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The Spike: or, Victoria College Review, October 1906

College Notes

page 63

College Notes

sketch of academics talking

Those Chairs

I thought I saw a four-legged chair,
A' standing by the door,
But when I'd time to look again,
I found it was the floor.

Last term we thanked the College Council effusively for presenting us with some "very fine" chairs. We still thank them heartily, but beg to withdraw the epithet. Like patent collapsible beds and patent collapsible tents and other patent collapsibles, these chairs have the unfortunate habit of collapsing at anything but the right time. They have not even that respect for professors, which it is the duty of all college property, including students, to have. Later reports, however, have it that they are of the wrong wood, and that they are to be replaced by something "harder." We wonder!

The Battle of the Bays

The prize for the best "Capping Song" was won by V. B. Willis, whose "Go to Coll" has an excellent swing in it. The clever arrangement of the choruses gained the second place for F. Furby's "Honour where Due." Mr H. F. Von Haast kindly consented to act as judge. The singing was a great improvement on that of last year, and all did their best to make the songs a success. The "Evening Post," with kind condescension, quoted "a few strings from the lyre" and passed the usual uncomplimentary remarks. The reporter's keen sense of humour and vast powers of discrimination, seem to have been little affected by his not having been present at the performance.

Sydney University

The Sydney University footballers spent a day in Wellington before the match. In the morning, as many of them as so page 64 desired were shown over the Government Printing Offices and Tramway Power House. In the evening they were taken to the theatre to see "Sunday," and received various complimentary remarks about her "Sydney friends" from the lips of the heroine. Of the match nothing unofficial need be said, and the "send-off" was hearty.

The Common Room.

This portion of our somewhat limited students' quarters is at length assuming a civilized appearance. The walls have been plastered, the ceiling painted white, and the photos of the various committees and teams hung. The sum of £42 was voted at a special general meeting of the students for the purpose of furnishing the room, and the ladies have been very energetic in selecting tasteful cork carpet, curtains, etc. Green, we believe, is to be the predominating colour. Some discussion arose as to the necessity of a palm-stand, placed in the estimates, the more utilitarian members objecting to such a luxury. Several citizens have very kindly promised to donate articles of furniture, and it is hoped that their generous example will be followed by many.

Our Rhodes Scholar.

P. W. Robertson spent the long vacation in Germany, partly at the University of Greifswald and partly in travelling. While at Greifswald, he managed to combine work with pleasure, and the following extracts from one of his letters throws some side-lights on German student life:—"Another very interesting performance was the celebration by the University of its 420th Anniversary. This was quite a big thing. The town was gaily decorated; there was a procession of students, professors and guests through the streets to the line old church. Then the Prince entered with a great blast of trumpets—it was a very impressive scene. In the evening there was a grand Kneipe. The next day the city gave the University a huge Frühschoppen on the old market place. We drank some 20,000 pints of beer." (Kneipe and Frühschoppendenote a revel at night and a drink or two in the morning, respectively.)

Suprema a situ

From the above liberality of a city to its university, we descend to the frugality of our own "City Fathers." The footpath up to the College will not be completed unless the College page 65 Council pays half. The amount entailed is under ten pounds, but the City Councillors held that as the path will be of use to students only, therefore we should pay half.

Athletic Club.

The Amateur Athletic Club held its third annual general meeting on the 24th September. The report for the season just ended referred to the successful sports meeting held in March, and recommended the holding of a similar meeting before the Easter tournament next year. The hope was expressed that as many students as possible would take an active interest in training next year, and that those away from Wellington during the long vacation would do some training before the vacation ended. It was suggested that those students living out of Wellington who have any desire for honours in athletics, should let the Secretary have their addresses.

The meeting congratulated the retiring Secretary, T. E. Y. Seddon, on his election to the House of Representatives, and thanked him for his past services, and also thanked H. W. King for his services to the Club prior to his removal to Christchurch. Special mention was made of the indebtedness of the Club to Mr J. P. Firth for the use of the Wellington College grounds for training. One paragraph in the report pointed out with reference to the University Tournament, that "while Victoria College has won both the Tennis Cup and the Debating Scroll, the Athletic Shield has not yet come into our possession;" and expressed the desire that every effort should be made to secure more worthy representation of the College next year.

The following officers were elected:—President, Professor Brown; Vice-Presidents: Professors and lecturers; Captain: G. V. Bogle; Hon. Secretary, J. M. Hogben; Hon. Treasurer, F. W. B. Goodbehere; Committee: F. A. Wilson, T. N. Holmden and other officers of the Club ex officio; Hon. Auditor: W. Gillanders; Delegate to Wellington Centre: J. M. Hogben.

A Warning.

We notice that the Canterbury College students are vigorously crusading against the invasion of their learned halls by the "child." They have our heartiest support. Students, when they begin their University career, should have sufficient respect for the dignity of their position to discard the garments of the nursery and the schoolroom. We refer more particularly, in this connection, to the repeated outrages perpetrated upon page 66 our sense of academic decorum by those abandoned men students who have, of late, been perambulating our corridors in knickerbockers. Now, we do not object to the temporary wearing of this garment in cases of emergency, or to refute a false allegation of crural tenuity, but we do object to protracted and unnecessary wearing of the same. We know, for instance, of one student, who, for the past fortnight has flaunted a pair of peculiarly rakish legs clad in peculiarly roomy knickbockers, presumably to win the admiration of spectators. This is, surely, very bad form—besides, the girls do not really like it. At any-rate, we think that the time for some decisive action in the matter has come, and we have to warn that student, that if he further indulges this evil penchant, it will be our sorrowful duty to hold him up to public opprobrium and derision.

Essay Competition.

We wish to draw the attention of students to the fact that in another part of this issue appears a letter from the Registrar of the University, giving particulars of a prize essay competition on "The University system of New Zealand—its merits and defects." On behalf of the students we desire to thank Mr Joynt for thus once more showing his interest in our University welfare. Should any students wish to send copies of this letter to friends who are unable to get copies of The Spike, they may obtain same from Mr Joynt, who has a few spare copies.

The Forlorn hope.

Our readers may quite possibly remember that there were three prizes offered at the beginning of this half in connection with The Spike; one was for a literary contribution, one for a sketch, and the other for a story. It is sad to think that there has not been a single response. This is all the more remarkable when viewed in the light of the numerous pieces of gratuitous advice, (which we have hitherto borne in all meekness and humility) suggesting better methods of conducting such a magazine as this. Of the other students attending this College, 372 out of 375 have confidentially informed us that The Spike should absolutely bristle with point and coruscate with wit. We need hardly say that the three students who mercifully refrained were the former editor and his two subs. We did think our cash offer would elicit something concrete from our critics to illustrate their theories on the conduct of college magazines.