Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-28

Of ttelogians of the university. reinforced
by those of Cambridge. and. single handed
and alone. defended his theories concern
Ing the Blessed Sacrament. This occurred
April 16. 1854, debate between one arch
bishop and sixty doctors of divinity. It
was great oratorical and controversial trf-
umph. but resulted In the martyrdom OF
Cranmer. who was burned at the stake. for
heresy with Latimer and Ridley. In front
OF Ballot College. shortly after.
Origin of Terms.
Our word commencement" which des--
dgnates the last instead of the first day OF
the college year. is derived from the cir
cumstance that graduates of Oxford Uni
versity were authorized to commence the
practice of their professions when they re-
ceived their degrees on commemoration
day. That was the commencement" OF
the professional careers of doctors, law
years. ciergymen and other graduates. and
thus. what sounds like an Irish bull. IS
really recognition of one Of the Oldest
customs OF university life.
Another Irish bull is deprived of its stand
ing among humorists by the fact that the
word bachelor" was used to describe
student at Oxford before 1t was applied to
unmarried men. Originally a bachelor was
a student who had taken the first degree
and was studying for a second. AS all the
rules of the university did not admit mar
ried men to their privileges the term grad
ually was applied to all who were without
wives. Hence. as DR.. Murray says there is
no reason why woman student cannot be
properly called bachelor as we'll as
man. She has an equal right to the name.
Originally degrees were conferred by IN
vesting those who were entitled to them
with caps Of authority and professional
gowns and hoods. by placing rings upon
their fingers to symbolic the mystical mar
L. L,
a kiss of peace given by the senior proctor.
But if those medieval customs should be
attempted today it would be dangerous to
the lives and limbs of the audience. The
undergraduates in the gallery would like
nothing better
In ancient times candidates for the honor
Of master in grammar which was neces-
sary for school teacher. were required to
show their skill at castigation by beating
a boy openly in the hall The boy en-
ployed for that purpose received a Hgroat,
or fourpence, in cash for his sufferings,
and a second groat for bringing the rod.
Before the reformation 1t was customary
to require candidates for degrees to attack
or defend in public theses solemnly pro-
posed for discussion on the spot. That year
the question for debate was rs Shrew
Better Cured by Kindness or Severity"
which was published in 1894. The rule
still survives in the divinity school, where
candidates for degrees Of doctor Of divinity ]
and bachelor of divinity are required to
expound three passages from the holy
Scriptures, but nowadays the candidate Is
notified of the topic in advance and the
discussion although open to the public, Is
seldom attended by any except the candi-
dates and the professors.
The word master is derived from the
practice of mechanics who admitted APP
prentices to the rank of journeymen when
they were competent to perform the work
of master, that Is. masterpiece" The
comforting of the degree is equivalent to
the admission of apprentice inS a science
or other form of learning to the full rank
of a jOurneyman.
Commencement Ceremonies.
The first thing in the ceremony of con-
ferring degrees at Oxford is a statement by
the registrar that the candidates have paid
all their fees, have passed their examina-
lions and have received grace" from their
colleges to present themselves before the
university. He submits certificate from
the dean the head of the college that
the candidate has kept bed and board con-
tinuously within the university for the
whole period required by the statutes and
has performed all other requirements"
Then one of the proctors reads a sup
plicat or petition from the candidate
asking to be allowed to graduate. After
each supplicat is read the two proctors
walk slowly down the aisles of the theater
and return to their places. According to
popular Interpretation tNlS act IS lntenQeQ
to give any person who objects to con-
ferring a degree upon that particular can
didate an opportunity to protest by
"pluckng the gown of the proctor and
from that comes the word ''plucked" which
Is commonly used to describe the failure
of an undergraduate to obtain his degree.
Formerly, after this ceremony, the candi-
date was required to go bareheaded in his
academical dress through all of the col
leges, write his name in book at the resi-
dence of the vice chancellor and summon
nine masters who were willing to testify
that he is worthy for the honors to be
conferred upon him OF this picturesque
feature nothing remains but a regula ton
that at least nine members of the faculty
must be present when a degree Is con-
ferred.
dateswas required to produce "testamur,"
q slip of blue paper given by the registrar
to every undergraduate who passes his
examination. This slip contains a certif-
cate from the examiners showing how we'll
he has passed. That also has been abol-
ished, and today candidates for degrees are
marched up before the bench attended by
members of their faculties as sponsors and
are only required to take an oath upon the
New Testament that For the honor OF
Our Lord Jesus Christ and for the profit of
Our Holy Mother, the Church." they will
obey the laws and fulfill the requirements
ETC., etc. Having taken this oath, the can
didates retire from the theater and re-
ceve outside their appropriate gowns and
hoods from the servants who have waited
upon them in college. An unwritten Gus
tom prescribes that each servant must be
paid tip in gold, according to the means
OF the candidate.
Having received their scholastic livery
they return to the theater. when they
kneel, receive the charge to fear the Lord
and to become good citizens from the vice
chancellor, and are congratulated by their
friends. The proceeding terminate when
the vice chancellor arises. announces dis
solvimus hanc Congregationem'' and leaves
the building. followed by the proctors and
the other officials present
No diplomas are given but those who de-
sire can obtain ''testamurs'' from the
registrar of the university by paying fee
New Songs Of Middies.
Special Correspondence Of The Star