A Collection of College Words and Customs Part 45

HOE IN. At Hamilton College, to strive vigorously; a metaphorical meaning, taken from labor with the hoe.

HOIST. It was formerly customary at Harvard College, when the Freshmen were used as servants, to report them to their Tutor if they refused to go when sent on an errand; this complaint was called a _hoisting_, and the delinquent was said to be _hoisted_.

The refusal to perform a reasonable service required by a member of the cla.s.s above him, subjected the Freshmen to a complaint to be brought before his Tutor, technically called _hoisting_ him to his Tutor. The threat was commonly sufficient to exact the service.--_Willard's Memories of Youth and Manhood_, Vol. I.

p. 259.

HOLD INS. At Bowdoin College, "near the commencement of each year," says a correspondent, "the Sophs are wont, on some particular evening, to attempt to '_hold in_' the Freshmen when coming out of prayers, generally producing quite a skirmish."

HOLLIS. Mr. Thomas Hollis of Lincoln's Inn, to whom, with many others of the same name, Harvard College is so much indebted, among other presents to its library, gave "sixty-four volumes of valuable books, curiously bound." To these reference is made in the following extract from the Gentleman's Magazine for September, 1781. "Mr. Hollis employed Mr. Fingo to cut a number of emblematical devices, such as the caduceus of Mercury, the wand of aesculapius, the owl, the cap of liberty, &c.; and these devices were to adorn the backs and sometimes the sides of books. When patriotism animated a work, instead of unmeaning ornaments on the binding, he adorned it with caps of liberty. When wisdom filled the page, the owl's majestic gravity bespoke its contents. The caduceus pointed out the works of eloquence, and the wand of aesculapius was a signal of good medicine. The different emblems were used on the same book, when possessed of different merits, and to express his disapprobation of the whole or parts of any work, the figure or figures were reversed. Thus each cover exhibited a critique on the book, and was a proof that they were not kept for show, as he must read before he could judge. Read this, ye admirers of gilded books, and imitate."

HONORARIUM, HONORARY. A term applied, in Europe, to the recompense offered to professors in universities, and to medical or other professional gentlemen for their services. It is nearly equivalent to _fee_, with the additional idea of being given _honoris causa_, as a token of respect.--_Brande. Webster_.

There are regular receivers, quaestors, appointed for the reception of the _honorarium_, or charge for the attendance of lectures.--_Howitt's Student Life of Germany_, Am. ed., p. 30.

HONORIS CAUSA. Latin; _as an honor_. Any honorary degree given by a college.

Degrees in the faculties of Divinity and Law are conferred, at present, either in course, _honoris causa_, or on admission _ad eundem_.--_Calendar Trin. Coll._, 1850, p. 10.

HONORS. In American colleges, the princ.i.p.al honors are appointments as speakers at Exhibitions and Commencements. These are given for excellence in scholarship. The appointments for Exhibitions are different in different colleges. Those of Commencement do not vary so much. The following is a list of the appointments at Harvard College, in the order in which they are usually a.s.signed: Valedictory Oration, called also _the_ English Oration, Salutatory in Latin, English Orations, Dissertations, Disquisitions, and Essays. The salutatorian is not always the second scholar in the cla.s.s, but must be the best, or, in case this distinction is enjoyed by the valedictorian, the second-best Latin scholar. Latin or Greek poems or orations or English poems sometimes form a part of the exercises, and may be a.s.signed, as are the other appointments, to persons in the first part of the cla.s.s. At Yale College the order is as follows: Valedictory Oration, Salutatory in Latin, Philosophical Orations, Orations, Dissertations, Disputations, and Colloquies. A person who receives the appointment of a Colloquy can either write or speak in a colloquy, or write a poem. Any other appointee can also write a poem. Other colleges usually adopt one or the other of these arrangements, or combine the two.

At the University of Cambridge, Eng., those who at the final examination in the Senate-House are cla.s.sed as Wranglers, Senior Optimes, or Junior Optimes, are said to go out in _honors_.

I very early in the Soph.o.m.ore year gave up all thoughts of obtaining high _honors_.--_Bristed's Five Years in an Eng. Univ._, Ed. 2d, p. 6.

HOOD. An ornamented fold that hangs down the back of a graduate, to mark his degree.--_Johnson_.

My head with ample square-cap crown, And deck with _hood_ my shoulders.

_The Student_, Oxf. and Cam., Vol. I. p. 349.

HORN-BLOWING. At Princeton College, the students often provide themselves at night with horns, bugles, &c., climb the trees in the Campus, and set up a blowing which is continued as long as prudence and safety allow.

HORSE-SHEDDING. At the University of Vermont, among secret and literary societies, this term is used to express the idea conveyed by the word _electioneering_.

HOUSE. A college. The word was formerly used with this signification in Harvard and Yale Colleges.

If any scholar shall transgress any of the laws of G.o.d, or the _House_, he shall be liable, &c.--_Quincy's Hist. Harv. Univ._, Vol. I. p. 517.

If detriment come by any out of the society, then those officers [the butler and cook] themselves shall be responsible to the _House_.--_Ibid._, Vol. I. p. 583.

A member of the college was also called a _Member of the House_.

The steward is to see that one third part be reserved of all the payments to him by the _members of the House_ quarterly made.--_Quincy's Hist. Harv. Univ._, Vol. I. p. 582.

A college officer was called an _Officer of the House_.

The steward shall be bound to give an account of the necessary disburs.e.m.e.nts which have been issued out to the steward himself, butler, cook, or any other _officer of the House_.--_Quincy's Hist. Harv. Univ._, Vol. I. p. 582.

Neither shall the butler or cook suffer any scholar or scholars whatever, except the Fellows, Masters of Art, Fellow-Commoners or _officers of the House_, to come into the b.u.t.teries, &c.--_Ibid._, Vol. I. p. 584.

Before the year 1708, the term _Fellows of the House_ was applied, at Harvard College, both to the members of the Corporation, and to the instructors who did not belong to the Corporation. The equivocal meaning of this t.i.tle was noticed by President Leverett, for, in his duplicate record of the proceedings of the Corporation and the Overseers, he designated certain persons to whom he refers as "Fellows of the House, i.e. of the Corporation." Soon after this, an attempt was made to distinguish between these two cla.s.ses of Fellows, and in 1711 the distinction was settled, when one Whiting, "who had been for several years known as Tutor and 'Fellow of the House,' but had never in consequence been deemed or pretended to be a member of the Corporation, was admitted to a seat in that board."--_Quincy's Hist. Harv. Univ._, Vol. I. pp.

278, 279. See SCHOLAR OF THE HOUSE.

2. An a.s.sembly for transacting business.

See CONGREGATION, CONVOCATION.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. At Union College, the members of the Junior Cla.s.s compose what is called the _House of Representatives_, a body organized after the manner of the national House, for the purpose of becoming acquainted with the forms and manner of legislation. The following account has been furnished by a member of that College.

"At the end of the third term, Soph.o.m.ore year, when the members of that cla.s.s are looking forward to the honors awaiting them, comes off the initiation to the House. The Friday of the tenth week is the day usually selected for the occasion. On the afternoon of that day the Soph.o.m.ores a.s.semble in the Junior recitation-room, and, after organizing themselves by the appointment of a chairman, are waited upon by a committee of the House of Representatives of the Junior Cla.s.s, who announce that they are ready to proceed with the initiation, and occasionally dilate upon the importance and responsibility of the future position of the Soph.o.m.ores.

"The invitation thus given is accepted, and the cla.s.s, headed by the committee, proceeds to the Representatives' Hall. On their arrival, the members of the House retire, and the incoming members, under the direction of the committee, arrange themselves around the platform of the Speaker, all in the room at the same time rising in their seats. The Speaker of the House now addresses the Soph.o.m.ores, announcing to them their election to the high position of Representatives, and exhorting them to discharge well all their duties to their const.i.tuents and their common country.

He closes, by stating it to be their first business to elect the officers of the House.

"The election of Speaker, Vice-Speaker, Clerk, and Treasurer by ballot then follows, two tellers being appointed by the Chair. The Speaker is elected for one year, and must be one of the Faculty; the other officers hold only during the ensuing term. The Speaker, however, is never expected to be present at the meetings of the House, with the exception of that at the beginning of each term session, so that the whole duty of presiding falls on the Vice-Speaker. This is the only meeting of the _new_ House during that term.

"On the second Friday afternoon of the fall term, the Speaker usually delivers an inaugural address, and soon after leaves the chair to the Vice-Speaker, who then announces the representation from the different States, and also the list of committees. The members are apportioned by him according to population, each State having at least one, and some two or three, as the number of the Junior Cla.s.s may allow. The committees are const.i.tuted in the manner common to the National House, the number of each, however, being less. Business then follows, as described in Jefferson's Manual; pet.i.tions, remonstrances, resolutions, reports, debates, and all the 'toggery' of legislation, come on in regular, or rather irregular succession. The exercises, as may be well conceived, furnish an excellent opportunity for improvement in parliamentary tactics and political oratory."

The House of Representatives was founded by Professor John Austin Tates. It is not const.i.tuted by every Junior Cla.s.s, and may be regarded as intermittent in its character.

See SENATE.

HUMANIST. One who pursues the study of the _humanities (literae humaniores)_, or polite literature; a term used in various European universities, especially the Scotch.--_Brandt_.

HUMANITY, _pl._ HUMANITIES. In the plural signifying grammar, rhetoric, the Latin and Greek languages, and poetry; for teaching which there are professors in the English and Scotch universities.

--_Encyc._

HUMMEL. At the University of Vermont, a foot, especially a large one.

HYPHENUTE. At Princeton College, the aristocratic or would-be aristocratic in dress, manners, &c., are called _Hyphenutes_. Used both as a noun and adjective. Same as [Greek: Oi Aristoi] q.v.