THE FIRST UNIVERSITIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20072, 9 October 1928, Page 15

THE FIRST UNIVERSITIES.

early life at oxford. HARDSHIPS OF STUDENTS. Various aspects of life at the medieval universities of England, 1' ranee and Italy wero discussed by Mr. M. Rocko O'Shea, registrar of tho Auckland University College, at the luncheon of the Auckland Rotary Clulb yesterday. Mr. O'Shea said the first-known European university was that of Salerno, which was based on an old medical school originally founded by the Romans. Then followed the University of Bologna, where civil law was first taught. Tho Universtiy of Paris was founded about the same time. Tho early colleges were guilds, that of Bologna being a guild of students and that of Paris a guild of masters. Tho students wero far older than the students of to-day, many of them being men who had an established source of living and not boys fresh i'roin school. An English student going to such a place as Bologna would join with others of his own nationality and take a liouso, becoming to all intents a citizen of the town. Ho had a number of legal rights and was able to exercise many of tho privileges of tho townspeople. At Paris and Oxford, on the other hand, the universities were controlled by the guilds of masters. Tho system of different colleges in the one university was originated in Paris from benefactions. The students of those days wero governed by many prohibiting statutes, being forbidden to frequent taverns, carry on any trading enterprise, play at dice or chess, or to consort at theatres or with actors. Tho quarrelsome nature of tho students was shown by the various regulations, although the penalties provided wero, in our eyes, very light. An assault, on a servant was punished by a fine of a quart of good wine, which was to bo drunk by the fellows of the college. Freshmen were washed forcibly, shaved and carried in a procession on a donkey. They were also required to provide a feast. The rivalry between "town and gown" entered the life at Oxford from the earliest days, and tliero were frequent riots. In *1554 a student drinking in an inn, not liking the wine, threw it at a townsman's head, which led to a fight. A mob of townspeople gathered with bows and arrows, while tho students also armed and a battle royal was waged all day, although no ono was hurt. On the next day and the day following tho townsmen invaded the college halls and killed several students, breaking up their quarters. Tho habits of the early undergraduates were shown in contemporary records. Football proved a thorn in the side of tho authorities, and in 1580 it was forbidden to play within the precincts of any college.