The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-07-22
aLIEE AT OXFORD
Lecture by Bishop Hall in Middlebury
Summer Session.

! One of the lectures in the summer
| session at Middlebury which has
been anticipated vita unusual inter-
est was the discourse on Life at Ok
ford recently delivered by Bishop
Alea Hall, L. l.. d.
Bishop Hall was introduced by
President John M. Thomas and be-
gan his lecture by mentioning the
fact that he was a student at oxford
from 1865 to 1873, besides occasional
visits he also spent a year there in
1892. He received his degree In the
year 1869. The purpose of the lee
ture, the speaker announced, was to
snow the conditions and life of the
university as they are at present and
then to examine its past history, and
from this to see how things came to
be as they are.
The first point of difference be-
tween American colleges and oxford
is the fact that at the English uni
versity there is no commencement
so-called. At the same time of the
year comes the day of Commemora
ton of Benefactors, given up largely
to social functions, sucn as garden
parties. Prize poems and essays are
read on this day, but no degrees are
| given; these are given at various
times of the year; parts of all exam
nations are given viva voce. Elk
aminations at oxford are not given
on lectures, but on the subject mat
ter.
The relation of the university to
the several colleges is like the ella
ton of the federal government and
the several States. Each college has
its own rules, its own sphere. The
university preceded the colleges
however; the latter were built up
within the university. Degrees are
only given by the university. There
are twenty-one distinct colleges at
oxford The number OF students in
each varies from two hundred to
fifty. Greek letter fraternities are
altogether unnecessary because the
students are sufficiently divided and
at the same time bound together by
the common bond of esprit de corps
The freshmen associate on almost
equal terms with tne second and
third year men. The colleges are
headed by the president and fellows,
the latter having taken b. A.
The undergraduates are called
commoners and are not technically
considered members of the college
Residence is an actual rule. The
students must be within college gates
every night, the great bell at Christ
church ringing at o'clock. All
gates are closed and after this time
no one can leave and no one can en-
| A
as the hour grows later. The length
Of the course is three years of three
terms year. The year begins in
October and ends in June. They have
five weeks vacation at Christmas
time and one month at Easter time.
At one time residence was more
necessary than learning almost the
requirements are greater as to
scholarship now, however.
College life at oxford and Cam
bridge is very expensive. The uni
versities have almost come to be
finishing schools for gentlemens
sons. The cost is at least $1,000 per
year II can be made to cost less,
but at great loss of social rank
The students all dine together, but
they may breakfast and lunch in
their rooms If they wish Many
courses are elective. The way Ok
frod men regarded science forty
years ago is shown by the name they
gave to the building where that
branch of study was pursued they
called It the "Stinks-museum." There
are now fifty-seven distinct profes
sorships, devoted to all branches of
research. The actual head of the uni
versity is tne vice chancellor. The
chancellor is political magnate to
look out for the university in the
world of politics.
With regard to the Rhodes scholars
it is Interesting to know that the Yam
KEGS" are much more popular than the
I'Colonials," the latter being much
more sensitive and fancying ridicule
where none is intended. The Colon
ials however, have done better in the
way of getting scholarships. They
have had the advantage of training
along English lines from the begin
ming of their school days. Women
are not admitted to the college lee
lures but may attend those Of the uni
versity which are always public. They
are not classed vita men yet they are
given diploma to show what work
they have done.
| In conclusion, the bishop said that
there is no need for foolish imitation
of older institutions nor is there room
for an idle sheer, but the endeavor
must be made to seize on the high
principles which nave been at the bot
tom of Oxford's great work for hum
anitV and use them