The Sophs did nothing all the first fortnight but torment the
Fresh, as they call us. They would come to our rooms with masks
on, and frighten us dreadfully; and sometimes squirt water through
our keyholes, or throw a whole pailful on to one of us from the
upper windows.--_Harvardiana_, Vol. III. p. 76.
HEAD OF THE HOUSE. The generic name for the highest officer of a
college in the English Universities.
The Master of the College, or "_Head of the House_," is a D.D. who
has been a Fellow.--_Bristed's Five Years in an Eng. Univ._, Ed.
2d, p. 16.
The _heads of houses_ [are] styled, according to the usage of the
college, President, Master, Principal, Provost, Warden, or Rector.
--_Oxford Guide_, 1847, p. xiii.
Written often simply _Head_.
The "_Head_," as he is called generically, of an Oxford college,
is a greater man than the uninitiated suppose.--_De Quincey's Life
and Manners_, p. 244.
The new _Head_ was a gentleman of most commanding personal
appearance.--_Bristed's Five Years in an Eng. Univ._, Ed. 2d, p.
87.
HEADSHIP. The office and place of head or president of a college.
Most of the college _Headships_ are not at the disposal of the
Crown.--_Bristed's Five Years in an Eng. Univ._, Ed. 2d, note, p.
89, and _errata_.
The _Headships_ of the colleges are, with the exception of
Worcester, filled by one chosen by the Fellows from among
themselves, or one who has been a Fellow.--_Oxford Guide_, Ed.
1847, p. xiv.
HEADS OUT. At Princeton College, the cry when anything occurs in
the _Campus_. Used, also, to give the alarm when a professor or
tutor is about to interrupt a spree.
See CAMPUS.
HEBDOMADAL BOARD. At Oxford, the local governing authority of the
University, composed of the Heads of colleges and the two
Proctors, and expressing itself through the Vice-Chancellor. An
institution of Charles I.'s time, it has possessed, since the year
1631, "the sole initiative power in the legislation of the
University, and the chief share in its administration." Its
meetings are held weekly, whence the name.--_Oxford Guide.
Literary World_, Vol. XII., p. 223.
HIGH-GO. A merry frolic, usually with drinking.
Songs of Scholars in revelling roundelays,
Belched out with hickups at bacchanal Go,
Bellowed, till heaven's high concave rebound the lays,
Are all for college carousals too low.
Of dullness quite tired, with merriment fired,
And fully inspired with amity's glow,
With hate-drowning wine, boys, and punch all divine, boys,
The Juniors combine, boys, in friendly HIGH-GO.
_Glossology, by William Biglow_, inserted in _Buckingham's
Reminiscences_, Vol. II. pp. 281-284.
He it was who broached the idea of a _high-go_, as being requisite
to give us a rank among the classes in college. _D.A. White's
Address before Soc. of the Alumni of Harv. Univ._, Aug. 27, 1844,
p. 35.
This word is now seldom used; the words _High_ and _Go_ are,
however, often used separately, with the same meaning; as the
compound. The phrase _to get high_, i.e. to become intoxicated,
is allied with the above expression.
Or men "_get high_" by drinking abstract toddies?
_Childe Harvard_, p. 71.
HIGH STEWARD. In the English universities, an officer who has
special power to hear and determine capital causes, according to
the laws of the land and the privileges of the university,
whenever a scholar is the party offending. He also holds the
university _court-leet_, according to the established charter and
custom.--_Oxf. and Cam. Cals._
At Cambridge, in addition to his other duties, the High Steward is
the officer who represents the University in the House of Lords.
HIGH TABLE. At Oxford, the table at which the Fellows and some
other privileged persons are entitled to dine.
Wine is not generally allowed in the public hall, except to the
"_high table_."--_De Quincey's Life and Manners_, p. 278.
I dine at the "_high table_" with the reverend deans, and hobnob
with professors.--_Household Words_, Am. ed., Vol. XI. p 521.
HIGH-TI. At Williams College, a term by which is designated a
showy recitation. Equivalent to the word _squirt_ at Harvard
College.
HILLS. At Cambridge, Eng., Gogmagog Hills are commonly called _the
Hills_.
Or to the _Hills_ on horseback strays,
(Unasked his tutor,) or his chaise
To famed Newmarket guides.
_Gradus ad Cantab._, p. 35.
HISS. To condemn by hissing.
This is a favorite method, especially among students, of
expressing their disapprobation of any person or measure.
I'll tell you what; your crime is this,
That, Touchy, you did scrape, and _hiss_.
_Rebelliad_, p. 45.
Who will bully, scrape, and _hiss_!
Who, I say, will do all this!
Let him follow me,--_Ibid._, p. 53.
HOAXING. At Princeton College, inducing new-comers to join the
secret societies is called _hoaxing_.
HOBBY. A translation. Hobbies are used by some students in
translating Latin, Greek, and other languages, who from this
reason are said to ride, in contradistinction to others who learn
their lessons by study, who are said to _dig_ or _grub_.
See PONY.
HOBSON'S CHOICE. Thomas Hobson, during the first third of the
seventeenth century, was the University carrier between Cambridge
and London. He died January 1st, 1631. "He rendered himself famous
by furnishing the students with horses; and, making it an
unalterable rule that every horse should have an equal portion of
rest as well as labor, he would never let one out of its turn;
hence the celebrated saying, 'Hobson's Choice: _this_, or none.'"
Milton has perpetuated his fame in two whimsical epitaphs, which
may be found among his miscellaneous poems.
HOE IN. At Hamilton College, to strive vigorously; a metaphorical
meaning, taken from labor with the hoe.
HOIST. It was formerly customary at Harvard College, when the
Freshmen were used as servants, to report them to their Tutor if
they refused to go when sent on an errand; this complaint was
called a _hoisting_, and the delinquent was said to be _hoisted_.
The refusal to perform a reasonable service required by a member
of the class above him, subjected the Freshmen to a complaint to
be brought before his Tutor, technically called _hoisting_ him to
his Tutor. The threat was commonly sufficient to exact the
service.--_Willard's Memories of Youth and Manhood_, Vol. I.
p. 259.
HOLD INS. At Bowdoin College, "near the commencement of each
year," says a correspondent, "the Sophs are wont, on some
particular evening, to attempt to '_hold in_' the Freshmen when
coming out of prayers, generally producing quite a skirmish."
HOLLIS. Mr. Thomas Hollis of Lincoln's Inn, to whom, with many
others of the same name, Harvard College is so much indebted,
among other presents to its library, gave "sixty-four volumes of
valuable books, curiously bound." To these reference is made in
the following extract from the Gentleman's Magazine for September,
1781. "Mr. Hollis employed Mr. Fingo to cut a number of
emblematical devices, such as the caduceus of Mercury, the wand of
Æsculapius, the owl, the cap of liberty, &c.; and these devices
were to adorn the backs and sometimes the sides of books. When
patriotism animated a work, instead of unmeaning ornaments on the
binding, he adorned it with caps of liberty. When wisdom filled
the page, the owl's majestic gravity bespoke its contents. The
caduceus pointed out the works of eloquence, and the wand of
Æsculapius was a signal of good medicine. The different emblems
were used on the same book, when possessed of different merits,
and to express his disapprobation of the whole or parts of any
work, the figure or figures were reversed. Thus each cover
exhibited a critique on the book, and was a proof that they were
not kept for show, as he must read before he could judge. Read
this, ye admirers of gilded books, and imitate."
HONORARIUM, HONORARY. A term applied, in Europe, to the recompense
offered to professors in universities, and to medical or other
professional gentlemen for their services. It is nearly equivalent
to _fee_, with the additional idea of being given _honoris causa_,
as a token of respect.--_Brande. Webster_.
There are regular receivers, quæstors, appointed for the reception
of the _honorarium_, or charge for the attendance of
lectures.--_Howitt's Student Life of Germany_, Am. ed., p. 30.
HONORIS CAUSA. Latin; _as an honor_. Any honorary degree given by
a college.
Degrees in the faculties of Divinity and Law are conferred, at
present, either in course, _honoris causa_, or on admission _ad
eundem_.--_Calendar Trin. Coll._, 1850, p. 10.
HONORS. In American colleges, the principal honors are
appointments as speakers at Exhibitions and Commencements. These
are given for excellence in scholarship. The appointments for
Exhibitions are different in different colleges. Those of
Commencement do not vary so much. The following is a list of the
appointments at Harvard College, in the order in which they are
usually assigned: Valedictory Oration, called also _the_ English
Oration, Salutatory in Latin, English Orations, Dissertations,
Disquisitions, and Essays. The salutatorian is not always the
second scholar in the class, but must be the best, or, in case
this distinction is enjoyed by the valedictorian, the second-best
Latin scholar. Latin or Greek poems or orations or English poems
sometimes form a part of the exercises, and may be assigned, as
are the other appointments, to persons in the first part of the
class. At Yale College the order is as follows: Valedictory
Oration, Salutatory in Latin, Philosophical Orations, Orations,
Dissertations, Disputations, and Colloquies. A person who receives
the appointment of a Colloquy can either write or speak in a
colloquy, or write a poem. Any other appointee can also write a
poem. Other colleges usually adopt one or the other of these
arrangements, or combine the two.
At the University of Cambridge, Eng., those who at the final
examination in the Senate-House are classed as Wranglers, Senior
Optimes, or Junior Optimes, are said to go out in _honors_.
I very early in the Sophomore year gave up all thoughts of
obtaining high _honors_.--_Bristed's Five Years in an Eng. Univ._,
Ed. 2d, p. 6.
HOOD. An ornamented fold that hangs down the back of a graduate,
to mark his degree.--_Johnson_.
My head with ample square-cap crown,
And deck with _hood_ my shoulders.
_The Student_, Oxf. and Cam., Vol. I. p. 349.
HORN-BLOWING. At Princeton College, the students often provide
themselves at night with horns, bugles, &c., climb the trees in
the Campus, and set up a blowing which is continued as long as
prudence and safety allow.
HORSE-SHEDDING. At the University of Vermont, among secret and
literary societies, this term is used to express the idea conveyed
by the word _electioneering_.
HOUSE. A college. The word was formerly used with this
signification in Harvard and Yale Colleges.
If any scholar shall transgress any of the laws of God, or the
_House_, he shall be liable, &c.--_Quincy's Hist. Harv. Univ._,
Vol. I. p. 517.
If detriment come by any out of the society, then those officers
[the butler and cook] themselves shall be responsible to the
_House_.--_Ibid._, Vol. I. p. 583.
A member of the college was also called a _Member of the House_.
The steward is to see that one third part be reserved of all the
payments to him by the _members of the House_ quarterly
made.--_Quincy's Hist. Harv. Univ._, Vol. I. p. 582.
A college officer was called an _Officer of the House_.
The steward shall be bound to give an account of the necessary
disbursements which have been issued out to the steward himself,
butler, cook, or any other _officer of the House_.--_Quincy's
Hist. Harv. Univ._, Vol. I. p. 582.
Neither shall the butler or cook suffer any scholar or scholars
whatever, except the Fellows, Masters of Art, Fellow-Commoners or
_officers of the House_, to come into the butteries, &c.--_Ibid._,
Vol. I. p. 584.
Before the year 1708, the term _Fellows of the House_ was applied,
at Harvard College, both to the members of the Corporation, and to
the instructors who did not belong to the Corporation. The
equivocal meaning of this title was noticed by President Leverett,
for, in his duplicate record of the proceedings of the Corporation
and the Overseers, he designated certain persons to whom he refers
as "Fellows of the House, i.e. of the Corporation." Soon after
this, an attempt was made to distinguish between these two classes
of Fellows, and in 1711 the distinction was settled, when one
Whiting, "who had been for several years known as Tutor and
'Fellow of the House,' but had never in consequence been deemed or
pretended to be a member of the Corporation, was admitted to a
seat in that board."--_Quincy's Hist. Harv. Univ._, Vol. I. pp.
278, 279. See SCHOLAR OF THE HOUSE.