Chambers's Edinburgh Journal, No. 440: Volume 17, New Series, June 5, 1852Various
History
Chambers's Edinburgh Journal, No. 440: Volume 17, New Series, June 5, 1852
Various
Periodicals
It was in the October of 1840, that our young New-Yorker first wended
his way through these narrow streets, and gazed upon these beautiful
buildings. The idea of an educational institution scattered over an
area of some miles, was new to the late inhabitant of the brick barn
yclept Yale College. The monkish appearance of the population was no
less novel, while his own appearance caused the gownsmen to retaliate
his curiosity. He was dressed, he tells us, in the 'last Gothamite
fashion, with the usual accessories of gold chain and diamond pin, the
whole surmounted by a blue cloth cloak'--a costume which drew down
upon him a formidable array of eye-glasses.
Mr Bristed entered Trinity College as a fellow-commoner. The
fellow-commoners are 'young men of fortune,' who, in consideration of
paying twice as much for everything as anybody else, are allowed the
privilege of sitting at the fellows' table in hall, and in their seats
at chapel; of wearing a gown with gold or silver lace, and a velvet
cap with a metallic tassel; and of getting off with a less number of
'chapels' per week. The main body of the students are called
pensioners. The sizars are an inferior class, who receive alms from
the college, and dine gratis after the fellows (_sic_), on the remains
of their table.
When one 'goes up,' as the phrase is, to the university, the first
academical authority he makes acquaintance with in the regular order
of things, is the college tutor. Besides lecturing, this functionary
is the medium of all the students' pecuniary relations with the
college. He sends in their accounts every term, and receives the money
through his banker; nay, more, he takes in their tradesmen's bills,
and settles them also. The tutor is supposed to stand _in loco
parentis_. Some colleges have one, others two, and even three tutors,
according to the size. The first thing, is to be examined; and this
over, the freshman is first inducted into his rooms by a _gyp_ (from
[Greek: gyps], a _vulture_!), who acts as flunkey to a dozen or twenty
students--calling them in the morning, brushing their clothes,
carrying parcels and the queerly-twisted notes they are constantly
writing to each other, waiting at their parties, and so on. 'Boots' is
a subordinate functionary. The furniture of the room is generally
taken from the former occupant at a valuation by the college
upholsterer. Crockery he has always to find for himself; but in this
matter, again, he has the college authorities to assist him in getting
a good article.
We shall now accompany the student through a day's history. Morning
chapel begins at seven; and the gyp calls him at half-past six. In
chapel, he commences picking up some knowledge of the powers that be,
or the _dons_, as they are styled in the slang of the university. In
general terms, they are the _master and fellows_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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