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The Spike or Victoria College Review, October 1903

University Reform

page 8

University Reform

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We Undergraduates are all proud of our Minister of Education, and admire above all things the ease with which he gets University Degrees without being harassed by examinations or other relics of barbarism. We live in the hope that our own University will take a tip from Cambridge and Edinburgh, so that we may be saved many a weary hour in the lecture-room, and graduate just the same. Under such circumstances life might be tolerable. Instead of breaking down our health in the vain attempt to extract roots from quadratic equations (we have passed the stage of civilisation when men yearned for roots), we might be learning something really useful, e.g., to dance without torture to our partners or to smoke a good cigar. But revenons à nos moutons, or rather to the advertiser of our mutton. We are delighted to learn that after shaking up everything in South Africa and in England, he is about to turn his attention nearer home and reform the education of this colony, fie has told us so, and his is the word of a Maori chief, whose word has never been broken. He has begun with characteristic energy by putting the work upon a Parliamentary Committee, the members of which are not embarassed by too much knowledge of the subject. We suggest that they summon all the members of Victoria College, who will be most happy to give the Committee much useful information about education and other matters. Failing this, the Committee might do well to inform themselves of the lines laid down by University reformers in the past. There has been no lack of suggestions, and if the Universities of the Old Country are not so thoroughly reformed as they ought to be, it is not for want of Reform Committees. Indeed, since the Norman Conquest there have been nearly as many of these Committees as there have been Royal Commissions in New Zealand during the last decade. They seem, too, to have this in common with modern Committees, that they effect less in a long time than most other products of human ingenuity, not excepting Parliament. However, they occasionally make admirable suggestions, and if these are not adopted, the blame naturally rests on the opposition party. We understand that the Parliamentary Committee recently established in too busily engaged in settling the liquor problem (it seems that there is a difference of opinion as to which is the best brand page 9 of whiskey) to Lave much time for historical research. We venture to call their attention to some reforms suggested (and occasionally carried out) by their predecessors in office some two hundred years ago:—

1."A catechist to be appointed to instruct undergraduates at S a.m. on Sunday, and to hear all cases of conscience."
2.In 1452 superfluous oaths were abolished.
3."Fasting nights to be abolished, and suppers provided in the College hall."
4."The University bell to be tolled for half-au-hour before evensong" (not during lectures, as at present).
5."No undergraduate to treat any examiner or other officer (e.g.. registrar) of the University."
6."No student, to have a debt above 5s. with any person keeping a coffee-house, cook's shop, or any public house whatever."
7."The President" (i.e., Chairman of College Council) "is the proper entertainer of students' relatives."
8."Lectures not to be too long, nor too early."
9.Law lecturers were required by Statute (1450) to lecture not 'drawlingly' (tractim) but 'rapidly' (raptim).
10.Students to be restrained from showing their appreciation of lectures by 'shouting, hissing, groaning, or throwing stones.'
11.Students' habit of sitting on benches to be sternly repressed, and the old rule of sitting on the floor strictly enforced "ut ocuasio superbiae a juvenibus secludatur."
12."Students to be encouraged to do their duty" (e.g., pay their fees) "rather than forced."
13."A hospital, called Drone Hall, to be built for Professors who live a dronish, slothful life."
14."All pecuniary punishments to go to the College Council or other poor."
15."That a Court of Appeal from the dominant power in the University be established."
16."The examiners to be paid from the stipend of the useless lecturers in Logic, and Mental Science."
17."Translations from English into Latin to be looked over by the Professor every week. Permission to be given to any that has a genius that way to write English "(or Maori)" verses instead."
18."A student to be appointed to keep the College Library neat at a payment of four pence a day."
19."No dogs in College."page 10
20."Women to be carted out of the University town and not allowed to return before they are fifty years old."
21."That in the University town the streets be properly paved, and the water be not allowed to run in the middle of them."
22.That the College Council should consider "what gentle methods may be of service to win them over to the Government."
22A."No University distinctions to be given to the grossly idle, ignorant, and vicious."
23."That the new statutes (i.e., Regulations of the Professorial Board) "be Few in Number; Plain in Words; Practicable in Quality; Intelligible by all."

In 1747 we find the head of an Oxford College pleading for the better treatment of the porter. "There is not a greater slave in Turkey than the College porter; and I pronounce that he or his deputy shall die a death immature." All who have watched Mr. St—m—t struggling manfully under the too vast orb of his late will agree with this dictum.

Nothing escaped the keen glance of these reformers of old. Even the lowest menial came in for his share of regard, for we find elaborate regulations as to the proper dress of the College ostler. We earnestly hope that the Parliamentary Committee will take up the matter of University dress, and deal with it in a statesmanlike manner. The problem is a momentous one and our rulers in the past have shirked their duty in not attacking it seriously. Only last year a jealous and far seeing official of the University reported that the foundations of the institution were being undermined by the shameless conduct of one of our undergraduates. He appeared in a garb more befitting the physical strife of a hockey field than the intellectual agonies of an examination hall. Mirabile dictu (those in doubt consult Bradley or O'R—g—n) the University survives, the fact that it still exists being one more tribute to the superiority of our climate, the excellence of our mutton, and the statesmanship of the present government. Certainly the credit is not due to the University Senate, for that august body treated the matter with levity. That Senate was justly doomed, and we hope for better things from the new one, assisted as it will be by a lead from the Parliamentary Committee. For the guidance of that body we reprint some of the regulations and suggestions of byegone days. In 1738 a petition was presented to the University of Cambridge praying "that the dress of the undergraduates be taken into most serious consideration : being in its present state, Indecent, Expensive and Effeminate." This seems to have pro page 11 duced some effect, for shortly afterwards we tind it laid down by Statute that :
1."No one but a Baron is at liberty to expose himself in a Gresn Gold-lac'd Waistcoat, and Red Breeches."
2."There must be no forme of excesse in apparell, either other colour than blacke or such like sad colour "(We blush for the spelling of our ancestors. Men with degrees too, some of them honorary!)
3."That no person that wears a gown" (i.e. no member of the University) "wear boots."
4."No hatt to be worn, except for infirmities sake with a kerchiffe about his head" (of course provision must be made for mumps).
5."That no student of what degree or calling soever doe weare within the Universitie or without anye shirte wrought with any kinde of Bylke or other stuffe, but onelye a playne hemme of the small clothe, and one or two stitches at the most, and with white thred onelye, without cutt, purle, stringe, jagge, carving, lace, twiste, pynke, or any such like, but playne as is aforesaid. The falling band of the shirte not to be turned down on the outsyde in any part of it, above two yardes and a halfe."(This is plainly designed to protect the University from the insidious attacks of those abandoned ones who would appear in sweaters).

These are but examples of the regulations about dress that recommended themselves to the wisdom of our ancestors. We have no space for more; but must proceed at once to a subject that has harassed the University authorities for ages. We refer, of course, to the ceremony of conferring degrees. In the 18th century a statute dealing with this ceremony, directs the University jesters to confine themselves to the exercise of refined and classical wit, all vulgar jesting to be prohibited. Another statute informs us that "to rope dancers there is not the same exception as to Players and Musicians." This seems sound sense, although the University of Bologna laid it down that the new graduates must be escorted through the town preceded by three University pipers and four University trumpeters. The graduate had to send a cap, gloves, and a present of sweetmeats to each of the professors and to the Registrar; and to give a banquet to all his University friends. At some of the Spanish Universities the incepting graduates were required to provide a bull fight for the edification of the University. But it is from the regulations for the picturesque conduct of the actual ceremony of conferring the degree that we have most to learn. It is laid down that "the Chancellor must take leave of the page 12 graduate with a paternal embrace arid a kiss of peace (osculurn pacis)." It is further provided that if the Chancellor be otherwise engaged, his duty in this matter may be undertaken by the Registrar. In some Universities the graduate was expected to kiss the Chancellor, the Registrar, and every professor present. But the authorities were determined that there should be no abuse of privileges. They enacted that the kiss must be one "the sound whereof may be heard distinctly within the four walls." This was evidently intended to check the tendency of University dignitaries to indulge in clandestine pleasures. We strongly recommend - - - -

Here we must close abruptly, for the Editor threatens us with the abhorred shears. Much remains yet to be said, whether anything be done or not. Our patriotism would have stirred us to share largely in the talk. We might even have followed (of course at a respectful distance) in the footsteps of that great orator of antiquity who loved to discourse on any public question for a few brief hours. But the Editor is large and unrelenting. We console ourselves with the reflection, that there would be something uncanny about an Editor who did not close a discussion at an inopportune moment, just as there is something uncanny about a woman who has an opportunity of talking and does not seize it (especially during a lecture).

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