A Collection of College Words and Customs Part 46

_I_.

ILLUMINATE. To interline with a translation. Students _illuminate_ a book when they write between the printed lines a translation of the text. _Illuminated_ books are preferred by good judges to ponies or hobbies, as the text and translation in them are brought nearer to one another. The idea of calling books thus prepared _illuminated_, is taken partly from the meaning of the word _illuminate_, to adorn with ornamental letters, subst.i.tuting, however, in this case, useful for ornamental, and partly from one of its other meanings, to throw light on, as on obscure subjects.

ILl.u.s.tRATION. That which elucidates a subject. A word used with a peculiar application by undergraduates in the University of Cambridge, Eng.

I went back,... and did a few more bits of _ill.u.s.tration_, such as noting down the relative resources of Athens and Sparta when the Peloponnesian war broke out, and the sources of the Athenian revenue.--_Bristed's Five Years in an Eng. Univ._, Ed. 2d, p. 51.

IMPOSITION. In the English universities, a supernumerary exercise enjoined on students as a punishment.

Minor offences are punished by rustication, and those of a more trivial nature by fines, or by literary tasks, here termed _Impositions_.--_Oxford Guide_, p. 149.

Literary tasks called _impositions_, or frequent compulsive attendances on tedious and unimproving exercises in a college hall.--_T. Warton, Minor Poems of Milton_, p. 432.

_Impositions_ are of various lengths. For missing chapel, about one hundred lines to copy; for missing a lecture, the lecture to translate. This is the measure for an occasional offence.... For coming in late at night repeatedly, or for any offence nearly deserving rustication, I have known a whole book of Thucydides given to translate, or the Ethics of Aristotle to a.n.a.lyze, when the offender has been a good scholar, while others, who could only do mechanical work, have had a book of Euclid to write out.

Long _impositions_ are very rarely _barberized_. When college tutors intend to be severe, which is very seldom, they are not to be trifled with.

At Cambridge, _impositions_ are not always in writing, but sometimes two or three hundred lines to repeat by heart. This is ruin to the barber.--_Collegian's Guide_, pp. 159, 160.

In an abbreviated form, _impos._

He is obliged to stomach the _impos._, and retire.--_Grad. ad Cantab._, p. 125.

He satisfies the Proctor and the Dean by saying a part of each _impos._--_Ibid._, p. 128.

See BARBER.

INCEPT. To take the degree of Master of Arts.

They may nevertheless take the degree of M.A. at the usual period, by putting their names on the _College boards_ a few days previous to _incepting_.--_Cambridge Calendar_.

The M.A. _incepts_ in about three years and two months from the time of taking his first degree.--_Bristed's Five Years in an Eng.

Univ._, Ed. 2d, p. 285.

INCEPTOR. One who has proceeded to the degree of M.A., but who, not enjoying all the privileges of an M.A. until the Commencement, is in the mean time termed an Inceptor.

Used in the English universities, and formerly at Harvard College.

And, in case any of the Sophisters, Questionists, or _Inceptors_ fail in the premises required at their hands ... they shall be deferred to the following year.--_Laws of 1650, in Quincy's Hist.

Harv. Univ._, Vol. I. p. 518.

The Admissio _Inceptorum_ was as follows: "Admitto te ad secundum gradum in artibus pro more Academiarum in Anglia: tibique trado hunc librum una c.u.m potestate publice profitendi, ubicunque ad hoc munus publice evocatus fueris."--_Ibid._, Vol. I. p. 580.

INDIAN SOCIETY. At the Collegiate Inst.i.tute of Indiana, a society of smokers was established, in the year 1837, by an Indian named Zachary Colbert, and called the Indian Society. The members and those who have been invited to join the society, to the number of sixty or eighty, are accustomed to meet in a small room, ten feet by eighteen; all are obliged to smoke, and he who first desists is required to pay for the cigars smoked at that meeting.

INDIGO. At Dartmouth College, a member of the party called the Blues. The same as a BLUE, which see.

The Howes, years ago, used to room in Dartmouth Hall, though none room there now, and so they made up some verses. Here is one:--

"Hurrah for Dartmouth Hall!

Success to every student That rooms in Dartmouth Hall, Unless he be an _Indigo_, Then, no success at all."

_The Dartmouth_, Vol. IV. p. 117.

INITIATION. Secret societies exist in almost all the colleges in the United States, which require those who are admitted to pa.s.s through certain ceremonies called the initiation. This fact is often made use of to deceive Freshmen, upon their entrance into college, who are sometimes initiated into societies which have no existence, and again into societies where initiation is not necessary for membership.

A correspondent from Dartmouth College writes as follows: "I believe several of the colleges have various exercises of _initiating_ Freshmen. Ours is done by the 'United Fraternity,'

one of our library societies (they are neither of them secret), which gives out word that the _initiation_ is a fearful ceremony.

It is simply every kind of operation that can be contrived to terrify, and annoy, and make fun of Freshmen, who do not find out for some time that it is not the necessary and serious ceremony of making them members of the society."

In the University of Virginia, students on entering are sometimes initiated into the ways of college life by very novel and unique ceremonies, an account of which has been furnished by a graduate of that inst.i.tution. "The first thing, by way of admitting the novitiate to all the mysteries of college life, is to require of him in an official communication, under apparent signature of one of the professors, a written list, tested under oath, of the entire number of his shirts and other necessary articles in his wardrobe. The list he is requested to commit to memory, and be prepared for an examination on it, before the Faculty, at some specified hour. This the new-comer usually pa.s.ses with due satisfaction, and no little trepidation, in the presence of an august a.s.semblage of his student professors. He is now remanded to his room to take his bed, and to rise about midnight bell for breakfast. The 'Callithumpians' (in this Inst.i.tution a regularly organized company), 'Squallinaders,' or 'Masquers,' perform their part during the livelong night with instruments 'harsh thunder grating,' to insure to the poor youth a sleepless night, and give him full time to con over and curse in his heart the miseries of a college existence. Our fellow-comrade is now up, dressed, and washed, perhaps two hours in advance of the first light of dawn, and, under the guidance of a _posse comitatus_ of older students, is kindly conducted to his morning meal. A long alley, technically 'Green Alley,' terminating with a brick wall, informing all, 'Thus far shalt thou go, and no farther,' is pointed out to him, with directions 'to follow his nose and keep straight ahead.' Of course the unsophisticated finds himself completely nonplused, and gropes his way back, amidst the loud vociferations of 'Go it, green un!'

With due apologies for the treatment he has received, and violent denunciations against the former _posse_ for their unheard-of insolence towards the gentleman, he is now placed under different guides, who volunteer their services 'to see him through.' Suffice it to be said, that he is again egregiously 'taken in,' being deposited in the Rotunda or Lecture-room, and told to ring for whatever he wants, either coffee or hot biscuit, but particularly enjoined not to leave without special permission from one of the Faculty. The length of his sojourn in this place, where he is finally left, is of course in proportion to his state of verdancy."

INSPECTOR OF THE COLLEGE. At Yale College, a person appointed to ascertain, inspect, and estimate all damages done to the College buildings and appurtenances, whenever required by the President.

All repairs, additions, and alterations are made under his inspection, and he is also authorized to determine whether the College chambers are fit for the reception of the students.

Formerly the inspectorship in Harvard College was held by one of the members of the College government. His duty was to examine the state of the College public buildings, and also at stated times to examine the exterior and interior of the buildings occupied by the students, and to cause such repairs to be made as were in his opinion proper. The same duties are now performed by the _Superintendent of Public Buildings_.--_Laws Yale Coll._, 1837, p. 22. _Laws Harv. Coll._, 1814, p. 58, and 1848, p 29.

The duties of the _Inspector of the College Buildings_, at Middlebury, are similar to those required of the inspector at Yale.--_Laws Md. Coll._, 1839, pp. 15, 16.

IN STATU PUPILLARI. Latin; literally, _in a state of pupilage_. In the English universities, one who is subject to collegiate laws, discipline, and officers is said to be _in statu pupillari_.

And the short s.p.a.ce that here we tarry, At least "_in statu pupillari_,"

Forbids our growing hopes to germ, Alas! beyond the appointed term.

_Grad. ad Cantab._, p. 109.

INTERLINEAR. A printed book, with a written translation between the lines. The same as an _illuminated_ book; for an account of which, see under ILLUMINATE.

Then devotes himself to study, with a steady, earnest zeal, And scorns an _Interlinear_, or a Pony's meek appeal.

_Poem before Iadma_, 1850, p. 20.

INTERLINER. Same as INTERLINEAR.

In the "Memorial of John S. Popkin, D.D.," a Professor at Harvard College, Professor Felton observes: "He was a mortal enemy to translations, '_interliners_,' and all such subsidiary helps in learning lessons; he cla.s.sed them all under the opprobrious name of 'facilities,' and never scrupled to seize them as contraband goods. When he withdrew from College, he had a large and valuable collection of this species of literature. In one of the notes to his Three Lectures he says: 'I have on hand a goodly number of these confiscated wares, full of ma.n.u.script innotations, which I seized in the way of duty, and would now restore to the owners on demand, without their proving property or paying charges.'"--p.

lxxvii.

Ponies, _Interliners_, Ticks, Screws, and Deads (these are all college verbalities) were all put under contribution.--_A Tour through College_, Boston, 1832, p. 25.

INTONITANS BOLUS. Greek, [Greek: bolos], a lump. Latin, _bolus_, a bit, a morsel. English, _bolus_, a ma.s.s of anything made into a large pill. It may be translated _a thundering pill_. At Harvard College, the _Intonitans Bolus_ was a great cane or club which was given nominally to the strongest fellow in the graduating cla.s.s; "but really," says a correspondent, "to the greatest bully," and thus was transmitted, as an entailed estate, to the Samsons of College. If any one felt that he had been wronged in not receiving this emblem of valor, he was permitted to take it from its possessor if he could. In later years the club presented a very curious appearance; being almost entirely covered with the names of those who had held it, carved on its surface in letters of all imaginable shapes and descriptions. At one period, it was in the possession of Richard Jeffrey Cleveland, a member of the cla.s.s of 1827, and was by him transmitted to Jonathan Saunderson of the cla.s.s of 1828. It has disappeared within the last fifteen or twenty years, and its hiding-place, even if it is in existence, is not known.