University bribing students to defer

[tjh290633]

There still is a compulsory Physics aptitude test for Oxford, https://www2.physics.ox.ac.uk/study-her ... e-test-pat. I still understood most of the questions, but I was a lot sharper at 16 1/2.

I have just looked at the Chemistry section, which shows that the Qualifying Examination in German for Chemists is no longer required. You now also get an MChem, rather than a BA, but after the 4th year.

Before I went up I thought I ought to do some reading, while I was doing my National Service. The syllabus said:

"Candidates are rquired to show an acquaintanceship with the following subjects:- Inorganic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry and Physical Chemistry".

That was it. Physics syllabus ran to several pages. In effect, you were examined on the lectures that you were supposed to have attended. You could take Prelims, the 1st year exam, before you came up, which cut a year off the course.

TJH

[UncleEbenezer]

Another peculiarity was St Anne's, who had a regulation saying that gentlemen could be entertained to breakfast on Sunday Mornings after 10am. Usually the opposite sex were only allowed in between 2 and 7pm.

There was a story, probably apocryphal, floating around all the Cambridge womens' colleges (or at least the three undergrad ones). I first heard it when I had a Newnham girlfriend. Fire alarm in the wee hours, and the body count of people assembling outside included more men than women!

You now also get an MChem, rather than a BA, but after the 4th year.

Perhaps a similar story to Maths Part III, which became retrospectively - many years after my time - an MMath. I think the reason for the change was to do with university funding: it was the kind of course that looked like a masters, but wasn't because that would've been incompatible with students getting a grant for it. When the funding changed, the reason for that vanished.

BTW, love the anecdotes!

[Urbandreamer]

what a totally bizarre scenario. wierd.

didds

Sorry didds, but the word that you are looking for is historic. The entire system dates back to long before Robert Peel (about 1829). Just like we had/have Railway police, powers granted in 1759, but formalised in 1830.

I confess that, given I was a Poly student, but know these things, I'm stunned that they are a surprise. Especially given that it's not recent.

If you want really strange, consider the Californian gold rush or the writings of Milton Friedmens son, or for that matter Cannon law. Policing can get very strange. Then consider the likes of London markets. Many historically owe their existence to the legal ability to sell stolen goods.

Nothing to do with University. However Universities existed back then, and had to control their students. Hence a "police" force. Hence old terms like rusticated (sent back to the country estate) away from the towns and polite society.

BTW, there are many who-don-it's that are based in old university towns that mention proctors and bulldogs, There is even a nod to it in recent books like the Harry Potter series.

[madhatter]

BTW, there are many who-don-it's that are based in old university towns that mention proctors and bulldogs,...

UCL had beadles in a similar role.

[didds]

Another peculiarity was St Anne's, who had a regulation saying that gentlemen could be entertained to breakfast on Sunday Mornings after 10am. Usually the opposite sex were only allowed in between 2 and 7pm.

there were similar rules at the all girl halls when i was at uni.

Because obviously sex only happens on a bed, at night...

didds

[didds]

BTW, there are many who-don-it's that are based in old university towns that mention proctors and bulldogs, There is even a nod to it in recent books like the Harry Potter series.

yeah - I never understood what it all meant

didds

[UncleEbenezer]

yeah - I never understood what it all meant

What's Latin for in loco parentis or in statu pupillari?

Reference to semi-mythical archaisms often serve to "set the scene" in stories about (or set in) academia. These days, read Private Eye about recent bizarre shenanigans at Christ Church, Oxford, where a dirty political row has invoked some strange historical offices - albeit more of the church than the university - that noone but a student of that college's own history had ever heard of.

[scotia]

The ancient Scottish Universities still had certain archaic practices in my day - but they tended to have a good sound basis. In Scotland, education was for all who were able, no matter their financial standing. So, historically, the student from his homestead would arrive at the start of a term with all necessary supplies. But by mid-term he could be running short on his basic foodstuff - oatmeal for his porridge, so there was a mid-term Monday holiday to allow him (over the extended weekend) to journey to his abode and return with a full sack of oatmeal. It was called the Meal Monday holiday.
But in modern times, when attempting to produce schedules for tutorials and laboratories, a holiday Monday in mid-term is a pain. I think most of the Ancient Scottish Universities have now abandoned it.
But as we all know, Scottish Students are conscientious and hard working. So there is/was no need for Proctors or Bulldogs.
PS - I apologise for "his" - but that was historical. "Her" is now very much welcome.

[tjh290633]

At Oxford in the 1950s you were allowed an exeat for the half term weekend. That probably meant missing the second lecture on Friday morning and the first on Monday. I forgot, we had two lectures on Saturday morning. Anyway the coach to Cheltenham left at 11.45 to connect with the 14.00 departures. Coming back on Monday was more difficult. 5.45 to Gloucester, then a sprint to Northgate Street to get the 07.00 to Cheltenham and the 08.00 thence to Oxford, due in at just before 10am. Slink into the lecture after it had started.

Missing the practical sessions was never a problem.

TJH

[Mike88]

At Oxford in the 1950s you were allowed an exeat for the half term weekend. That probably meant missing the second lecture on Friday morning and the first on Monday. I forgot, we had two lectures on Saturday morning. Anyway the coach to Cheltenham left at 11.45 to connect with the 14.00 departures. Coming back on Monday was more difficult. 5.45 to Gloucester, then a sprint to Northgate Street to get the 07.00 to Cheltenham and the 08.00 thence to Oxford, due in at just before 10am. Slink into the lecture after it had started.

Missing the practical sessions was never a problem.

TJH

In those days presumably you had to wear a gown to lectures with a sports jacket and flannel trousers underneath?

[tjh290633]

In those days presumably you had to wear a gown to lectures with a sports jacket and flannel trousers underneath?

I could not remember but, looking at a photograph which I took during a lecture in one of the chemistry lecture rooms, nobody is wearing a gown. Sports coats and flannels did seem to be almost universal (we had 5 ladies in that year studying Chemistry).

Quite a few of us wore RAF issue officers' raincoats in inclement weather. There were 3 of us from the same course in my college, which provided a useful nucleus of friends.

TJH

[Adamski]

I have a prediction. There will be record number of drop outs this year, partly due to grade inflation meaning some not suited to university will find they don't like their course very much.

Also my guess is university lecturers may in some cases dumb down the courses because the students have not studied since 20 March.

[tjh290633]

I have a prediction. There will be record number of drop outs this year, partly due to grade inflation meaning some not suited to university will find they don't like their course very much.

Also my guess is university lecturers may in some cases dumb down the courses because the students have not studied since 20 March.

More likely there will be extra sessions to catch up with things that they should have learnt. I think that some places have remedial courses for those lacking in certain subjects in any case. That certainly was the case in some of the Polytechnics. Presumably that is not below their dignity now they claim to be universities.

TJH