Other formats

    Adobe Portable Document Format file (facsimile images)   TEI XML file   ePub eBook file  

Connect

    mail icontwitter iconBlogspot iconrss icon

The Spike: or, Victoria University College Review October 1905

Capping Day

page 48

Capping Day

"Allowed by order of law, furred gown to keep him warm."
"I see the're like to have neither cap or gown."

Shaksspere [sic].

Sketch of mortarboards with capping day written on them

This year the ceremony on Diploma Day was held in het Town Hall—the last time, we hope, it will have to be performed under an alien roof. The Concert Hall was only fairly well filled—some friends stayed away afraid to face the weather, others perhaps because they had heard they were to be delivered over to the mercies of the eloquent and that their fate was to be unbrightened by any ray of relief from the undergrads.

The Chancellor's speech dealt chiefly with the duties and privilege of the graduates seemed to consider they had heard some-back, attempted various tunes on their toy bagpipes. The interrupters, after a warning, were silenced by a threat to stop the proceedings and confer the degrees in private. This dire threat was received with applause, and the remainder of the proceedings would have done credit even to Auckland.

After the conferring to the degrees, the registrar of the University, gave a resumé of the last Senate meeting. Dr. Chapple, speaking as a general practitioner of education, urged to be more useful than the ordinary classics. Incidently he congratulated "Professor" Hunter on his enterprise in obtaining the promise of apparatus for experimental psychology. Professor von Zedlitz had great pleasure, on behalf of himself and colleagues, speaking as specialist, in demolishing the theories of the last speaking Doubtless the value of Mental Science was great, and would be more so when the new apparatus was obtained, but the profs. Were unanimous in preferring to teach students who had wrestled with the Latin grammar, and as to the inapplicability page 49 of the experimental methods he looked forward confidently to the time when in our Hall on the hill, busts of Roman worthies would on the pressure of a knob discourse Ciceronian Latin with a Glasgow accent.

Capping Carnival.

"Come fill the cup and in the Fire of Spring
Your winter Garments of Repentance fling,
The Bird of Time has but a little way
To flutter and the Bird is on the Wing."

Omar.

Capping carnival

Sydney Street Schoolroom proved all too small to seat the crowd who had come to see whether the students of Victoria Coll. Had been so crushed in spirits by the reproofs of the afternoon as to be unable to rejoice.

The musical part of the programme was contributed to by Miss Isaacs, F. P. Wilson and B. J. Jacobs. The latter was vociferously encored for his rendering to some severely classical coon songs.

The Glee Club under the direction of F. P. Wilson, rendered some of the College songs written for the occasion. One cannot truthfully say that they were given with the vigour and volume expected in a student song. The men seemed too bashful to lift up their voices—even from the back-though later on some long intervals between the items was taken advantage of. It seems a pity that that modesty which is so distinguishing a feature of V.C. students should have taken so virulent a form—as the musical director pointed out what the public expects is volume and any amount of it. The first part of the programme ended with "Humoursities." The Land Commission was shown still sitting in 1930, and various citizens appeared to aid it in its labours.

page 50

A guardian of the law—one who in his size and ferocity of aspect was calculated to strike terror into the boldest desperados—appeared, and between stops for refreshment—informed us in a sepulchral whisper of his travels with the Commission.

The City Coroner related how, hardened by life-long practice—he alone of the original Commissioners was left—the rest, talked to death by the stream of witnesses had dropped off one by one . Although he admitted he knew nothing about land, or matters agricultural, he felt would not be right to allow the witnesses to depart without hearing his noble "Ode to a Turnip." The ode recited in A. Tudhope's most melting tones, appeared to deeply affect the witnesses.

R. G. Knight (V. B. Willis) on his famous tricycle, discussed with much volubility and confusion, on his chances for the next election—the question of Saturday v Sunday, and his dislike to being taken for a College Councillor. He was followed by another aspirant for parliamentary honours, J. Hutcheson, who in fiery language, told of his "assassination"; the annunciation of his political creed "Up with jack Hutcheson," left no doubt as to the sincerity of the speaker—Taylor. Messrs Quick and Luckie, perhaps the best impersonations of the evening, were represented by Tustin and S. S. Mackenzie. They told on naïve terms of the summits reached and kept by themselves and their families.

A fearsome figure—mainly legs and wings—attired in football costume—appeared next and proclaimed himself in G. G Smith's dulcet tones to be Jimmy Duncan—the old crock still worth his place in any team. W. Gillanders as member for Wairara-a-pa brought before the notice of the Commission the preeminent claims of his electorate.

The Commission were, at this point, seized with an uncontrollable impulse to vent their feelings more forcibly, and Commission, policemen, witnesses, and agriculturists joined in a hake of amazing vigour.

The second part of the entertainment opened with an innovation, (the fame of which has spread to our friends in the South) a coon song by five College ladies made up appropriately. Much to the disappointment of the audience, some of the College songs in the second part had to be omitted owing to lack of time.

The Concert was concluded by a farce in which the dangers to which "Sarah's Young Man" exposed himself, and the confusion his advent caused in an hitherto peaceful home, were page 51 convincingly displayed. Mr. Moggridge (J. Stout) an elderly gentleman and victim to the green-eyed monster, showed his suspicious nature to the uneasiness of Mrs. Moggridge. Sam Sloeleaf (S. Grundy) as the lover of Sarah, (John Graham) gave his part such an air of reality as to make the audience wonder where he obtained his training. R. M. Watson as Mrs. Moggridge, and B. Millier as the slim-waisted Araminta, the admired and admirer of Harry Fielding, (W. Perry) carried out in a most natural manner, their amorous roles.

The Supper.

"What needs we tell their feasts and goodly guise
In which was nothing riotous nor vain."

Spenser.

At the conclusion of the concert, an adjournment was made to the gymnasium, where the usual supper in honour of he graduates of the year was given to Professors, Students and Councillors. The supper must be pronounced a great success, if judged by the amount of enthusiasm and mutual admiration displayed. Speeches were made by Sir Robert Stout, Professors von Zedlitz and Easterfield, H. H. Ostler and W. Gillanders. Professor von Zedlitz replying to the toast of the "Professors and Lecturers," told of his grievous disappointed, when on going to the various profs. After the Long vacation to find out what was stirring in the University world (he himself had evidently passed the time in study), he fund them altogether averse to discussing educational problems. One prof., however, impressed on him his belief in the deep significance and profound truth of the saying "that the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world." During the evening the prize won at the Easter Tournament were presented. A presentation was also made to P. W. Robertson, the departing Rhodes Scholar. It took the form of a travelling bag, fitted with everything requisite. From a needle upwards. When it was seen that, unhappily, the toast list was exhausted and there was nothing left to cheer, those who wished to end a good day well, returned to the hall, where dancing was kept up vigorously till the small hours.

Sketch of a peacock