A Collection of College Words and Customs Part 64

"It is a very jolly thing, Our sitting down in this great ring, To smoke our pipes and loudly sing."--_Ibid._

Pleasant reference is had to some of the more modern features of Presentation Day, in the annexed extract from the "Yale Literary Magazine":--

"There is one spot where the elms stretch their long arms, not 'in quest of thought,' but as though they would afford their friendly shade to make pleasant the last scene of the academic life. Seated in a circle in this place, which has been so often trampled by the 'stag-dance' of preceding cla.s.ses, and made hallowed by a.s.sociations which will cling around such places, are the present graduates. They have met together for the last time as a body, for they will not all be present at the closing ceremony of Commencement, nor all answer to the muster in the future Cla.s.s reunions. It is hard to tell whether such a ceremony should be sad or joyous, for, despite the boisterous merriment and exuberance which arises from the prospect of freedom, there is something tender in the thought of meeting for the last time, to break strong ties, and lose individuality as a Cla.s.s for ever.

"In the centre of the circle are the Cla.s.s band, with horns, flutes, and violins, braying, piping, or saw-filing, at the option of the owners,--toot,--toot,--b.u.m,--bang,--boo-o-o,--in a most melodious discord. Songs are distributed, pipes filled, and the smoke cloud rises, trembles as the chorus of a hundred voices rings out in a merry cadence, and then, breaking, soars off,--a fit emblem of the separation of those at whose parting it received its birth.

"'Braxton on the history of the Cla.s.s!'

"'The Cla.s.s history!--Braxton!--Braxton!'

"'In a moment, gentlemen,'--and our hero mounts upon a cask, and proceeds to give in burlesque a description of Cla.s.s exploits and the wonderful success of its _early_ graduates. Speeches follow, and the joke, and song, till the lengthening shadows bring a warning, and a preparation for the final ceremony. The ring is spread out, the last pipes smoked in College laid down, and the 'stag-dance,' with its rush, and their destruction ended. Again the ring forms, and each cla.s.smate moves around it to grasp each hand for the last time, and exchange a parting blessing.

"The band strike up, and the long procession march around the College, plant their ivy, and return to cheer the buildings."--Vol. XX. p. 228.

The following song was written by Francis Miles Finch of the cla.s.s of 1849, for the Presentation Day of that year.

"Gather ye smiles from the ocean isles, Warm hearts from river and fountain, A playful chime from the palm-tree clime, From the land of rock and mountain: And roll the song in waves along, For the hours are bright before us, And grand and hale are the elms of Yale, Like fathers, bending o'er us.

"Summon our band from the prairie land, From the granite hills, dark frowning, From the lakelet blue, and the black bayou, From the snows our pine peaks crowning; And pour the song in joy along, For the hours are bright before us, And grand and hale are the towers of Yale, Like giants, watching o'er us.

"Count not the tears of the long-gone years, With their moments of pain and sorrow, But laugh in the light of their memories bright, And treasure them all for the morrow; Then roll the song in waves along, While the hours are bright before us, And high and hale are the spires of Yale, Like guardians, towering o'er us.

"Dream of the days when the rainbow rays Of Hope on our hearts fell lightly, And each fair hour some cheerful flower In our pathway blossomed brightly; And pour the song in joy along, Ere the moments fly before us, While portly and hale the sires of Yale Are kindly gazing o'er us.

"Linger again in memory's glen, 'Mid the tendrilled vines of feeling, Till a voice or a sigh floats softly by, Once more to the glad heart stealing; And roll the song on waves along, For the hours are bright before us, And in cottage and vale are the brides of Yale, Like angels, watching o'er us.

"Clasp ye the hand 'neath the arches grand That with garlands span our greeting, With a silent prayer that an hour as fair May smile on each after meeting; And long may the song, the joyous song, Roll on in the hours before us, And grand and hale may the elms of Yale, For many a year, bend o'er us."

In the Appendix to President Woolsey's Historical Discourse delivered before the Graduates of Yale College, is the following account of Presentation Day, in 1778.

"The Professor of Divinity, two ministers of the town, and another minister, having accompanied me to the Library about 1, P.M., the middle Tutor waited upon me there, and informed me that the examination was finished, and they were ready for the presentation. I gave leave, being seated in the Library between the above ministers. Hereupon the examiners, preceded by the Professor of Mathematics, entered the Library, and introduced thirty candidates, a beautiful sight! The Diploma Examinatorium, with the return and minutes inscribed upon it, was delivered to the President, who gave it to the Vice-Bedellus, directing him to read it. He read it and returned it to the President, to be deposited among the College archives _in perpetuam rei memoriam_.

The senior Tutor thereupon made a very eloquent Latin speech, and presented the candidates for the honors of the College. This presentation the President in a Latin speech accepted, and addressed the gentlemen examiners and the candidates, and gave the latter liberty to return home till Commencement. Then dismissed.

"At about 3, P.M., the afternoon exercises were appointed to begin. At 3-1/2, the bell tolled, and the a.s.sembly convened in the chapel, ladies and gentlemen. The President introduced the exercises in a Latin speech, and then delivered the Diploma Examinatorium to the Vice-Bedellus, who, standing on the pulpit stairs, read it publicly. Then succeeded,--

Cliosophic Oration in Latin, by Sir Meigs.

Poetical Composition in English, by Sir Barlow.

Dialogue, English, by Sir Miller, Sir Chaplin, Sir Ely.

Cliosophic Oration, English, by Sir Webster.

Disputation, English, by Sir Wolcott, Sir Swift, Sir Smith.

Valedictory Oration, English, by Sir Tracy.

An Anthem. Exercises two hours."--p. 121.

PRESIDENT. In the United States, the chief officer of a college or university. His duties are, to preside at the meetings of the Faculty, at Exhibitions and Commencements, to sign the diplomas or letters of degree, to carry on the official correspondence, to address counsel and instruction to the students, and to exercise a general superintendence in the affairs of the college over which he presides.

At Harvard College it was formerly the duty of the President "to inspect the manners of the students, and unto his morning and evening prayers to join some exposition of the chapters which they read from Hebrew into Greek, from the Old Testament, in the morning, and out of English into Greek, from the New Testament, in the evening." At the same College, in the early part of the last century, Mr. Wadsworth, the President, states, "that he expounded the Scriptures, once eleven, and sometimes eight or nine times in the course of a week."--_Harv. Reg._, p. 249, and _Quincy's Hist.

Harv. Univ._, Vol. I. p. 440.

Similar duties were formerly required of the President at other American colleges. In some, at the present day, he performs the duties of a professor in connection with those of his own office, and presides at the daily religious exercises in the Chapel.

The t.i.tle of President is given to the chief officer in some of the colleges of the English universities.

PRESIDENT'S CHAIR. At Harvard College, there is in the Library an antique chair, venerable by age and a.s.sociation, which is used only on Commencement Day, when it is occupied by the President while engaged in delivering the diplomas for degrees. "Vague report," says Quincy, "represents it to have been brought to the College during the presidency of Holyoke, as the gift of the Rev.

Ebenezer Turell of Medford (the author of the Life of Dr. Colman).

Turell was connected by marriage with the Mathers, by some of whom it is said to have been brought from England." Holyoke was President from 1737 to 1769. The round k.n.o.bs on the chair were turned by President Holyoke, and attached to it by his own hands.

In the picture of this honored gentleman, belonging to the College, he is painted in the old chair, which seems peculiarly adapted by its strength to support the weight which fills it.

Before the erection of Gore Hall, the present library building, the books of the College were kept in Harvard Hall. In the same building, also, was the Philosophy Chamber, where the chair usually stood for the inspection of the curious. Over this domain, from the year 1793 to 1800, presided Mr. Samuel Shapleigh, the Librarian. He was a dapper little bachelor, very active and remarkably attentive to the ladies who visited the Library, especially the younger portion of them. When ushered into the room where stood the old chair, he would watch them with eager eyes, and, as soon as one, prompted by a desire of being able to say, "I have sat in the President's Chair," took this seat, rubbing his hands together, he would exclaim, in great glee, "A forfeit! a forfeit!" and demand from the fair occupant a kiss, a fee which, whether refused or not, he very seldom failed to obtain.[61]

This custom, which seems now-a-days to be going out of fashion, is mentioned by Mr. William Biglow, in a poem before the Phi Beta Kappa Society, recited in their dining-hall, August 29, 1811.

Speaking of Commencement Day and its observances, he says:--

"Now young gallants allure their favorite fair To take a seat in Presidential chair; Then seize the long-accustomed fee, the bliss Of the half ravished, half free-granted kiss."

The editor of Mr. Peirce's History of Harvard University publishes the following curious extracts from Horace Walpole's Private Correspondence, giving a description of some antique chairs found in England, exactly of the same construction with the College chair; a circ.u.mstance which corroborates the supposition that this also was brought from England.

HORACE WALPOLE TO GEORGE MONTAGU, ESQ.

"_Strawberry Hill, August_ 20, 1761.

"d.i.c.key Bateman has picked up a whole cloister full of old chairs in Herefordshire. He bought them one by one, here and there in farm-houses, for three and sixpence and a crown apiece. They are of wood, the seats triangular, the backs, arms, and legs loaded with turnery. A thousand to one but there are plenty up and down Cheshire, too. If Mr. and Mrs. Wetenhall, as they ride or drive out, would now and then pick up such a chair, it would oblige me greatly. Take notice, no two need be of the same pattern."--_Private Correspondence of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford_, Vol. II. p. 279.

HORACE WALPOLE TO THE REV. MR. COLE.

"_Strawberry Hill, March_ 9, 1765.

"When you go into Cheshire, and upon your ramble, may I trouble you with a commission? but about which you must promise me not to go a step out of your way. Mr. Bateman has got a cloister at old Windsor furnished with ancient wooden chairs, most of them triangular, but all of various patterns, and carved and turned in the most uncouth and whimsical forms. He picked them up one by one, for two, three, five, or six shillings apiece, from different farm-houses in Herefordshire. I have long envied and coveted them.

There may be such in poor cottages in so neighboring a county as Cheshire. I should not grudge any expense for purchase or carriage, and should be glad even of a couple such for my cloister here. When you are copying inscriptions in a churchyard in any Village, think of me, and step into the first cottage you see, but don't take further trouble than that."--_Ibid._, Vol. III. pp. 23, 24, from _Peirce's Hist. Harv. Univ._, p. 312.

An engraving of the chair is to be found in President Quincy's History of Harvard University, Vol. I. p. 288.

PREVARICATOR. A sort of an occasional orator; an academical phrase in the University of Cambridge, Eng.--_Johnson_.

He should not need have pursued me through the various shapes of a divine, a doctor, a head of a college, a professor, a _prevaricator_, a mathematician.--_Bp. Wren, Monarchy a.s.serted_, Pref.

It would have made you smile to hear the _prevaricator_, in his jocular way, give him his t.i.tle and character to face.--_A.

Philips, Life of Abp. Williams_, p. 34.

See TERRae-FILIUS.

PREVIOUS EXAMINATION. In the English universities, the University examination in the second year.

Called also the LITTLE-GO.