120.

CALVIN'S FOLLY. At the University of Vermont, "this name," writes a correspondent, "is given to a door, four inches thick and closely studded with spike-nails, dividing the chapel hall from the staircase leading to the belfry. It is called _Calvin's Folly_, because it was planned by a professor of that (Christian) name, in order to keep the students out of the belfry, which dignified scheme it has utterly failed to accomplish. It is one of the celebrities of the Old Brick Mill,[04] and strangers always see it and hear its history."

CAMEL. In Germany, a student on entering the university becomes a _Kameel_,--a camel.

CAMPUS. At the College of New Jersey, the college yard is denominated the _Campus_. _Back Campus_, the privies.

CANTAB. Abridged for CANTABRIGIAN.

It was transmitted to me by a respectable _Cantab_ for insertion.

--_Hone's Every-day Book_, Vol. I. p. 697.

Should all this be a mystery to our uncollegiate friends, or even to many matriculated _Cantabs_, we advise them not to attempt to unriddle it.--_Harvardiana_, Vol. III. p. 39.

CANTABRIGIAN. A student or graduate of the University of Cambridge, Eng. Used also at Cambridge, Ma.s.s., of the students and inhabitants.

CANTABRIGICALLY. According to Cambridge.

To speak _Cantabrigically_.--_Bristed's Five Years in an Eng.

Univ._, Ed. 2d, p. 28.

CAP. The cap worn by students at the University of Cambridge, Eng., is described by Bristed in the following pa.s.sage: "You must superadd the academical costume. This consists of a gown, varying in color and ornament according to the wearer's college and rank, but generally black, not unlike an ordinary clerical gown, and a square-topped cap, which fits close to the head like a truncated helmet, while the covered board which forms the crown measures about a foot diagonally across."--_Five Years in an Eng. Univ._, Ed. 2d, p. 4.

A similar cap is worn at Oxford and at some American colleges on particular occasions.

See OXFORD.

CAP. To uncover the head in reverence or civility.

The youth, ignorant who they were, had omitted to _cap_ them.--_Gent. Mag._, Vol. XXIV. p. 567.

I could not help smiling, when, among the dignitaries whom I was bound to make obeisance to by _capping_ whenever I met them, Mr.

Jackson's catalogue included his all-important self in the number.

--_The Etonian_, Vol. II. p. 217.