A Collection of College Words and Customs Part 87

"Besides the public tutors appointed in each college," says De Quincey, writing of Oxford, "there are also tutors strictly private, who attend any students in search of special and extraordinary aid, on terms settled privately by themselves. Of these persons, or their existence, the college takes no cognizance." "These are the working agents in the Oxford system."

"The _Tutors_ of Oxford correspond to the _Professors_ of other universities."--_Life and Manners_, Boston, 1851, pp. 252, 253.

Referring to Cambridge, Bristed remarks: "The private tutor at an English university corresponds, as has been already observed, in many respects, to the _professor_ at a German. The German professor is not _necessarily_ attached to any specific chair; he receives no _fixed_ stipend, and has not public lecture-rooms; he teaches at his own house, and the number of his pupils depends on his reputation. The Cambridge private tutor is also a graduate, who takes pupils at his rooms in numbers proportionate to his reputation and ability. And although while the German professor is regularly licensed as such by his university, and the existence of the private tutor _as such_ is not even officially recognized by his, still this difference is more apparent than real; for the English university has _virtually_ licensed the tutor to instruct in a particular branch by the standing she has given him in her examinations." "Students come up to the University with all degrees of preparation.... To make up for former deficiences, and to direct study so that it may not be wasted, are two _desiderata_ which probably led to the introduction of private tutors, once a partial, now a general appliance."--_Five Years in an Eng. Univ._, Ed. 2d, pp. 146-148.

TUTORSHIP. The office of a tutor.--_Hooker_.

In the following pa.s.sage, this word is used as a t.i.tulary compellation, like the word _lordship_.

One morning, as the story goes, Before his _tutorship_ arose.--_Rebelliad_, p. 73.

TUTORS' PASTURE. In 1645, John Bulkley, the "first Master of Arts in Harvard College," by a deed, gave to Mr. Dunster, the President of that inst.i.tution, two acres of land in Cambridge, during his life. The deed then proceeds: "If at any time he shall leave the Presidency, or shall decease, I then desire the College to appropriate the same to itself for ever, as a small gift from an alumnus, bearing towards it the greatest good-will." "After President Dunster's resignation," says Quincy, "the Corporation gave the income of Bulkley's donation to the tutors, who received it for many years, and hence the enclosure obtained the name of '_Tutors' Pasture_,' or '_Fellows' Orchard_.'" In the Donation Book of the College, the deed is introduced as "Extractum Doni Pomarii Sociorum per Johannem Bulkleium."--_Quincy's Hist. Harv.

Univ._, Vol. I. pp. 269, 270.

For further remarks on this subject, see Peirce's "History of Harvard University," pp. 15, 81, 113, also Chap. XIII., and "Memorial of John S. Popkin, D.D.," pp. 390, 391.

TWITCH A TWELVE. At Middlebury College, to make a perfect recitation; twelve being the maximum mark for scholarship.

_U_.

UGLY KNIFE. See JACK-KNIFE.

UNDERGRADUATE. A student, or member of a university or college, who has not taken his first degree.--_Webster_.

UNDERGRADUATE. Noting or pertaining to a student of a college who has not taken his first degree.

The _undergraduate_ students shall be divided into four distinct cla.s.ses.--_Laws Yale Coll._, 1837, p. 11.

With these the _undergraduate_ course is not intended to interfere.--_Yale Coll. Cat._, 1850-51, p. 33.

UNDERGRADUATESHIP. The state of being an undergraduate.--_Life of Paley_.

UNIVERSITY. An a.s.semblage of colleges established in any place, with professors for instructing students in the sciences and other branches of learning, and where degrees are conferred. A _university_ is properly a universal school, in which are taught all branches of learning, or the four faculties of theology, medicine, law, and the sciences and arts.--_Cyclopaedia_.

2. At some American colleges, a name given to a university student. The regulation in reference to this cla.s.s at Union College is as follows:--"Students, not regular members of college, are allowed, as university students, to prosecute any branches for which they are qualified, provided they attend three recitations daily, and conform in all other respects to the laws of College.

On leaving College, they receive certificates of character and scholarship."--_Union Coll. Cat._, 1850.

The eyes of several Freshmen and _Universities_ shone with a watery l.u.s.tre.--_The Parthenon_, Vol. I. p. 20.

UP. To be _up_ in a subject, is to be informed in regard to it.

_Posted_ expresses a similar idea. The use of this word, although common among collegians, is by no means confined to them.

In our past history, short as it is, we would hardly expect them to be well _up_.--_Bristed's Five Years in an Eng. Univ._, Ed. 2d, p. 28.

He is well _up_ in metaphysics.--_Ibid._, p. 53.

UPPER HOUSE. See SENATE.

_V_.

VACATION. The intermission of the regular studies and exercises of a college or other seminary, when the students have a recess.--_Webster_.

In the University of Cambridge, Eng., there are three vacations during each year. Christmas vacation begins on the 16th of December, and ends on the 13th of January. Easter vacation begins on the Friday before Palm Sunday, and ends on the eleventh day after Easter-day. The Long vacation begins on the Friday succeeding the first Tuesday in July, and ends on the 10th of October. At the University of Oxford there are four vacations in each year. At Dublin University there are also four vacations, which correspond nearly with the vacations of Oxford.

See TERM.

VALEDICTION. A farewell; a bidding farewell. Used sometimes with the meaning of _valedictory_ or _valedictory oration_.

Two publick Orations, by the Candidates: the one to give a specimen of their Knowledge, &c., and the other to give a grateful and pathetick _Valediction_ to all the Officers and Members of the Society.--_Clap's Hist. Yale Coll._, p. 87.

VALEDICTORIAN. The student of a college who p.r.o.nounces the valedictory oration at the annual Commencement.--_Webster_.

VALEDICTORY. In American colleges, a farewell oration or address spoken at Commencement, by a member of the cla.s.s which receive the degree of Bachelor of Arts, and take their leave of college and of each other.

VARMINT. At Cambridge, England, and also among the whip gentry, this word signifies natty, spruce, dashing; e.g. he is quite _varmint_; he sports a _varmint_ hat, coat, &c.

A _varmint_ man spurns a scholarship, would consider it a degradation to be a fellow.--_Gradus ad Cantab._, p. 122.

The handsome man, my friend and pupil, was naturally enough a bit of a swell, or _varmint_ man.--_Alma Mater_, Vol. II. p. 118.

VERGER. At the University of Oxford, an officer who walks first in processions, and carries a silver rod.

VICE-CHANCELLOR. An officer in a university, in England, a distinguished member, who is annually elected to manage the affairs in the absence of the Chancellor. He must be the head of a college, and during his continuance in office he acts as a magistrate for the university, town, and county.--_Cam. Cal._

At Oxford, the Vice-Chancellor holds a court, in which suits may be brought against any member of the University. He never walks out, without being preceded by a Yeoman-Bedel with his silver staff. At Cambridge, the Mayor and Bailiffs of the town are obliged, at their election, to take certain oaths before the Vice-Chancellor. The Vice-Chancellor has the sole right of licensing wine and ale-houses in Cambridge, and of _discommuning_ any tradesman or inhabitant who has violated the University privileges or regulations. In both universities, the Vice-Chancellor is nominated by the Heads of Houses, from among themselves.