A Collection of College Words and Customs Part 72

This word is used in the universities and colleges of both England and America.

SCREW. In some American colleges, an excessive, unnecessarily minute, and annoying examination of a student by an instructor is called a _screw_. The instructor is often designated by the same name.

Haunted by day with fearful _screw_.

_Harvard Lyceum_, p. 102.

_Screws_, duns, and other such like evils.

_Rebelliad_, p. 77.

One must experience all the stammering and stuttering, the unending doubtings and guessings, to understand fully the power of a mathematical _screw_.--_Harv. Reg._, p. 378.

The consequence was, a patient submission to the _screw_, and a loss of college honors and patronage.--_A Tour through College_, Boston, 1832, p. 26.

I'll tell him a whopper next time, and astonish him so that he'll forget his _screws_.--_Yale Lit. Mag._, Vol. XI. p. 336.

What a darned _screw_ our tutor is.--_Ibid._

Apprehension of the severity of the examination, or what in after times, by an academic figure of speech, was called s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g, or a _screw_, was what excited the chief dread.--_Willard's Memories of Youth and Manhood_, Vol. I. p. 256.

Pa.s.sing such an examination is often denominated _taking a screw_.

And sad it is to _take a screw_.

_Harv. Reg._, p. 287.

2. At Bowdoin College, an imperfect recitation is called a _screw_.

You never should look blue, sir, If you chance to take a "_screw_," sir, To us it's nothing new, sir, To drive dull care away.

_The Bowdoin Creed_.

We've felt the cruel, torturing _screw_, And oft its driver's ire.

_Song, Soph.o.m.ore Supper, Bowdoin Coll._, 1850.

SCREW. To press with an excessive and unnecessarily minute examination.

Who would let a tutor knave _Screw _him like a Guinea slave!

_Rebelliad_, p. 53.

Have I been _screwed_, yea, deaded morn and eve, Some dozen moons of this collegiate life?

_Harvardiana_, Vol. III. p. 255.

O, I do well remember when in college, How we fought reason,--battles all in play,-- Under a most portentous man of knowledge, The captain-general in the bloodless fray; He was a wise man, and a good man, too, And robed himself in green whene'er he came to _screw_.

_Our Chronicle of '26_, Boston, 1827.

In a note to the last quotation, the author says of the word _screw_: "For the information of the inexperienced, we explain this as a term quite rife in the universities, and, taken substantively, signifying an intellectual nonplus."

At last the day is ended, The tutor _screws_ no more.

_Knick. Mag._, Vol. XLV. p. 195.

s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g UP. The meaning of this phrase, as understood by English Cantabs, may be gathered from the following extract. "A magnificent sofa will be lying close to a door ... bored through from top to bottom from the _s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g up_ of some former unpopular tenant; "_s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g up_" being the process of fastening on the outside, with nails and screws, every door of the hapless wight's apartments. This is done at night, and in the morning the gentleman is leaning three-fourths out of his window, bawling for rescue."--_Westminster Rev._, Am. Ed., Vol. x.x.xV. p. 239.

SCRIBBLING-PAPER. A kind of writing-paper, rather inferior in quality, a trifle larger than foolscap, and used at the English universities by mathematicians and in the lecture-room.--_Bristed.

Grad. ad Cantab._

Cards are commonly sold at Cambridge as "_scribbling-paper_."--_Westminster Rev._, Am. ed., Vol. x.x.xV. p.

238.

The summer apartment contained only a big standing-desk, the eternal "_scribbling-paper_," and the half-dozen mathematical works required.--_Bristed's Five Years in an Eng. Univ._, Ed. 2d, p. 218.

SCROUGE. An exaction. A very long lesson, or any hard or unpleasant task, is usually among students denominated a _scrouge_.

SCROUGE. To exact; to extort; said of an instructor who imposes difficult tasks on his pupils.

It is used provincially in England, and in America in some of the Northern and Southern States, with the meaning _to crowd, to squeeze_.--_Bartlett's Dict. of Americanisms_.

SCRUB. At Columbia College, a servant.

2. One who is disliked for his meanness, ill-breeding, or vulgarity. Nearly equivalent to SPOON, q.v.

SCRUBBY. Possessing the qualities of a scrub. Partially synonymous with the adjective SPOONY, q.v.

SCRUTATOR. In the University of Cambridge, England, an officer whose duty it is to attend all _Congregations_, to read the _graces_ to the lower house of the Senate, to gather the votes secretly, or to take them openly in scrutiny, and publicly to p.r.o.nounce the a.s.sent or dissent of that house.--_Cam. Cal._

SECOND-YEAR MEN. In the University of Cambridge, Eng., the t.i.tle of _Second-Year Men_, or _Junior Sophs_ or _Sophisters_, is given to students during the second year of their residence at the University.

SECTION COURT. At Union College, the college buildings are divided into sections, a section comprising about fifteen rooms. Within each section is established a court, which is composed of a judge, an advocate, and a secretary, who are chosen by the students resident therein from their own number, and hold their offices during one college term. Each section court claims the power to summon for trial any inhabitant within the bounds of its jurisdiction who may be charged with improper conduct. The accused may either defend himself, or select some person to plead for him, such residents of the section as choose to do so acting as jurors.

The prisoner, if found guilty, is sentenced at the discretion of the court,--generally, to treat the company to some specified drink or dainty. These courts often give occasion for a great deal of fun, and sometimes call out real wit and eloquence.

At one of our "_section courts_," which those who expected to enter upon the study of the law used to hold, &c.--_The Parthenon, Union Coll._, 1851, p. 19.

SECTION OFFICER. At Union College, each section of the college buildings, containing about fifteen rooms, is under the supervision of a professor or tutor, who is styled the _section officer_. This officer is required to see that there be no improper noise in the rooms or corridors, and to report the absence of students from chapel and recitation, and from their rooms during study hours.

SEED. In Yale College this word is used to designate what is understood by the common cant terms, "a youth"; "case"; "bird"; "b'hoy"; "one of 'em."

While tutors, every sport defeating, And under feet-worn stairs secreting, And each dark lane and alley beating, Hunt up the _seeds_ in vain retreating.

_Yale Banger_, Nov. 1849.