University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1913-03-03

A student In cap and gown goes
hurring along the dark and almost
deserted street. He passes among
the tall, somber. walled buildings,
with their many spires piercing the
blackness. He has been to the room
of a friend out in town and the dis
cussion of the present status Of wom-
an suffrage had kept him long past
the time he expected to return. Sud-
denly innumerable clocks boom forth
their chimes and bells, counting the
hour of eleven. The student comes to
a big iron gate leading to an enclosure
of black-walled. tall-spired buildings.
The large gate is locked, but watch
man stands by the small porter's
gate.
Past eleven, SIR" says the watch
man respectfully as the student en-
ters.
Another sixpence gone" thinks the
student, and he hurries on to his
digs" knowing that another fine has
been charged to his already overburd-
ened account with the management
of Christ College, Oxford University.
As Seen by Doctor Falrchild.
Prof. A. H. R. Fairchild, of the Eng
lish department of the University of
Missouri, was for seven months a
resident student at Oxford University
and observed many interesting things
about the English dormitory system.
If you were to ask a cabby to take
you to Oxford University, he probably
would take you down High street, ac-
cording to Doctor Fairchild, and show
you one or two of the colleges and
tell you that that was Oxford Univer-
sity. Oxford University, however, is
a combination of thirty or more COL
leges, all separate institutions, but
with one examining board and one
degree-conferring body. The college
consists of a number Of buildings on
an open quadrangle. with only one
opening to the outside. Here in one
corner is the chapel, here is the dining
hall, here are some lecture rooms,
here the library, and all this side and
end are dormitories. Outside is a
large park and down at the foot of the
hill a river flows idly by.
When a student passes the entrance
examinations for Oxford, he is as
signed to one of the colleges. Only
about $50 of the 5000 or more stu
dents at Oxford are in any one col
lege. Many things may determine the
selection of a college. Although all
give practically the same course. II
the man comes from Eton, it is almost
certain that he will be sent to Christ
College, where all his fellows are. If
the freshman is thinking of the min
istry, he probably will be sent to
st. Johns College. The poorer man,
including the Rhodes scholar who has
a minimum income. will go to one OF
the cheaper colleges.
The Dormitory System.
All the freshmen and sophomores
at Oxford must live in their college
and the juniors and SEN
iors must live out in town in approved
houses. The freshmen and sopho-
mores are favored, for the college
quarters-or digs" as the Oxford
man calls his rooms-are much bet
ter than those out in town. The men
in private homes are under the same
as the dormitory men.
To each man is assigned suite,
of a large living room,
larger than the ordinary student room
here, and an adjoining bedroom. The
first thing he does is to pay for or
make a deposit on the furniture. Then
he may put in his stuff. Each man
lives by himself.
At 1880 a. m. the scout" as the
servant is called-an ideal servant
Doctor Fairchild says-comes into the
room, throws back the curtains and
tells the sleepy young gentlemen the
time. Then he pulls the tub out from
under the bed, gets the bath ready
and goes away. Every student must
go to chapel at 8 o'clock. or he will
be punished for a certain number Of
absences. However, II the student
wishes to sleep late, he merely lies in
bed until o'clock, gets up, slips on
dressing gown or overcoat and
shoes, and runs to chapel. The Eng