A Collection of College Words and Customs Part 82

"Gentlemen, these are the men who wait to welcome you to the blessings of our society. There they stand, like the majestic statues that line the entrance to an eternal pyramid. And when I look upon one statue, and another, and another, and contemplate the colossal greatness of their proportions, as Canova gazed with rapture upon the sun-G.o.d of the Vatican, I envy not the man whose heart expands not with the sense of a new n.o.bility, and whose eye kindles not with the heart's enthusiasm, as he thinks that he too is numbered among that glorious company,--that he too is sprung from that royal ancestry. And who asks for a richer heritage, or a more enduring epitaph, than that he too is a Brother in Unity?"

S.T.B. _Sanctae Theologiae Baccalaureus_, Bachelor in Theology.

See B.D.

S.T.D. _Sanctae Theologiae Doctor_. Doctor in Theology.

See D.D.

STEWARD. In colleges, an officer who provides food for the students, and superintends the kitchen.--_Webster_.

In American colleges, the labors of the steward are at present more extended, and not so servile, as set forth in the above definition. To him is usually a.s.signed the duty of making out the term-bills and receiving the money thereon; of superintending the college edifices with respect to repairs, &c.; of engaging proper servants in the employ of the college; and of performing such other services as are declared by the faculty of the college to be within his province.

STICK. In college phrase, _to stick_, or _to get stuck_, is to be unable to proceed, either in a recitation, declamation, or any other exercise. An instructor is said to _stick_ a student, when he asks a question which the student is unable to answer.

But he has not yet discovered, probably, that he ... that "_sticks_" in Greek, and cannot tell, by demonstration of his own, whether the three angles of a triangle are equal to two, or four, ... can nevertheless drawl out the word Fresh, &c.--_Scenes and Characters in College_, p. 30.

S.T.P. _Sanctae Theologiae Professor_. Professor in Theology.

A degree of similar import to S.T.D., and D.D.

STUDENT. A person engaged in study; one who is devoted to learning, either in a seminary or in private; a scholar; as, the _students_ of an academy, of a college or university; a medical _student_; a law _student_.

2. A man devoted to books; a bookish man; as, a hard _student_; a close _student_.--_Webster_.

3. At Oxford, this word is used to designate one who stands upon the foundation of the college to which he belongs, and is an aspirant for academic emoluments.--_De Quincey_.

4. In German universities, by _student_ is understood "one who has by matriculation acquired the rights of academical citizens.h.i.+p."--_Howitt's Student Life of Germany_, Am. ed., p. 27.

STUDY. A building or an apartment devoted to study or to literary employment.--_Webster_.

In some of the older American colleges, it was formerly the custom to part.i.tion off, in each chamber, two small rooms, where the occupants, who were always two in number, could carry on their literary pursuits. These rooms were called, from this circ.u.mstance, _studies_. Speaking of the first college edifice which was erected at New Haven, Mr. Clap, in his History of Yale College, says: "It made a handsome appearance, and contained near fifty _studies_ in convenient chambers"; and again he speaks of Connecticut Hall as containing thirty-two chambers and sixty-four _studies_. In the oldest buildings, some of these _studies_ remain at the present day.

The _study_ rents, until December last, were discontinued with Mr.

Dunster.--_Quincy's Hist. Harv. Univ._, Vol. I. p. 463.

Every Graduate and Undergraduate shall find his proportion of furniture, &c., during the whole time of his having a _study_ a.s.signed him.--_Laws Harv. Coll._, 1798, p. 35.

To him that occupies my _study_, I give, &c.--_Will of Charles Prentiss_.

STUMP. At Princeton College, to fail in reciting; to say, "Not prepared," when called on to recite. A _stump_, a bad recitation; used in the phrase, "_to make a stump_."

SUB-FRESH. A person previous to entering the Freshman Cla.s.s is called a _sub-fresh_, or one below a Freshman.

Praying his guardian powers To a.s.sist a poor "_Sub-Fresh_" at the dread examination.

_Poem before the Iadma Soc. of Harv. Coll._, 1850, p. 14.

Our "_Sub-Fresh_" has that feeling.

_Ibid._, p. 16.

Everybody happy, except _Sub-Fresh_, and they trying hardest to appear so.--_Yale Lit. Mag._, Vol. XX. p. 103.

The timid _Sub-Fresh_ had determined to construct stout barricades, with no lack of ammunition.--_Ibid._, p. 103.

Sometimes written _Sub_.

Information wanted of the "_Sub_" who didn't think it an honor to be electioneered.--_N.B., Yale Coll., June_ 14, 1851.

See PENE.

SUBJECT. At the University of Cambridge, Eng., a particular author, or part of an author, set for examination; or a particular branch of Mathematics, such as Optics, Hydrostatics, &c.--_Bristed_.

To _get up a subject_, is to make one's self thoroughly master of it.--_Bristed_.

SUB-RECTOR. A rector's deputy or subst.i.tute.--_Walton, Webster_.

SUB-SIZAR. In the University of Cambridge, Eng., formerly an order of students lower than the _sizars_.

Masters of all sorts, and all ages, Keepers, _subcizers_, lackeys, pages.

_Poems of Bp. Corbet_, p. 22.

There he sits and sees How lackeys and _subsizers_ press And scramble for degrees.

_Ibid._, p. 88.

See under SIZAR.

SUCK. At Middlebury College, to cheat at recitation or examination by using _ponies_, _interliners_, or _helps_ of any kind.

SUPPLICAT. Latin; literally, _he supplicates_. In the English universities, a pet.i.tion; particularly a written application with a certificate that the requisite conditions have been complied with.--_Webster_.

A _Supplicat_, says the Gradus ad Cantabrigiam, is "an entreaty to be admitted to the degree of B.A.; containing a certificate that the Questionist has kept his full number of terms, or explaining any deficiency. This doc.u.ment is presented to the caput by the father of his college."

SURPLICE DAY. An occasion or day on which the surplice is worn by the members of a university.