Word: students
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Dates: during 1880-1889
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During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, it was the custom in almost all American colleges to punish students by fines; and indeed it was not until this century that fines were abolished at Harvard. Some colleges were said to derive quite a revenue from this source, and were not, therefore, prone to abolish a system so profitable to themselves. The worse the students behaved, the better it was for the college. At Harvard there was a schedule of fifty-five offences punishable by penalties varying from two pence, for absence from prayers, to two pounds ten shillings, for absence from...
...following amusing incident is related in an old book on "College Customs," published in Cambridge some time ago: "Dr.-called upon a Southern student one morning in the recitation room to define logic. The question was in this form. 'Mr.-, what is logic?' Ans. 'Logic, sir, is the art of reasoning.' 'Ay; but I wish you to give the definition in the exact words of the learned author.' 'O, sir, he gives a long, intricate, confused definition, with which I did not think proper to burden my memory.' 'Are you aware who the learned author is?' 'Oh, yes! Your honor...
...Well, then, I fine you one dollar for disrespect.' Taking out a two dollar note, the student said, with the utmost sang froid, If you will change this, I will pay you on the spot.' 'I fine you another dollar,' said the professor, emphatically, 'for repeated disrespect.' 'Then 'tis just the change, sir,' said the student, coolly...
...death of co-operation. Surely, in a simple matter of business like this, a mere question of saving money, of palpable self interest, we ought to be able to act like men of sense, and not like a lot of children! Every member of the society, every thinking student, ought to feel it his duty to deposit his $5 at the rooms before Monday evening. If more than $600 is secured, a percentage of it can easily be returned at once. If less than $600 is secured, co-operation is dead, we are all more or less out of pocket...
...until 1790 that the college authorities introduced examinations at Harvard. At first they were oral and public, and every student was required to attend under penalty of twenty shillings fine. How this system was first received is thus told by a writer some forty years ago. "Great discontent was immediately evinced by the students at this regulation, and as it was not with this understanding that they entered college, they considered it an ex post facto law, and, therefore, not binding on them. with these views, in the year 1791, the senior and junior classes petitioned for exemption from...