UNIVERSITY COLLEGE COSTUME,

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8784, 26 January 1892, Page 3

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE COSTUME,

TO THE. EDITOR. . see by the report of your proceedings of the University College Council, at their last meeting, that the wearing of caps ana gowns by our students was considered. 1 am astonished to find that some of th« students are the movers in this matter. II the movement had come from some of tin senior members of the Council, or from some of the College Professors, I should have been less surprised ; as the survival of the uufittesfc is unanimously defended by the survivals of a past generation. i As a graduate of the University of Cambridge, let me warn our Auckland aspirants for external distinction of the probable result of their efforts, if the College Council, in a spirit of amiable compliance, should accede to their request ' Before long the petitioning students would experience inconvenience and much discomfort from having to wear gowns over clothing already too warm for our Auckland climate, and would find themselves in the unpleasant position of having to petition the Council to rescind their order oil the subject; and, in that case-, the Council might not be prepared to be guided by the wish of a majority of the students in the matter. May I ask what good is expected to result from the compulsory wearing of an academical dress by our young men and women beyond the increased receipts of our Auckland tailors ? Is it proposed that 'gowns should be worn in the lecture rooms only If so, is it for the purpose of distinguishing matriculated students from those who have not passed a university examination? And, in that case, what would be the advantage ol making such a distinction ? If it is intended by our students that they , should be encouraged to strut about the city in caps and gown, let me inform them that they are proposing a course the opposite of that which prevails at the great universities of England. At Cambridge under-gi aduates are not expected to wear gowns after lecture hours in the morning, until they appear in the dining hall at five or #ix o'clock or later, nor after dinner in the summer months. It is only for purposes of discipline that after dark all unaer-graduates are obliged to wear their academical dress when parading the streets.—lam, &c., Cantabrigiensis. . January 23. , -